Monday December 6th, 2010

The exercise:

Today we write about: Christmas lights.

Too soon? Nah. Plus, this Coldplay song is stuck in my head something fierce.

Did some painting and kitchen sink work today. Oh, and we finally got the medicine cabinet off the floor and onto the bathroom wall (where it will hopefully be safer from harm). The sink just needs a few more parts and it'll be all hooked up - maybe tomorrow night.

I need to get on my Christmas writing. Dad, if you're reading this, send me your words already! :)

Mine:

His wife stood in the front yard being swallowed by her parka as she stared up at him on the roof. He gave her an encouraging wave which was not returned.

"You're sure this won't be a repeat of last year?" she called up to him. "And the five years before that?"

"Nope, I've got it all figured out this time around," he replied, adjusting the life-size Santa ornament so that it could be more easily seen from street level. "I promise!"

"But it looks like you have even more lights this year," she countered, eyeing the double string along the fence and the fir tree in the front yard that was struggling to remain upright under the weight of all its decorations. "Like, twice as many."

"That's why I have four backup generators going! Don't worry, sweetheart! It's going to be amazing!"

He climbed down the ladder and joined her in the front yard. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he produced a remote control from his pocket and aimed it at the house. With a wink at his wife, he pressed the button.

And the power went out in the entire neighborhood for the seventh consecutive year.

5 comments:

Greg said...

Painting has to the be easy stuff now, surely? The wall is also undoubtedly a better place for a medicine cabinet :)
Four back-up generators! And he still took out the power for the entire neighbourhood... that's an impressive display of lights (when it gets going). That kind of Christmas display doesn't really happen so much over here, people tend to keep much of it in their homes. It's more corporations and businesses that decorate their building and grounds like that, and they've usually got a good electricity supply!

Christmas lights
"No!" said Dr. Septopus. He was straddling two step-ladders, precariously stood side-by-side and tilted inwards towards each other, clutching strings of Christmas lights.
"I hadn't said anything," said Sylvestra, who had just that moment walked into the meeting chamber of the Council of Nastiness.
"But I know what you're going to suggest, and the answer is no. The Green Lightbulb would not make a good Christmas decoration of any sort. And no, we are not putting him on the top of the tree like the fairy you think he is. And no, we are not putting a white coat on him, chaining him to the front entrance and telling people he's an animatronic snowman."
"Ah." Sylvestra tapped a foot thoughtfully, admiring the boughs of holly that drooped across the hall in enormous brachistochronic chains. "Is this his Christmas present from you then? Protection from ridicule for Christmas?"
"What?" The stepladders wobbled alarmingly.
"His Christmas present. From you."
"I'm not getting any of you Christmas presents!"
"Oh, that's a shame, because Green's got us all Christmas presents. Oh, and word on the street is that Bad Kitty's getting you an early one, too."
The stepladders wobbled again, and Dr. Septopus disappeared in a crash of wood, lights and holly.

Zhongming said...

Marc – that was interesting! The ending was really out of my anticipation :)

Greg – great continuation! I wonder about the present that Bad Kitty had in mind :) is

---
Christmas Eve

He is in his best form, defending with his best posture. He is looking sharp and watching every movement of what their striker is going to do.

Alfred placed the ball right on the spot kick mark. He moves a few steps behind as he tried to lock his target with his half-closed eyes. “Short beep as the referee signals “play-on”.

Goal!!! He put it into the back of the net! He put it low and hard and that was beyond the reach of their goalkeeper.

Yep, on the Christmas Eve, they were all watching the Barclays Premier League from England live on ESPN. Turkey, log cakes and Santa Cruz handing out presents were just in time! It is exactly 12am!

Boom! The loud cracking sound deaf my ears temporary, ouch painful!

Yeah, they’ve just release their explosives and the house is filled with colorful papers all over and over all of them too.

morganna said...

'Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! I want Christmas lights now!'

'Not yet, dear, it's not even Thanksgiving yet.'
-----------------
Two weeks later
'Mommy! Mommy! I want Christmas lights now!'

'Soon, dear.'
-----------------
Next day
'Today's the day for Christmas lights.'

'Yay!'
-------------------
-------------------
Not too exciting, but I'll be putting up Christmas lights in a little bit. :)

summerfield said...

Det. Garreth Jones steps out of his cruiser in front of 393 Gammit Ave. It is a quiet neighbourhood, and this house looks like the model suburban house you get to see only in glossy magazines like Homes & Gardens – an all-brick four bedroom New England classic on a well-appointed lot, with white iron grill fencing that reaches up to one’s chest. The well kept garden is elegantly decorated with colourful LED lights in uniform colour of blue. The house is picture perfect. Except that a man, wearing a red and white suit, black boots and sporting very white beard, hangs from the roof high above the front door, his red and white hat resting on the white awning below, a good portion of the Christmas lights wrapped around his neck. The fascia board is exposed as the cover has been ripped off by the weight of the hanging man, his body dangerously swaying in the minus twenty degree wind.

“Shit! Another one,” Jones mutters.

Marc said...

Greg - yeah, now it's pretty much just painting and putting the laminate in - which could be another big adventure. Hopefully not though.

Well, contrary to the good doctor's thoughts, I think Green would make an excellent ornament :D

Zhongming - that sounds like a very fun Christmas Eve :)

Morganna - haha, I remember being that excited about Christmas lights. I hope decorating went smoothly!

Summerfield - ah, a grisly scene that brought a smile to my face. Nicely done :)