Grandmas Goulash

The lights flickered out for a few seconds last night. There was some light rain outside, but no lightening, so I’m not sure what caused the momentary disturbance. It was enough to send Calico out to the storage shelves in the back of the garage to find some alternate lighting. She located some solar lanterns, that should have been out on the patio soaking up the sun, a couple of flashlights minus batteries and a few chunky candles, which haven’t been used for years, due to safety issues when Miss Muffin was young and then with cats that are undeterred by the highest of shelves. The battery powered lanterns, however, weren’t there. Hopefully, they haven’t become another moving casualty. They are far safer than candles and throw enough light for reading, even for my imperfect eyes. We got them after I knocked the power out at our Memphis home for almost a day. Not just for us, but for our entire neighborhood. It was one of those nights, when sleep seemed to evade me. I had t...

The small creek behind our house has been pretty dry since we moved in. That changed with recent rain that caused over five inches of water to fall in less than a day. It caused flash floods in some locations, but we didn’t see any of that. I rather enjoy being able to look out a window to view our small stream. While far too small to hold anything but a toy boat, the water got me reminiscing about the best summer of my childhood. My mother usually let me visit at my cousin’s house for a few days each summer. That summer, however, special circumstances allowed me to spend a month with them. My aunt and uncle owned a small motorboat and my aunt let my cousin and I take it out on our own. Weather permitting, we would pack a lunch and make the two mile walk to the lake. My mother would have put a quick stop to the visit, if she had realized what her sister was allowing two twelve-year olds to do, so I was careful to skip any incriminating details. I wanted those long glorious days ...

Calico was a bit disgruntled, when she left for school this morning. It is almost four weeks into the semester and she just received her work study assignment. Money earned through work-study is part of a student’s financial aid package. Getting all of those funds may not be important to every student, but for a single-mother on a limited budget, it is crucial. On the surface, the assignment seems great. She’ll be providing reading tutoring to second graders at a local elementary school. She’s done this type of work on a volunteer basis and really enjoys it. The problem?  Figuring out how to work those hours is something that is left up to her.  With the exception of a physics lab and a once per week evening class, all her classes are scheduled during daytime hours. These are the same hours that elementary students are in school. Sure, she has some free blocks of time between classes. The school, however, is not within walking distance and the campus parking situation...

The professor’s green generator introduced a bit of electricity into an apathetic class, while recycling confiscated reading materials. Ace student, Nerdie, felt running the crank was beneath him. Until he saw the alternative. Principal Spock viewed the classroom with dismay. “I told you to try a mind meld, Professor, not a mind melt.”   Succinctly Yours offers a weekly photo and word as inspiration for your microfiction. How low can you go? Choose the 140 character or 140 word option. This week’s word was  harvest .

Congratulations to blogger, John Sealander, who has completed one thousand days of consecutive blog posts. In a world filled with brazen politicians and salesmen, who promote their viewpoints and wares with the strength of a tactical loudspeaker, John’s blog provides a welcome contrast that communicates volumes through the quiet details of everyday life. Daily walks with his Dalmatians and a nature photo snapped along the way are blended with details of the furnace repairman’s repeated visits and rain that pools on the roof. I’ve followed John through doctor’s visits and health scares. I’ve empathized with the tedium of everyday tasks. I’ve admired his dedication to Dalmatian Rescue. My enchantment with his blog, however, is something much deeper. John confesses his obsessions and inconsistencies with a self-deprecating wit and honesty that makes me know he’s real. Yes, he says there is not enough money to repair the leaking roof, but he finds the cash to feed his addict...

A satisfied Leo rested on the now empty car. It was true. Nobody can eat just one.  The Geico Gecko had disappeared after arriving to investigate the insurance claim. There’s always room for Gecko. The Gecko’s mate vowed to find him, but also vanished. Double your pleasure . . .  Forced to dispose of investigating FBI agents, Leo watched his figure transition from sleek to portly. Maybe it was time to call Jenny.   Succinctly Yours offers a weekly photo and word as inspiration for your microfiction. How low can you go? Choose the 140 character or 140 word option. This week’s word was  transition .

Who could forget Saturday Night Fever or John Travolta’s shiny white polyester pantsuit? By the time the movie was released in 1977, I had more than my share of  polyester  suits. I had acquired my first pantsuit in 1970 and fell in love. As a young mother with a full time job, I loved that easy care, never wrinkle fabric. No time wasted with a hot iron or huge wrinkles appearing minutes after I had donned an outfit. They were perfect for travel too. I stuffed them in duffel bags, confident that they would emerge in ready-to-wear condition. The seventies were also the decade, when I discovered how much I enjoyed camping and hiking. A friend gave me an old canvas tent and I learned how to pitch it, despite a few missing pieces of hardware. Since canvas is just a type of cotton, it can absorb a lot of water, when it rains. The theory is that the cotton fibers absorb the water, swelling to fill any tiny holes, so that the inside of the tent stays dry. With a...

I love our warm southern climate, but even after fifteen years, I can’t shake the feeling that time has been warped. The calendar says it’s September. How can I reconcile the lush green trees outside my window with memories of my mother retrieving long underwear and arctic parkas from storage in anticipation of the next month’s snow? Perhaps it is really November. In my childhood, Labor Day weekend marked the end of summer vacation, but my granddaughter has been back to school for several weeks now. Everything is out of sync. Southern natives don’t seem to notice. They are used to the school calendar that confuses me. Their dress is similar to their northern counterparts, despite the temperature differences. I’ve known co-workers, who donned corduroy skirts and turtlenecks in October, despite temperatures in the 80’s. By November, the break room is scattered with catalogs of winter coats and folks agonizing over choosing one before the temperature dips below fifty. While I am still p...

“Counting 101 is a prerequisite for this class?” Jerry suddenly understood the repercussions of playing hookey in kindergarten.  Globules of sweat beaded on Pat’s brow as she counted her fingers. What a poor substitute for the calculator her teacher had confiscated!  Miss Euclid had always dreamed of discovering a math prodigy. Clearly, it wouldn’t be happening this year.   Thanks to Pat, Jerry and all teachers, who have worked to educate and inspire our children. This one is in memory of Jerry Nelson (July 10, 1934 – August 23, 2012), voice of Sesame Street’s beloved Count. Succinctly Yours offers a weekly photo and word as inspiration for your microfiction. How low can you go? Choose the 140 character or 140 word option. This week’s word was  globule .