The exercise:
Write a letter that begins with: Dear _____
Fill in the blank as you see fit. Or you can be a smart ass literalist and leave it blank. Up to you.
I spent a portion of the morning pulling up the sunflowers in our back garden, which I'm happy to report I got to before the ground froze solid (unlike previous years). Then I did a bit of raking of leaves and rotting walnuts (we've harvested what we need and don't have the time or energy to deal with the rest) in the front yard.
This afternoon I took Max in to town to run a few errands and to give Kat some time to herself before we brought him over to a friend's house for a Halloween party.
All of which lead to me writing the following.
Mine:
Dear Dada,
It is, as I understand it, one week until my birthday. Now, as it is my very first one, I'll admit to not fully understanding how it works. But after the events of today, I do have a few questions.
Will people be dressed up in strange outfits for the entire week leading up to my birthday? And, if so, can I expect this to happen every year, or is this just a special situation, what with it being my first?
I'm not sure I understand what the cashier at the grocery store was thinking. She was dressed up like she works in the army but if that was really true, why was she working at the checkout line? And that camouflage paint on her face would work well in a jungle or something like that... but there? Maybe she should have gone with some bananas on one cheek and a box of cereal on the other, don't you think?
And was it just me, or were you mad at that other cashier (the one with the pointy black hat) for offering me a lollipop? Was it a yucky tasting lollipop? Why would she offer me a yucky one? Or were you just upset that she didn't offer you one? Don't worry, Dada, I totally would have shared mine with you!
That party was fun tonight, but I did not care for how you looked in that pirate wig. Please don't ever grow your hair out that long for real. It does not work for you at all. Plus we all know I'd just yank on it until you were completely bald.
Finally, my costume was all right, I guess. As long as I don't have to wear it all week. You and Mama certainly seemed to enjoy yourselves when I was wearing it.
Okay, I think that's everything. Curiously yours,
Max
The exercise:
Write about: the high road.
Oh hey, look - I finally got a fall picture to share with you:
That was taken in the apricot trees, as they tend to be. Their leaves turn first and generally are the most spectacular to boot.
Tomorrow is Max's first Halloween and we've been invited to a potluck dinner with a bunch of other families. Expect cute costume pictures to take over the blog for the next little while.
Mine:
Twisting and turning
High above the town;
It's safe to drive, just
Don't ever look down.
This town is quiet,
Just as it should be;
Visitors may come
But then they must leave.
Headlights in the night
Soaring like airplanes,
Vanish on a curve -
Our secret remains.
The exercise:
Write two haiku around the theme of: mind versus body.
After opening with another crappy game (this one was deserved though, as I just couldn't seem to find the middle) I actually had two pretty strong games in a row to finish the night. I even broke 200 for the first time this year, which felt pretty good.
Overall my average went up seven points, so I'm at least getting back in the neighbourhood of my former scores.
Mine:
Please, just stop thinking.
I promise you, the body
knows what it's doing.
* * *
A willing body
can make the mind weak; beware
the seductresses.
The exercise:
Write about something: innocuous.
My first training session at the gym went well this afternoon. I have another one on Friday, then I'm going solo for the first of my Saturday shifts.
I'd be a lot more concerned by that if I didn't have at least three people I can call if I have any questions or problems.
At the moment it's looking like I'll be in the gym on Saturdays from 9 to 5, along with a few Sunday shifts (maybe one or two a month). They're still figuring out when they'll want me in the bowling alley; hopefully that will be sorted out this week.
Until then, I've got a couple local orders to put together and quite a few rows of garlic needing to be mulched tomorrow.
Mine:
In and of itself, the bite was harmless. The tiniest of pricks on a wrist, it didn't even draw blood. The insect that inflicted the damage was long gone before its victim realized what had happened. It could have ended there.
Perhaps it should have.
But the camel's back was breaking. It had been growing weaker for days beneath the weight of too many stresses, too little relief.
And so the bite led to a flash of anger. This was followed by a rash decision, then an immovable insistence that his orders be followed. To the letter. No loopholes, no excuses. Simply do as he decreed.
Which led to... well, this. And this radioactive wasteland is a long, long way from harmless.
The exercise:
Write about: the tiger.
Because we just finished watching Life of Pi on Netflix. Excellent film.
The wind returned to Osoyoos this morning for its first proper visit in quite a long time. I'm hoping it plans on leaving at least a few fall leaves on the trees, as I haven't taken very many pictures of them this year.
Kat took me out to dinner at the Watermark this evening, which we greatly enjoyed. We'd originally thought we'd go last night but then realized I'd be more likely to have the energy for it on a non-market day.
I'd say that was the right call.
Mine:
There's a tiger on the boat
Along with little old me;
We're drifting in circles
In the middle of the sea.
There's a tiger on this boat,
I've got nowhere to flee;
We're stuck in this together,
Because the tiger is me.
The exercise:
Write a four line poem about: me.
Hey, it's my birthday. Also: I almost managed to get to 2,000 days worth of prompts without asking you to write anything about me.
Also, also: I didn't say it had to be a nice four line poem.
The final market of the year has come and gone, with things ending up on a fairly successful note. I sold all of the leeks and apples I brought this morning, along with most of the carving pumpkins and a good chunk of the potatoes, onions, and ornamental gourds.
Now it's time to wrap things up in the garden and get fully settled in to this off-season.
Mine:
Too old to be young,
Too young to be old;
So I'll do what I want,
But never what I'm told.
The exercise:
Write four lines of prose about: the training day.
So that 'something interesting' I referenced yesterday? Yeah, the prompt might be connected to that.
Okay, it definitely is.
This will be my fourth winter in Osoyoos but it is now officially the first one in which I will have steady employment. As I have learned the hard way, this is not an easy place to find work between farm seasons. It is a tourist town, but pretty much strictly in the warmer months. Many businesses close up shop until spring comes back around again and those that stay open typically have established staff who know better than to ease their grip on their positions.
One of a few very rare exceptions? The bowling alley.
When I went in for my league night last week I stayed afterward to have a quick chat with the owner, curious to know if he was looking for some part-time help this winter. He was and he seemed interested in having me help out, promising that we'd chat again this Tuesday.
We had another brief talk before he told me he'd get his secretary to call me on Wednesday (ended up being Thursday), though to be honest I wasn't sure if the call would be to figure out an interview time or something else.
Turned out? She called to ask me to come in today to get started with my training. I've been sort of bouncing off the walls ever since.
The owner also owns the fitness center upstairs from the alley and I'll be working at both - my training for that portion of my responsibilities comes on Monday. Today I learned a bit about setting up the lanes, fixing pin tangles, and post-league play cleanup.
I didn't get back home until close to 3pm, at which point it sunk in that I had done absolutely nothing to prepare for tomorrow's market. So I spent most of the rest of the day doing that, though thankfully there wasn't all that much to do, what with everything but the leeks having been already harvested.
Plus: whatever, it's the last one of the year. And it's my birthday. I'm not going to worry too much about it.
Especially now that I'll be able to contribute to our winter income for the first time since moving here.
Mine:
The manuals were stacked in orderly piles on the desks, two pencils next to each stack. At the front of the room the instructor stood, hands clasped behind his back and an unreadable expression in his eyes. Students filed in moments before the session was scheduled to begin, most alone but there were the odd pair or two as well.
At the end of the day they were assured of one thing: they would be fully prepared to perform the duties of their new jobs... should they survive the training.
