Saturday Centus - Banned

Hello! I'm back this week to join my favorite group of writers for Saturday Centus. I finally have a minute or two to breathe and thought it would be fun to visit Jenny Matlock and see what she had cooked up this week. What did I find? A challenge that almost made me turn tail and run away until next week. Normally Jenny gives us a fun little prompt and 100 words to write a story using the prompt exactly as written. This week she was feeling generous and gave us 150 words. Nice, right? But EVERY STINKING WORD has to be written in dialogue! That's right, my least favorite thing to write. So here goes nothing folks. Make sure to visit Jenny and read what much more creative souls than I have come up with. You won't be disappointed. And Jenny leaves the link up for an entire week, so you have plenty of time to come up with your own tale and join us!

"Sorry I'm late. Problems at work today and it got a bit ugly"

" Please don't tell me you got into it with that protest group again"

"Yep. Showed up at the end of the day, demanding that I remove 30 books from the shelves. Of course I refused. Almost had to call the police!"

"Just take the damn books down, hide them or something. It's not worth all this hassle. We can't afford for you to lose your job over this"

"I promise you, if I give them this, they will be back for more. I cannot let a bunch of narrow minded dolts tell me what books are appropriate for my students. Good Lord, they want me to remove To Kill A Mockingbird! And the Harry Potter books. Those books are the only things that got some of these kids interested in reading at all!"

"What are you doing? Are you seriously ordering another Martini?"

Postscript: It's Banned Books Week. Visit ALA to find out more about this event. And click this link to find a list of the most commonly challenged/banned books. It's a real eye opener http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/banned/frequentlychallenged/challengedclassics/index.cfm

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

Remembrance

I felt compelled to repost my 9-11 remembrance from last year. Please, everyone take a moment today to remember all those who lost their lives on that terrible day, and keep their families in your prayers. And please, try and remember the foundation of tolerance and respect that our country was built upon. If anything, I think things have gotten worse since I originally wrote this. It's frightening how divided our country has become. We have to pull together as a people and quit letting special interests manipulate the puppet strings. READ, make informed decisions and vote people into office who listen to their constituents instead of lobbyists and false patriots waving "pledges". The only pledge our elected officials should be making is to US, not corporate special interest groups.

Photo courtesy of Google Images

On waking this morning, I prepared myself for the onslaught of memorials, pictures and reflections on 9-11. I remember exactly where I was (at work) when the attacks occurred. DH called me at work and told me that a plane had just flown into the World Trade Center. Thinking that it was small private plane, he quickly informed me as to what was really happening. We do not have a television or radio at our clinic, and at the time we did not have internet access. So the entire day was spent grilling clients who came in.
What I remember most clearly from the days, weeks and months that followed this horrific attack is the sense of pride and unity. No one was going to bring this country to it's knees. The sense of thankfulness for our firefighters and police officers who willingly went into the inferno to save lives and bring some semblance of order to chaos. The picture that I remember most clearly from this frantic time was of the thousands of people streaming across the bridge leaving Manhattan, with firefighters and police officers going into the city.
As I sit here with my morning coffee, I wonder what we have really learned from this. What happened to our sense of pride and unity? The constant bickering over every little thing, the two political parties acting like a bunch of spoiled schoolchildren. Name calling, mud slinging and ugly, hateful rhetoric spewing from every talk radio station. People, if we cannot pull ourselves together and learn to tolerate each other's differences and opinions, we are letting the terrorists win. Our biggest strength lies in our ability to discuss, work together and learn from each other. Our greatest ally is ourselves! We the People! Not you the democrats and you the republicans and you the "whatever". Our country was formed in response to intolerance and injustice. A place where everyone has the right to change government, just by pulling a little lever. Let's not let our differences tear us apart. Rather, try to remember that it is people from all walks of life, all religious beliefs, all political leanings and all backgrounds that give this country it's strength. It saddens me to think that the only time we can come together as a people and unite in a common cause is when we are under attack.
It is important that we never forget what happened on this fateful day. But it's also important to remember what happened in this great country of ours over 200 years ago. The greatest country on earth, with the greatest system of government on earth, was formed. So while it is important that we fly our flags and wear our lapel pins today, I think it is more important that we keep the flag in our hearts and minds everyday. Make our forefathers proud of what we have become and what we can accomplish. Do not let the terrorists win.

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Saturday Centus - The Wall

Good morning Fellow Centusians! Yes, it's time for Saturday Centus, hosted by the always gracious Jenny Matlock at Off on My Tangent. Sorry I've been MIA for so long, but apparently someone changed my name to Job while I wasn't looking. Let's just say it's been an interesting 6 weeks and leave it at that. I hope you forgive me for abandoning ship for awhile, but life does get in the way sometimes, doesn't it? I thought I had remembered the rules for Saturday Centus, but something has changed. We have 200 words this week! Maybe I should take a break more often. This week's prompt was provided by Miss Nonna Beach at Tasty Tales. Miss Nonna is also responsible for us having an extra hundred words this week, so make sure to visit and give her some love! In case you've forgotten, Jenny or one of her cohorts gives us a prompt. Then we create a very short story of 100 words or less, exclusive of the prompt. No pictures, profanity or other things that you wouldn't want your grandchildren to see. Which probably explains why Anthony Weiner doesn't join us every week. But I digress....

This week's prompt is in bold italics. Hope you enjoy my take on it!

Cindy crept across the attic, floorboards groaning like an old drunk. If mama knew she was up here, she'd tan her hide. Jumped as a shadow flitted across the wall, laughing in relief when she saw it was just her reflection in the wavy glass of an old mirror. Brushing aside cobweb curtains, she knelt in front of the old trunk. Snitching the key from mama had been tricky, but she'd managed. Busy making pies for tomorrow's church supper, mama hadn't even noticed. Dust rose in clouds as Cindy slowly raised the lid. There it was, the packet of letters from great grandpa Cole. Reading the faded ink, she searched desperately for a clue, finally finding it. Slipping out of the house, Cindy ran across the back pasture until she saw the landmark. The wall was built long ago, the stones leaning from frost heave. Running her hands along the bottom row, she found the one she was looking for. Pushing with all her might, Cindy moved the stone, revealing an oilcloth wrapped bundle. Cindy opened the package with trembling hands, staring in amazement. The family legend was true! Just like great grandpa promised. More than enough to pay off the bank and keep the farm.

Saturday Centus - Cindy's Revenge

Jenny has thrown us a minor curve ball this week for Saturday Centus. Yes, we have a written prompt to use. And yes, we have up to 100 words. BUT - the prompt must be used in a poem. That rhymes! ARGHH! I've never written poetry in my life! I had planned to continue my haunted house story based on this week's prompt. When I saw Jenny's instructions, I almost threw up my hands. But then I started thinking... I know, I know, that can be dangerous. Click here and here if you want the back story on this. Click here to read all the entries from this week and to learn the rules that Centusians must live by. The prompt is in bold font. My apologies in advance to all the great poets out there.

Sassy Girl

I stomped my foot and threw a fit

So dang mad I thought I'd spit

I want to go and have some fun

You know I can, you've seen me run

No girls allowed Frankie said

Smiling, patting me on the head!

I'll show him I'm not a chicken

But if he catches me, I'm in for a lickin'

He didn't hear me slip in the back

Time to launch my sneak attack

Locked the door to the murder room

Hid in the closet with the brooms

Hearing his shouts, I laughed with glee

I may be a girl, but you can't catch ME!

Saturday Centus - Haunted House? Part Two

I couldn't resist. This was such a fun prompt, and I couldn't let the boys run screaming into the night without knowing what was in that house. So I've written a second story. Same prompt, same rules. Don't have a clue what I'm talking about? Click here to read the first part of this story. Click here to visit Jenny and her amazing band of Centusians for Saturday Centus!

Haunted House? Part two

With the curtain parted, Frankie watched the boys run screaming down the street. Laughed so hard he got a bellyache. Nobody was going to win 5 bucks from him, even if it meant sneaking into this creepy old place to play a prank on his little brothers. What goobers! Greg probably wet his pants when that curtain moved, and Bill took off so fast Frankie swore his sneakers were smoking. Now he just had to slip out without being seen. If the folks knew he'd been in the Sawyer place, they'd tan his hide.

Funny, he didn't remember locking that door behind him...

Saturday Centus - Haunted House?

My favorite day of the week is Saturday. Even when I have to work! Why? Because that means it's time for another edition of Saturday Centus. Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent hosts this fun event every week. I don't know that I've ever thanked Jenny for letting my muse run free. Sure, I've been writing since I was in high school (back in the dark ages. You know, when dinosaurs roamed the earth and all that) but I never, ever let anyone read my work. Until I met Jenny. She gives us a prompt. We then write a short (and I do mean short) story of 100 words or less. This has been so much fun, and it's given me the kick in the pants I needed to start writing again. And my fellow Centusians? The greatest group of people you will ever meet. I don't think I have ever read a nasty comment from any of them. Well, except when Tom gets going on the South. But I know he says those things out of love. Really. I think he is a closet Reb. "Me thinks he doth protest too much" and all that jazz. HA! Seriously though, join us! It's so much fun, and it's a great outlet for pent up creativity. Jenny leaves the link live for the entire week, so what are you waiting for? This week Jenny has given us a nice little prompt, beautiful in it's simplicity. Can't wait to see what everyone does with it. The prompt is in bold italics. Enjoy!

The decrepit old Victorian stood sentinel on it's hill, daring anyone to come near. Greg and Bill crept up the crumbling brick walk, determined to get into the old Sawyer place. Frankie had bet them 5 bucks they couldn't stay the night. "That place is full of haints, you won't last a minute!" With the moon lighting their way, they walked up sagging porch steps. Hearts pounding, they glanced up at the second floor window, where old man Sawyer went nuts and chopped his family to pieces. The curtain parted. Their screams echoed all the way down Catfish Alley as they ran home.

Saturday Centus - Slick Rick

Good morning fellow Centusians! It's a beautiful day and I'm getting ready to march on the Capitol. But first things first, it's time for Saturday Centus, so graciously hosted every week by the lovely Jenny Matlock at Off on my Tangent. If you don't know the drill by now, Jenny provides us with a prompt and we write a short story of 100 words or less, exclusive of the prompt. I've had an idea for today's Centus in mind all week. I worried that I might have a problem working the prompt into the story, but Jenny must have read my mind. The prompt is PERFECT! Perfect, I tell you. I try very hard to keep politics and rants out of my posts. But our State is in a crisis, and the people who will suffer are the most vulnerable, our children. So I hope you forgive me if I indulge in a bit of a rant this week. The prompt is in bold italics.

"The lieutenant governor, the speaker, their colleagues aren’t going to hire or fire one teacher, as best I can tell,” Perry said. “That is a local decision that will be made at the local districts.” The Senator shook his head in disbelief. Why had the Governor made that statement? He had never been accused of being intelligent, but the Governor was a political animal who knew better than to throw gasoline onto an already explosive situation. What had started as a small rally protesting education cuts had blossomed into a massive public relations nightmare. He turned back to his reading. Texas Constitution, Article 15. Impeachment.

Saturday Centus - Blue Note

It's time to visit Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent for Saturday Centus. Give Jenny some extra love this week, she's had a rough time with some dental work. Yet she still manages to host this fun event! The rules are simple. Jenny provides us with a prompt. We let our imaginations run wild and write a short story of up to 100 words, exclusive of the prompt. No pictures, no vulgarity and the prompt must be used intact in the the story. Simple, right? Jenny even leaves the link live for a full week, so you have plenty of time to pen a tale and join this merry band of Centusians. Join us! I promise you'll have fun. The prompt for this week's story is in bold italics.

Blue Note

Friday night. The place was hoppin'! Jake heard the clink of bottles, the low hum of the crowd, an occasional burst of raucous laughter cutting through the din. Layers of smoke hung in the air, thick as cotton. Jake looked down at his horn, his faithful companion, the finish worn from years of jamming in joints like this. She'd earned her keep tonight, drawing the attention of the sharp dressed man at the back table. Minnie, grinning from ear to ear, slipped him the card between sets. Jake stared in disbelief at the words. Eli Slaughter - Blue Note Records. Everything depended upon this single card.

Saturday Centus - Answered Prayers

It's Saturday, which can only mean one thing. Actually, in my case it means several things. My turn to work a Saturday shift. Which in my line of work means cramming 8 hrs worth of appointments into 4 hours. Because even though Fluffy has been sick for 2 weeks, this is the first chance you've had to bring your poor pet to the vet. I DO understand how difficult it is to get that hair appointment with Mr. Charles at Ooh La La salon, but really? And I know that cancelling your tennis game is just not an option. Perhaps you should get one of those little Zu Zu pets. I know it's not quite the same as having the French Poodle to match your Louis XIV decor, but at least they won't have the audacity to vomit on your expensive rugs. What? Yes, we do close at noon on Saturday. No, I cannot wait an extra 2 hours until you are done shopping. Actually, we also have families and lives. Really.

Oh, sorry, where was I? Oh yes, happy thoughts, happy thoughts. It's time for Saturday Centus, hosted by the ever gracious Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent. Jenny has thrown us curve balls for the last two weeks, but this week we are back to our regularly scheduled program of a written prompt. Our task? To write a short story of 100 words or less exclusive of the prompt. No profanity, no pictures, and the prompt must be left intact. This week's prompt is in bold italics.

Enjoy! And the next time Fluffy eats an entire rope toy that is longer than she is, call your vet. Don't wait two weeks. Please? If not for me, do it for that little fur person who depends on you to take proper care of her!

Answered Prayers

Jill walked to her car, exhausted after an 8 hour shift that turned into 11 hours on her feet. No breaks, no lunch. She couldn't remember a busier day. She turned the key. The grinding noise was getting worse. "Come on Bessie, please make it until payday!" Pulling out of the deserted lot, Jill remembered that she still had to stop for coffee. No way was she going to face that 5:00 alarm without it.

Praying that her account wasn't overdrawn, Jill inserted her card.

The ATM machine began dispensing twenties. She stared at the receipt. Congratulations, you've won the $5,000 Visa Debit giveaway!

Saturday Centus - Earworm

Well friends and neighbors, it's Saturday Centus time once again. Time to tank up on lots of coffee and come up with a nifty little story of 100 words or less based on a prompt provided by Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent. Jenny has thrown us a another curve ball this week. The prompt is a line from a current popular song. A song that I hear at least 15 times a day while commuting to and from work. A song that drives me around the bend. So thanks Jenny, for getting "Catch a Grenade for Ya" stuck in my head. On the weekend, when I don't normally have to hear it. What a pal! Make sure to stop by Jenny's and visit all the links. The stories are short, so you can easily read them all. And you don't want to miss any of them. These Centusians have some pretty amazing writing chops! Jenny generously leaves the link live all week, so you've got plenty of time to join us. But I will warn you, once you start doing this it's really hard to stop! This week's prompt is in bold italics.

She'd been on this road forever. The winter landscape was flat and barren, with only an occasional mule deer or buzzard breaking the monotony. Hadn't seen another car in hours. The radio picked up two stations. One playing Top 40, the other some right wing talk show spewing vitriol like an evil Old Faithful. Click. "I'd catch a grenade for ya..." She'd heard that song at least 10 times since leaving Austin. She'd like to find that band, send them a grenade! Click. Silence. "throw my hand on a blade for ya, yeah, yeah, yeah..." She would never get that silly song out of her head!

I'd catch a grenade for ya...

Saturday Centus - Happy Valentines Day

Once again, it's time to join Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent for another thrilling edition of Saturday Centus. Why thrilling? I love words, I love to play with them, read them, roll them around and see what can be done with them. Jenny provides us with a prompt and we write a story of 100 words or less using the prompt. It's a great exercise in learning what is truly important in a story. It can be painful to cut our beautiful words out and send them to the recycling bin, but it has to be done.

Every once in a while, Jenny throws us a curve ball. This week she has chosen to test our loyalty to the Centusian cause. Instead of a written prompt, she wants us to write using a photo as our inspiration. But not just any picture, oh no! We have to use this!

Here's the challenge. Use up to 50 words to write a Hallmark card for Valentine's Day, using this image. Piece of cake, right? I had planned on continuing my Family Secrets saga, but for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to do that with this crazy prompt. So that's going on the back burner for now. I hope you enjoy the card (tongue planted firmly in cheek) And excuse me while I make a phone call to the authorities. There has to be a law against doing this to a poor, defenseless animal doesn't there? No? Well, I hope this little fella figures out a way to wreak vengeance. I'm thinking nightstand as fire hydrant....

Don't forget to visit all the links. This week should be very interesting!

Especially for you on Valentine's Day

For 2.99 you were expecting Linda Carter?

Happy Valentines Day!

Saturday Centus - Family Secrets Part II

Saturday! Time to join Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent for Saturday Centus. Take some time to join our merry band of Centusians as we strive to strike literary gold in 100 words or less. The concept is deceptively simple. Jenny gives us a writing prompt, and we write a short story of 100 words or less exclusive of the prompt. There aren't too many rules, but you must leave the prompt intact exactly as written, no pictures, and keep the story PG! Try to visit all the links, there are some amazing writers in this group. And Miss Jenny generously leaves the link live for an entire week, so you've got plenty of time to pen a little fable and join us! This week our prompt is supplied by Ames at Girl Raised in the South. Stop by and say hey, Ames is a lot of fun!

I received quite a few comments suggesting that I continue the story I started last week. Click here to read Family Secrets Part I. This week's prompt gave me a natural segue into part II, so here it is. As always, the prompt is in bold font. And I had to be a bit creative with my word count. I've chopped this baby for the past 3 hours. I'm not counting the date headers in my word count. So sue me...

Kate read, a knot forming in her belly. It was growing bigger by the minute.

10.15.47

That no account Jr Ewell was rounding up kids to pick pumpkins. I've never seen Roy so angry...

10.25.47

Roy men's club met last night. I don't know what those boys were up to tracking muck all over mama's oriental carpet. Took all day to get that mess cleaned up...

11.1.47

The whole town is buzzing like a beehive. Seems Jr just up and ran off. No one's seen hide nor hair of him all week. Good riddance to bad rubbish...

The puzzle was falling into place. Kate didn't like the picture one bit.

Saturday Centus - Family Secrets Part 1

Once again, it's time to join Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent for our weekly fix of Saturday Centus. Yes, I said fix. If you've participated, you know what I mean. If not, believe me, this fun little meme is addictive! This is week 39. I jumped into the pool late, having been intimidated by all the fantastic writers out there. Don't let that stop you. This is an incredibly supportive group of people. Unless you write about the South. Then Tom's muse is going to start cracking wise about 'possums and outhouses. But I digress. The discipline involved in writing these short little jewels is an amazing way to develop your writing chops. In case you don't know the drill, Jenny (or a guest) provides us with a writing prompt. Use this to write a story of 100 words or less, exclusive of the prompt. The link stays live all week, so if you wake up Saturday with no inspiration, you still have 7 days to come up with something. But be warned, once you start participating, it's hard to stop. Think of Saturday Centus as the "Lays" of blog events - you can't stop at just one!

This week's prompt was given to us by Judie at Rogue Artists Speak. If you haven't met Judie, stop by. You'll be glad you did. She is a gifted artist and writer, and I always look forward to her contributions to Saturday Centus.

Here is my story for this week. The prompt is in bold font.

The room looked just as she remembered. Except for the dust. Grandma never would have stood for that. The old four poster bed and dresser that her great grandmother had shipped from Ireland. Intricate lace curtains, now yellow with age. The beautifully carved chest at the foot of the bed, handed down to generations of first born daughters.

She had returned to the old home place to find some solitude. Peace and quiet. No cable or internet, cell phone service erratic at best. Nothing to distract her from her writing. Instead, she'd stirred up a hornet's nest of trouble. Trembling, She lifted the stack of letters from the ancient chest.

Saturday Centus - That Child is Touched

Jenny, Jenny, Jenny. Did I do something to offend you? Have I broken the rules and not been aware of it? Why else would you do this to me? Ok, last week was bad. You threw down the gauntlet of 25 words and I delivered. But Sci Fi? Really? Science flippin' fiction? Other than a couple of Asimov stories, I never, ever read Sci Fi. Ok, I did read A Handmaid's Tale, but that was a trick. It was written by Margaret Atwood. Had no idea that it was sci fi until I had already purchased it. In case you don't know why I'm grumbling like an old bear, visit Jenny Matlock at Off on my Tangent. She has this neat little weekly event called Saturday Centus. Jenny provides us with a prompt and we write a story of 100 words or less exclusive of the prompt. Last week, she cut us to 25 words plus the prompt. This week, she gave us back the missing 75 words, but we have to write a science fiction story. Make sure that you visit all the links, this is a truly amazing group of wordsmiths. However, I am making absolutely no promises with mine this week. You'll have to take your chances, and if it's dreadful, go yell at Jenny! As usual, the prompt is in bold font. Oh, and I almost forgot. After getting over the shock of the genre, I read the prompt. And proceeded to spill my coffee thanks to a coughing fit. I actually know what show the line comes from. And (forgive me in advance all you Trekkies out there) I can't stand that show. Once again, I'm stealing Jenny's favorite line. Sigh ....

Lying on the dew soaked grass, Ariel gazed at the stars. Twinkling against the black velvet of the sky, more beautiful than any display at Tiffany's. She cringed as she heard the shouting from the house. Great, they were arguing again. About her, no doubt. She shouldn't have told her mother about her friend. She was much too rigid to believe in such nonsense. They always thought Ariel was different. Now they thought she was nuts! But she had proof that there were other worlds out there. And he promised to take her. Summoning her courage, she closed her eyes. "Beam me up, Scottie"...

Saturday Centus - The Heart Attack

Good morning! Jumped out of bed, all excited to see what Miss Jenny had in store for us today. I wanted to get right on it, because I have to work today. Have to keep paying that internet bill, so I can stay in contact. So anyway, got out of bed, poured a big mug of coffee, stretched my fingers in preparation for that 100 word writing marathon and what do I find? A joke from Jenny. No, really, this has to be a joke, right? She loves to shake things up, and this week we are limited to 25 words. Not 250 - I was hoping that she had forgotten to type the zero on the end. But her instructions are quite clear. 25 words. I've told Jenny before, and I'll tell you now. My flippin' grocery list has more than 25 words. TWENTY FIVE WORDS. The recording on my voice mail has more than that. My standard phone greeting at work has almost that many words. Now some of you may be hopping up and down for joy. I, on the other hand, have a rare condition known as "vox plenteous". Which loosely translated from the Latin means big mouth. Really. Look it up. If you don't have a clue what I am rambling on about, visit Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent. Saturday Centus is a fun (usually) weekly meme in which Jenny gives us a writing prompt and we then craft a story of 100 words or less exclusive of the prompt. Yes, you read that correctly. We usually get 100 words, which is hard enough. This week, 25 lousy stinking words. This should be interesting! Make sure to visit all the links. The writing is great, and the stories are so short - especially this week - that you should have no trouble visiting everyone.

Now, if you've been paying attention, my introduction up to this point has 311 words. Let's see what I can manage in 25 - TWENTY FIVE! The prompt is in bold font. That's even skimpy this week, just 3 little words. In the immortal words of our lovely hostess, sigh ...

The smell of antiseptic, the whisper of rubber soled shoes, the sting of an IV catheter. As memory returned, I sat bolt upright. Where was the lottery ticket?

Saturday Centus - The Last Laugh

Good morning fellow Centusians! I always look forward to Saturday morning (except the ones I have to work tee hee) to see just what our Miss Jenny has in store for us. Time to knock the cobwebs out of our brains, down gallons of coffee and write a short - really short - story of 100 words or less based on a writing prompt supplied by Jenny Matlock at Off On My Tangent. The rules remain the same. No pictures, no vulgarity, and no splitting the prompt. And Jenny, being the soul of generosity that she is, keeps the link live all week, so we have plenty of time to come up with something. This week, Jenny is shaking things up. No written prompt, we have to write our story based on this picture.

Seriously? Try and visit all the links. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for this!

Here goes nothing folks, hope you enjoy.

The Last Laugh

Well, well, well. What do we have here? A snowstorm! Ada couldn't wait until all those naysayers woke to see what Mother Nature brought last night. Living in an orange grove was pretty boring most times. When little Miss Cindy came back from her New York shopping trip, she brought tiny hats for us oranges. She said it would keep us from getting cold. Ina and the others had laughed when Ada wore hers with pride, rain or shine. She wasn't going to be the one to stifle that child's imagination. Bet they won't be laughing today!

Saturday Centus - Happy New Year

Hello! I'm back! Sorry I've been MIA, but it has been crazy around here. Now the holidays are behind us and it's time to get back to work. Time to rejoin Jenny Matlock at Off on My Tangent

for another round of Saturday Centus. Just a quick refresher. Jenny gives us a writing prompt, and we spin a tale of 100 words or less (exclusive of the prompt). No pictures, no vulgarity, no splitting the prompt. Jenny leaves the link live for a full week, so you have plenty of time to join. And make sure that you visit all the links, there are some amazing writers participating.

To all my fellow Centusians, I hope I don't get kicked out for being absent for 3 weeks, I've missed you guys! This week's prompt is in bold font.

Kate stared at the strips of wallpaper hanging in the front hallway. Another project that never got off the ground. Stacks of half read books lay scattered throughout the house, the new bookcases standing unfinished in the guest room. New Year's always started with such promise. But as the year wore on, it became apparent that it was going to be the same old, same old. No time, energy, or money. She glanced at her crumpled up list of resolutions. Grabbing her notebook, she wrote

Eat more, exercise less, gain weight, procrastinate...

Kate laughed. Finally, a list of resolutions that she would have no trouble keeping!