Sunday July 23rd, 2017

The exercise:

Slightly earlier in the month than in June, we return to The Dream Kingdom today.

And chaos ensues...

Work was good today. Hot but good. Big wind blowing tonight should mean cooler temperatures tomorrow.

Hopefully.

Mine:

"Dylan!" Olivia shrieked.

"Hold on!" Josh yelled.

"Help me!" Dylan screamed.

"Everyone calm down!" Nystor shouted.

"Grab my hand!" Josh said as he reached for Dylan from the opposite side of the carpet. But just as their fingertips brushed another transformation took hold, sending Dylan wailing out of reach. "Damn it, Olivia! Hold this thing together!"

"I'm doing my b-"

"No." Nystor's voice brought with it a momentary calm, as if through the force of his will alone - or perhaps it was the strength of his imagination. "Olivia, focus on flying. The carpet will hold on its own - in some form or another. Just get us down safely."

"Which island should I aim for?"

"The nearest, child. Don't overthink this. The power of the meteor shards is greater than I expected at this distance. Put everything you have into landing this thing and then we shall go from there."

"You okay dude?" Josh asked, his hands having returned to his sides where they were gripping the carpet. Hard.

"I'm all right," Dylan replied. "Just trying to imagine having really strong ar-aaaahhhh!"

The carpet had morphed once more, but this time the edges had gone from a soft fringe to razor sharp spikes. Dylan let go, a trail of blood tracing his descent.

"Nooo!" Olivia screamed.

"Dylan - parachute!" Josh shouted.

"Focus, child!" Nystor said sternly. "Focus on f-"

"Hold on!" Olivia yelled. "I've lost control... we're going down!"

The carpet dipped, soared, dipped again. It briefly leveled off before entering a steep nosedive. Nystor began muttering a spell but only moments later they crash landed in a grove of towering trees.

Saturday July 22nd, 2017

The exercise:

Write a four line poem about: hiking in the mountains.

Took the family for a drive up Mount Kobau this morning. Bumpy gravel road for the last twenty or thirty minutes, but totally worth it once we got to the parking lot near the top. From there we did a 3 km loop trail that took us to a lookout and through fields of wildflowers and butterflies.

Absolutely beautiful up there.

Miles rode on Kat's back for the whole hike (other than a brief escape at the lookout for a water and snack break) and Max hiked the whole thing himself. Here's a shot of the boys at the lookout:

Hoping my legs will feel okay at work tomorrow after all the ups and downs of the trail.

Mine:

Butterflies drift
Through pine-scented air,
While wildflowers
Help distract the bears...

Friday July 21st, 2017

The exercise:

Write four lines of prose which take place on: the construction site.

Good day with the boys. Miles had a rough sleep last night, so he napped early, and while he did that I took Max for a walk around Haynes Point. Haven't been out there for a while and we both enjoyed it.

After we got back everybody had a late lunch (because Miles and Kat had just woken up) and then I took the boys for a wander around the farm. Ended up at Natalie's house for a bit, then Kat's parents.

Had a yummy slow cooker meal for dinner (beef stew) and now the boys are asleep and Kat is over at her brother's house for a visit.

And I am once again working on the comment backlog...

Mine:

Whenever the question was bellowed by the foreman, the entire site seemed to fall deathly silent. Everyone knew what the words meant as they echoed and echoed and echoed. It was a tool to be used not on steel or concrete, but on human flesh and bone.

"Where's my damned sledgehammer?"

Thursday July 20th, 2017

The exercise:

Write a country acrostic. Any country you like.

I will not make any comments about how impressed I would be by anyone who managed The Democratic Republic of the Congo, because that would be mean and I wouldn't want anyone to feel obligated to do it just because I mentioned it here.

So. Moving on.

Delivered apricots to the bakery with the boys this morning before taking them to the park. At one point Miles (who is walking now, by the way - pretty sure I haven't mentioned that yet!) just got up and wandered off on his own, about halfway across the park. Me and Max just watched him go since there's a fence that runs all the way around it.

We had to go get him eventually though.

Because he was not coming back on his own.

Mine:

Ruining the trust of the
United States in their
Supposedly strong democracy.
Secrets spilled by an
Idiot's idiot son
And yet... still stands his presidency.

Wednesday July 19th, 2017

The exercise:

Write about: the trajectory.

Had some time to rest and catch up on comments this morning before taking over with the kids for the afternoon. Natalie came over to play with Max (and Miles) for a bit, which was a nice break for me as well.

Got the boys for most of the day tomorrow, so I best get some sleep.

Mine:

I was a rising star in this company, once. They said I seemed destined for the top and I believed them. Why wouldn't I? They already held the riches and power I desired. Their wisdom came from experience and lives of luxury.

So I sacrificed. I put in the extra hours, I skipped holidays and birthdays and weekends. Gave up friends who were more distraction than motivation. It would all be worth it in the end - that's what I kept telling myself. Every morning and every night.

But then something... happened. Things took a turn. I'm not sure when, exactly. I have no idea how. But suddenly I was no longer the favored son. I was not the heir apparent. Doors no longer opened at my approach.

Sometimes... sometimes they were slammed shut.

I do not understand the how or the why or the when. But I do know the who.

Elliot Gordon.

He's getting the special treatment now. They're grooming him, stroking his ego. Telling him the same lies they told me.

Because he is the new me.

I wonder if there was a me before me, as it were. That seems rather likely, now that I think about it. I wonder what became of him? Or her, I suppose. Doesn't seem likely in this company, but I guess you can never be too sure of anything around here.

I've learned that lesson, all right.

Just a bit too late in the game to do anything about it.

... or is it?

Tuesday July 18th, 2017

The exercise:

Write two haiku about: the traffic jam.

While today didn't go exactly to plan at work, it still ended up being a reasonably good day. And now... four days off.

Trying really hard to catch up on comments enough to get to the yearlong prompt before I have to go back to work on Sunday. Fingers crossed I'll get there.

Mine:

Bumper to bumper
as far as the eye can see...
time to start drinking.

*     *     *

Honk the horn. Honk the
horn. Honk the horn. It has to
work eventually...

Monday July 17th, 2017

The exercise:

Let us do some more continuations today. I think you know the drill by now.

Smoke from the nearest forest fire was bad again today. At least it helped keep things cooler. But I would have appreciated better air quality to go along with a lack of wilting heat.

Beggars, choosers, blah blah blah.

One more day and then my weekend arrives.

Mine:

The smoke burns my eyes but I am too captivated to blink the pain away. I do not want to miss even a moment.

All the books and audio interviews I have consumed in recent years as I prepared for this night were an utter waste of time. I am wholly unprepared for this.

My nerve endings are tingling. The intermingling aromas are overwhelming my ability to process them. The rhythm of the drums have become my heartbeat. Colors whirl and blur and separate until everything before me becomes one.

I can hardly breathe.

The ritual has begun.