Friday December 23rd, 2022

The exercise:

Write four lines of prose about: decorations.

Worked this morning, then took the afternoon off to begin Christmas holidays a touch early. Not due back at work until January 3rd and while I wouldn't say that I was in need of the break, I am looking forward to the time away from the office.

Thursday December 22nd, 2022

The exercise:

Write about: presents.

Tuesday December 20th, 2022

The exercise:

Write two haiku about: a sleigh ride.

Monday December 19th, 2022

The exercise:

Write about: bells.

Sunday December 18th, 2022

The exercise:

With just one week left until Christmas, write about: the carolers.

Monday December 26th, 2011

The exercise:

Your prompt today: the sack.

I need to finish up my Christmas week story already, so I'm just going to get to that.

We're heading home tomorrow morning, stopping off... wherever we happen to be when we get tired of being in the car. Looking forward to being back in our own bed Wednesday night.

Mine:

Tensions were high as Santa harnessed in the reindeer to the Sleigh. Eye contact between man and beast was avoided completely, except when a buckle pinched the skin on Rudolph's neck. Rosa and Miguel had to move quickly to prevent a last minute disaster.

Once the team was ready to take flight, Santa climbed up onto his seat but, after a moment's thought, left his whip on the floor by his feet. No need to aggravate them unnecessarily - they all certainly knew what they were doing by that point.

Taking a deep breath to calm nerves that were usually steady as a rock, he noticed that all of the reindeer were facing forward. Turning his head slightly, he gave Rosa and Miguel a quick nod before beginning his traditional spiel.

"Now! Dasher, now!" Santa shouted as the two elves brought a wriggling, shifting sack over to the Sleigh. "Dancer, now!" Miguel and Rosa heaved the sack onto the seat beside Big Red and scurried away as the reindeer eased into motion. "Prancer and Vixen, on!"

The Sleigh attained liftoff as Santa continued his shouting. Miguel and Rosa watched with the other elves as the team tore off into the night sky - but they were the only ones who spotted the antlered head peer out of the sack beside their boss.

The trainees for next year's Flight were aboard and learning; the only question was whether Santa could keep them hidden from the current team until the end of this one.

Sunday December 25th, 2011

The exercise:

Merry Christmas to one and all! We're going to keep it straightforward today - your prompt is simply: Christmas.

I hope Santa is kind to all of you. I'm writing this on Saturday afternoon so that I don't have to worry about finding time to do it on the big day. I'm hoping to bring my Christmas week story to a satisfying conclusion today, but I might extend it for one more day if it starts looking a little long.

Mine:

"What in the world is going on, Santa?" Miguel asked as his boss crawled out of the bushes rubbing the side of his head.

"You just hit me in the head with a snowball, from like ten yards away!" Santa replied, clearly unimpressed.

"But what were you doing hiding in there in the first place?" Rosa asked before Miguel could get himself in even more trouble.

"I'm teaching those bloody reindeer a lesson!" Seeing the elves exchange confused glances, he huffed mightily before carrying on. "I was explaining to them last week that it was high time I started training their replacements, what with them getting on in years. Well, they did not like that one bit, no siree!"

"You can hardly blame... er, so what did they do?" Miguel asked, changing tact when he saw Santa's expression darken.

"They disassembled the Sleigh!" Santa shouted, then looked around nervously to see if anyone else had heard. Spotting nobody, he carried on in a whisper, "They're trying to hold Christmas hostage! Well, I'm here to show them that two can play that game!"

"Tough to have the Big Day without Big Red," Rosa said with a nod. Miguel elbowed her in the ribs for sucking up.

"Exactly!" Santa said with a satisfied smile. "So, is everyone in a big panic about me going missing?"

"Er, not exactly." Rosa looked to Miguel for support but he just crossed his arms and looked back expectantly. "You see... um..."

"What is it?" Santa's smile was fading quickly.

"We're kinda the only ones that know you haven't been around."

Saturday December 24th, 2011

The exercise:

The second last day of Christmas week would very much like you to write a four line poem about: Santa. Though if you're trying to continue your story I'll understand if you need to go beyond those constraints.

Happy Christmas Eve! I hope you all enjoy a happy and safe day tomorrow, with lots of loved ones around and maybe a few nice presents under the tree too.

Up north with Kat and her family. Hopefully I get net access up there, because this is all I had time to schedule before leaving Osoyoos!

Mine:

He's hiding in the bushes,

Like a kid playing hide-and-seek.

But what's he really doing?

Let's gather 'round and hear him speak.

Friday December 23rd, 2011

The exercise:

Heading into the final few days of Christmas week, we write today about: snowballs.

I'm away at the moment but should have net access again starting tonight. But just in case I've got another post scheduled for tomorrow.

Mine:

"This is stupid... maybe we should just give up and ask Frosty to take over," Miguel said, scooping up two handfuls of snow and forcing them into a lumpy snowball.

"You're just grumpy because you finally sobered up," Rosa chided him, hoping to raise his spirits as they followed the path through the trees from the workshop to their dormitory.

"No, I'm grumpy because we've been searching all over the North Pole for Santa for days now and we haven't turned up so much as a piece of red fluff," Miguel said before winding up and firing his snowball as hard as he could at the nearest shrub.

The two elves had taken another four or five strides before they realized that neither of them had uttered the Ow they'd just heard.

Thursday December 22nd, 2011

The exercise:

The (now officially labeled) Christmas Week trundles onward with: candy canes.

Kat and I are on the road and heading north today. Take care of the place while I'm gone, won't you?

We're expecting to be back next Wednesday, but I suspect that will depend on the weather.

Mine:

"Where have you been all night?" Rosa asked when she spotted Miguel stumbling into the workshop. The other elves were preoccupied with their final assignments but she kept her voice low anyway.

"Looking for Big Red," he replied, blinking at her in confusion. "Where else would I be?"

"Listen, I've made a list of places for us to search," Rosa said, pulling him to a quiet corner.

"Have you checked it twice?" Miguel asked, struggling to maintain a straight face.

"Not funny. At all. We're running out of time here; we need to be more organized!"

"Of course, of course. Let's have a look at it then."

"Okay." Rosa glanced around before pulling a folded square of paper out of her coat pocket. "I've ticked off everywhere we've looked together: stables, woodshed, Frosty's place, Jack Frost's cafe, and the grounds to the east and west of the Claus home."

"So what's left?" Miguel asked, swaying slightly from apparent exhaustion.

"Well, there's the Abominable Snowman's bar, the Candy Cane Club... no need to check there though. Mrs. Claus has forbidden Santa from stepping foot in there ever again after that incident last New Year's Eve. Those girls are permanent residents of the Naughty List, that's for sure."

"I checked there already anyway."

"You... what? Is that where you've been?"

"I had to be very thorough," Miguel said, his wide smile ruining any attempts at solemnity. "You know, just in case."

Wednesday December 21st, 2011

The exercise:

The countdown to Christmas continues with: Frosty (capitalization optional).

We're heading out tomorrow morning, so the next few days will consist of scheduled posts here. Which will require me to get some more writing done tonight, seeing as I've only got Thursday's down on paper so far.

Mine:

Frosty watched the two elves approach as he eased himself back and forth in his rocking chair on his front porch. Unaware of his presence - coal proved to provide excellent night vision, much to his surprise and completely unbeknownst to anyone else - the elves appeared anxious as they spoke in hushed tones.

"It's only three days to Christmas," he heard the one called Rita (or was it Barbara?) say. "What will we do if don't find him?"

"We will," the one called Martin... Marcel? Whatever his name, that's what he said. "We have to."

"One of your donkeys go missing?" Frosty called out, startling them both.

"For the last time," Miguel said, hands on hips, "they're called reindeer. And no, they're all accounted for."

"A fellow munchkin then?" Frosty somehow blew several perfect smoke rings in their general direction while he spoke.

"Elves, you tarted up igloo," Rosa countered. "We're all here too."

"Sure you haven't lost one or two in the cracks of the woodshed? I've always thought I could fit a dozen of you in there."

"This is a waste of time," Miguel said, turning away.

"Who's gone missing then?" Frosty asked, barely resisting the temptation to suggest it might be the Wizard of Oz.

"Santa."

"Really? How intriguing." Frosty fell silent for a few moments before adding, "Well if you're in need of a replacement on the Big Donkey Ride, I'd love to help out."

"I bet you would," Miguel muttered as he dragged Rosa away before she could reply - or attack. "I bet you would."

Tuesday December 20th, 2011

The exercise:

Two haiku about: naughty or nice.

I was considering giving myself an early Christmas present by skipping Two Haiku Tuesday this week, but then inspiration finally struck. So my story continues on! Will yours?

Hmm, more snow outside. Again.

Mine:

Rosa

They may not know where

to find Santa, but they were

extremely helpful!

*     *     *

Miguel

Too helpful, if you

ask me. I say those reindeer

are up to no good.

Monday December 19th, 2011

The exercise:

Carrying on with the countdown to Christmas, your prompt today is: the reindeer.

I'll be continuing with what I started yesterday and you're welcome to either do the same or have each day as a stand alone piece.

Kat and I will be leaving Thursday morning with her parents to spend the holiday with her brother's family up in Dawson Creek. The plan is to pass the night in Quesnel and then finish the drive on Friday. I'm not sure what my net access will be like up there, so I'm going to schedule a few posts just in case.

Also not sure how long we'll be staying up there, but I know we'll definitely be back down in time for New Year's.

Mine:

"So what's next?" Dasher asked. He was, as usual, ready to charge into the next stage of the plan. Whatever that might be.

"That's not really up to us," Rudolph replied, his nose glowing brightly in the mid-afternoon darkness. "It all depends on how they react once they discover what we've done."

"Waiting is lame," Dasher whined, looking to the others for support. "Why don't we speed along the search? Maybe suggest places for them to look?"

"That would only draw suspicion to us, as Rudolph's nose draws the arctic moths to its constant illumination," Comet said, as he did most things, rather dreamily. The others rolled their eyes and shook their heads, but he failed to notice as his eyes were on the stars. As always.

"Just trust in the plan," Rudolph said firmly. "Stick together, believe in each other, and we can't fail. We know -"

"Quiet!" Blitzen called out from where he was keeping watch by the stable doors. "Miguel and Rosa are headed this way."

Sunday December 18th, 2011

The exercise:

With just a week to go until Christmas, I figure it's time to jolly things up around here. I haven't exactly decided on a theme yet, but my yearly countdown to the big day shall begin with: the elf.

Edit: now that I've finished today's writing, it's looking like I might be getting myself into another week-long story. We'll see where it ends up!

It hit plus ten degrees here today, so most of the snow has melted away again. The weather really can't seem to make up its mind.

Mine:

"Have you seen Santa?" The question reached Miguel's ears immediately, seeing as Rosa had asked it from less than a foot away, but it took several seconds to work its way through all the thoughts tumbling through his mind.

"Isn't he in his office?" Miguel asked without looking up from his current project. The rocking horse for Emily in Boise was nearly complete, then he could move on to the train set for Jeremy in Toronto.

"No," Rosa replied, the worry in her voice bringing Miguel's hands to stillness. "And there's no note on his desk or anywhere that I could see."

"Mrs. Claus?"

"Locked up in the kitchens until Takeoff."

"Maybe he's checking up on Rudolph and his crew," Miguel said, not sounding like he believed it himself. "Have you checked the stables?"

"Not there either. Will you help me track him down?"

Miguel put the finishing touches on the wooden horse before placing his tools on the bench and rising up to his full height of two feet and seven inches. Looking down at his young coworker, he nodded once and they made their way out of the workshop without telling any of the other elves what was going on.