Written for RDP, where sgeoil asks us
to get creative with the word βbulbβ.
Thanks, Heather! Hereβs my take.
Tag: Holidays
The Thursday Shift
Written for MLMM Monday Wordle #454.
Our twelve prompt words are shown below.
Here’s where they took me. Thanks, Di!
balance, try, flat, beauty, understand, hope,
give, peace, happy, thought, dedicate, and share
The Empty Chair
Our gracious host, Rochelle, at Friday Fictioneers
encourages us to be creative by writing a story inΒ
100 words or less using the photo shown below.
Β Hereβs where the photo prompt took me.
Happy 54th Anniversary, Rochelle & Jan!
Giving Thanks

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the US. Bill and I will celebrate this beautiful holiday by spending the day with our family, sharing our love and a delicious meal. We are fortunate to have so many blessings for which we are eternally grateful.
Among my many blessings I count you, my dear WordPress friends. I wish you all the best life has to offer and endless reasons to be thankful in the coming years.
Blessings on you and yours today and every day.
With warmest wishes and many thanks ~
Nancy π§‘
NARΒ©2024
This is βThanksgiving Songβ by Mary Chapin Carpenter
All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk, and The Rhythm Section and are not to be used without permission. NARΒ©2017-present.
COCKAMAMIE BUSINESS

βCredited for my award-winning fruitcakeβΒ was probably the last thing I heard my speed date say before I zoned out, my head hitting the table with an impressive βthudβ.Β Β
βDING!βΒ went the timer and my arm automatically shot up as I shouted outΒ βCheck, please!βΒ Everyone looked at me like I was crazy.Β βYeah, Iβm crazy alright for agreeing to go along with my friend Nadineβs cockamamie idea of speed dating the day after Christmas …. and she never even showed up!βΒ
I looked up to see my next date arriving β an Elvis impersonator replete with spangled jumpsuit, a ton of hair and heavy cologne. Whoever invented the jumpsuit should be pummeled with one of Elvis’ belt buckles. βWell, hello there, little lady. I do believe fate has brought us together. You are the spittin’ image of my darlin’ Priscilla.β
βOh Lord! Get me out of here!β my mind screamed. Quickly I jumped up.
βHey, toots! Number 9! Whaddya think youβre doing? You canβt just break outta line like that!β shouted the hoody-wearing overseer with the pronounced nose. He pointed an accusatory finger at me looking every bit like Charon the Ferryman from the River Styx.
I shoved passed him, walking out into the cold December night. βYou are such a pathetic loser” I murmured to myself. “Another wasted night and this time during the holidays! Wonder if there’s anything to do other than just go home?”
Looking around I noticed a movie theater down the street. βWell, better than nothing.β As I got closer I saw the movie was βA Hard Dayβs Nightβ and it was about to start. Cool! I got my ticket and bought some popcorn. There were clusters of people sitting here and there so I chose a secluded seat in the back. I liked sitting by myself, away from weirdos.
Just as the theater lights dimmed, some guy walked in and sat right next to me. βJeez!β Iβm thinking, rolling my eyes. βOf all the seats, you had to choose that one!β
Looking straight ahead, eating my popcorn, I assess the situation. I never know what to do at times like this. Do I change seats and risk him saying something nasty? Do I stay put and pretend everything’s normal? What if heβs a pervert?
βThis is all your fault, Nadineβ I whispered.
βExcuse me. Did you say something?β asked the guy next to me.
The charming English accent caught my attention; I turned my head slightly in its direction. In my excitement, I immediately began choking as I inhaled a puff of popcorn. The guy sitting just inches from me was a carbon copy of my one true love β George Harrison.
βAre you ok?” he asked. “Here, have some water.β
Finally able to breath and talk again, I said βIβm awfully sorry! You shocked me. Has anyone ever told you you look exactly like George Harrison?β
βAll the time. It’s a curse. And has anyone ever told you you look exactly like Priscilla Presley?β
βAll the time; it’s a curse.β
We both sighed heavily in resigned commiseration and turned our attention to the movie. We laughed through the whole thing, totally enjoying ourselves and lost in the moment; there was definitely a connection between us. When it was over we left together and decided to get a drink to celebrate the holidays.
We walk to a swinging little bar and who happens to be there? None other than “No-Show Nadine”!
Spotting me and my guy from the movie theater, she came running over, gushing like a schoolgirl. βOh my God! Has anyone ever told you you look exactly like George Harrison? Giving βGeorgeβ the once-over, she drooled. “Mighty slim pickings here tonight. Wanna dance, handsome? Olivia wonβt mind, will ya, hon?β
Wanting nothing more at that moment than to escape Nadine, βGeorge’ grabbed my hand and we ran from the club, laughing and tripping over ourselves just like in the movie.
Maybe I wasn’t a pathetic loser after all!
NAR Β© 2023

*wink wink*
George Harrison and “Cockamamie Business”
It’s our final edition of
“In The Groove: Sounds Of The Season”
and we’re celebrating the holidays
with something George would definitely dig!
Please stop by and join in the fun!
https://rhythmsection.blog/

This website (including text, graphics and videos) is copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephantβs Trunk and The Rhythm Section and not for use by anyone without permission. NAR Β© 2017-present.
AMERICANA

Went to the farmerβs market yesterday. Lots of pitting ahead of me but this isnβt my first rodeo.
Toss all the pitted cherries into a saucepan with some sugar and lemon juice. Let that cook over a medium heat just until the juices are released. Scoop the cherries into a bowl with a slotted spoon. Mix some of the cherry sauce with cornstarch until dissolved, then return it to the pot to cook until thick. Pour over the cherries and set aside while preparing your pie crust.
I love working with dough; itβs very therapeutic. After years of practice, making the perfect pie crust is a piece of cake! And donβt forget to save any dough remnants.
Line a pie plate with your crust and add the cherry filling. Hereβs where you can get fancy. Remember the crust trimmings you set aside? Ball them up, then roll out the dough into a circle but not too thin. Cut strips out of your dough to lay a lattice top crust across the cherry filling. If youβre new to this, just place the whole, uncut circle of dough over the pie filling and poke a hole in the top for the steam to escape while your pie bakes.
Donβt forget to crimp the edges of your crust. Finish it off by brushing a thin layer of beaten egg over the top. We all like a bit of sweetness; sprinkle some sugar on it! π
Escargot another time. Cherry pie for Labor Day!
NAR Β© 2023
250 words
