Dilemma (Six Sentence Story) and Good Fences

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.)

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"How do we decide if the situation really is as critical as they claim?" she asked, shaking her head as if to clear it.

"That's a great question," he told her, adding, "and I wish I had the answer."

For the third time that season, the "weather dudes," as that family called them, were being almost apoplectic in their insistence that this time it was the real deal and everyone needed to evacuate.

It wasn't an easy choice for this family, as money for travel was non-existent, the only car that could have remotely held everyone and all the pets was not reliable for being put on the freeway, and if they left and nothing happened but they got stuck trying to get back (as had happened before when the traffic back in was a nightmare), desperately needed jobs would be on the line.

The decision to stay and white-knuckle it was not made easily, and neither of them slept well until the storm turned and they knew they would get rain and nothing else.

It gave them breathing space, until the next time.

Linking up with Denise at Girlie On The Edge Blog, where she hosts Six Sentence Stories, and the cue is Critical.     

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Gosia, of Looking for Identity, has taken over Good Fences so that it's now Good Fences Around The World.  Post a picture of a fence or gate, link back to her blog, and go visit other blogs to see what interesting fences there are out in this big world.     

This fence within a fence was near Grandma's house, and i'd never seen anything quite like it before.  A white, semi-circular fence that is open on one side, inside of the regular yard fence.

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Today is:

Ancestor Appreciation Day -- sponsored by the Ancestor Appreciation Day Association of Ann Arbor, MI, US

Barnesville Pumpkin Festival -- Barnesville, OH, US (pumpkins are just the start of the fun; through Sunday)

Crush a Can Day -- internet generated, so have fun seeing how many (safe) ways you can crush a can, and how flat you can get it!

Fairmount Museum Days/Remembering James Dean Festival -- Fairmont, IN, US (celebrating Dean and other famous people from Fairmont; through Sunday)

Feast of Mashíyyat (Will) -- Baha'i

Fun and Fancy Free Day -- go out and have a great day, in honor of the release on this day in 1947 of the Disney film Fun and Fancy Free

French Community Holiday -- French community of Belgium

Haustmanuour -- Icelandic Calendar (beginning of traditional Autumn Month, during which all the summer chores are finished, including livestock rounded up, before winter begins)

Meskel -- Ethiopian/Eritrian Orthodox Christian (True Cross Day)

National Corned Beef Hash Day

National Great American Beard and Moustache Championships -- Richmond, VA, US (check out some of the former competitors here; through Sunday)     

National Milk Chocolate Day

Preston County Buckwheat Festival -- Kingwood, WV, US (something for everyone at this fun annual event; through Sunday)

Shut Up and Let Somebody Else Talk Day -- begun by someone with an overly verbose spouse, perhaps?

St. Vincent De Paul's Day (Patron of charitable societies/charitable workers, charities, horses, hospital workers, hospitals, lepers, prisoners, spiritual help, volunteers; Brothers of Charity; Saint Vincent de Paul Societies; Sisters of Charity; Vincentian Service Corps; Madagascar; Richmond, Virginia; for finding lost objects; against leprosy)

Thanksgiving Day for Disappearance of Kelp-Koli Again -- Fairy Calendar

World Maritime Day -- UN and IMO (this year's theme is "IMO 70: Our Heritage -- Better Shipping for a Better Future"; this provides opportunity to both take stock and look back at 70 years since the Organization was established, and look forward to addressing current and future challenges) 

World Tourism Day -- World Tourism Organization   

Anniversary Today:

Google is founded, 1998

Birthdays Today:

Avril Lavigne, 1984

Gwyneth Paltrow, 1972

Bello Nock, 1968

Sophia Milos, 1965

Shaun Cassidy, 1958

Mike Schmidt, 1949

Marvin "Meat Loaf" Aday, 1947

Delores Taylor, 1939

Claude Jarman, Jr., 1934

Greg Morris, 1934

Wilford Brimley, 1934

Sada Thompson, 1929

Arthur Penn, 1922

William Conrad, 1920

Jayne Meadows, 1919

Thomas Nast, 1840

Raphael Semmes, 1809

George Muller, 1805

George Cruikshank, 1792

Samuel Adams, 1722

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"The Tonight Show"(TV), 1954

Strike Up The Band(Film), 1940

"Rip Van Winkle"(Bristow opera), 1855

Today in History:

Severe earthquake in the Gulf of Chili, China; reports of 100,000 killed, 1290

Jesuits founded by Ignatius Loyola, 1540

John Adams negotiates peace terms with Britain, 1779

Constitution submitted to the states for ratification, 1787

Jean-Francois Champollion announces that he has deciphered the Rosetta Stone, 1822

The Stockton and Darlington Railway opens, and begins operation of the world's first service of locomotive-hauled passenger trains, 1825

The physics journal Annalen der Physik published Albert Einstein's paper "Does the Inertia of a Body Depend Upon Its Energy Content?", introducing the equation E=mc²,1905

The first production of a Ford Model T automobile rolls off the line at the Piquette Plant in Detroit, Michigan, 1908

First test of a twin engine airplane, in France, 1910

Native American Day is first celebrated, 1916

Democratic National Committee votes to allow female members, 1919

The first Santa Clause Training School opens in Albion, NY, 1937

The Balinese tiger is declared to be an extinct species, 1937

Sierra Leone joins the United Nations, 1961

Richard Stallman announces the GNU project to develop a free Unix-like operating system, 1983

East Timor joins the United Nations, 2002

CNSA astronaut Zhai Zhigang becomes the first Chinese person to perform a spacewalk while flying on Shenzhou 7, 2008

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity discovers direct evidence of a fast-moving stream bed, showing a prior water source on the Red Planet, 2012

Thai Ex-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra found guilty of criminal negligence in rice subsidy scheme, sentenced to 5 years in absentia, 2017

Joe, the Cranky Old Man, i thought of you when i saw this (Wordless Wednesday) and Words for Wednesday

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.) 

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Linking up with Wordless Wednesday and Sandee at Comedy Plus.     

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Words for Wednesday was begun by Delores and has become a moveable feast of word or picture or music prompts that encourages us to write stories, poems, or whatever strikes our fancy.    

This month, the prompts are being provided by Delores at Mumblings.

This week's words are:

bespoke

fence

poster

drained

splice

ergonomic

and/or

bridle

bent

wallow

derail

stoned

savings

The tilt to parts of the FENCE BESPOKE of either neglect or lack of funds, he was not certain which.

Rounding the corner, he saw a pig WALLOW next to a barn that looked to be in about the same condition as the fence.  

The house beyond it, however, was in much better shape.  It could have been on a POSTER advertising the charms of country living.

The whole scene reminded him of the saying about how if a man's barns are bigger or better than his house, his income exceeds his outgo and his SAVINGS are large.  This was the opposite, obviously a small farm where the people took fabulous care of the house, but the rest of the place looked shabby chic, or perhaps like the owners were always STONED.

A sudden noise behind him DERAILed his thoughts and he turned to see a boy of about 12 on horseback, fighting with the reins to get control as the horse tried to run away with him.  With only a split second to act, he jumped aside and grabbed a tree limb that BENT down close to the road.  Swinging himself up on it in a manner more desperate than ERGONOMIC, he had barely gotten a clumsy hold on his perch when the horse was next to him and he reached out to grab the boy out of the saddle.

He had hold of the child more by the back of his clothing than anything, and since he was only dangling a couple of feet above the road by this time, he let go and then jumped down himself.  The boy picked himself up and looked at him, DRAINED of all color, and tried to catch his breath.

"Thank you," he finally heaved.  "You're welcome," the man replied, as what happened hit him and the adrenaline aftermath set in.

"Where do you live?  We need to get you home and tell your family what's happened.  They will need to look for the horse.  I'm Dave, by the way," the man said, offering his hand to the youngster, who looked befuddled at first.

Reaching out hesitantly to give a handshake, probably the first of his life, the youngster said, "I'm Phillip, and don't worry about the horse, he knows where the barn is.  Dad keeps trying to SPLICE that BRIDLE together and it's just not holding.  Steely Dean runs away every chance he gets if the bridle doesn't hold, but he always comes back."

"Well, I'd feel better if I could make sure you get home safely before I go back to the motel," Dave said.

"That's home," Phillip answered, pointing to the house Dave had been musing about.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Dave asked.

"I'm sure, and thanks again," Phillip answered.  "I'd best get back to the house, Dad will be calling me for chores soon."   He turned and headed toward the gate, leaving Dave to slowly amble back to the motel on the edge of town, thinking deeply.

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Today is:

Banned Websites Awareness Day -- sponsored by the American Association of School Librarians     

Black Walnut Festival -- Stockton, MO, US (tours of the world's largest black walnut processing plant, plus parade, crafts, carnival and entertainment; through Saturday)

Bureflux -- Discordian Calendar

Cobweb Pie Making Day -- Fairy Calendar

Dia de la Bandera Nacional -- Ecuador (Day of the National Flag)

Dominion Day -- New Zealand (trad.)

European Day of Languages -- European Union

Festival of Venus Genetrix -- Ancient Roman Calendar

International Tool Day -- internet generated, now gladly embraced by toolmakers

Johnny Appleseed Day -- birth anniversary of John Chapman

Love Note Day -- take pen and paper and send that special someone a love note today, the idea of Leona Hamel of QC, Canada

Mesothelioma Awareness Day -- bringing to light this cancer caused by asbestos exposure   

National Pancake Day

National Women's Health and Fitness Day -- US, sponsored by Fitness Day    

Old Holy Rood Day -- OS calendar (the day blackberries become unsafe for picking) related observance

    Mid-Autumn Day -- Scottish Highlands (traditional; considered the day harts begin to mate and a weather prognostication day)

Search for Your Baseball Cards Again Day -- on lots of trivia sites; recommended because you never know

September Revolution Day -- Yemen

Sts. Cosmas and Damian's Day (Patrons of apothecaries/druggists/pharmacists, barbers, blind people, chemical industry/manufacturers, doctors/physicians/surgeons, hairdressers, midwives, people with hernias; Alberobello, Italy; Ossimo, Italy; against blindness and pestilence) related observance:

    Begin now to lay in supplies for your Michaelmas supper on the 29th

United States Postal Service Day -- US (the first postmaster general under the current constitution, Samuel Osgood, was appointed this day in 1789)

World Contraception Day -- International

Birthdays Today:

Serena Williams, 1981

Lawrence Leritz, 1962

Melissa Sue Anderson, 1962

Linda Hamilton, 1956

Jane Smiley, 1949

Mary Beth Hurt, 1948

Olivia Newton-John, 1948

Lynn Anderson, 1947

Brian Ferry, 1945

Anne Robinson, 1944

Kent McCord, 1942

Julie London, 1926

Jack LaLanne, 1914

George Gershwin, 1898

T.S. Eliot, 1888

Edmund Gwenn, 1877

John "Johnny Appleseed" Chapman, 1774

St. Francis of Assisi, 1181

Debuting/Premiering Today:

George(Magazine), 1995

"Knight Rider"(TV), 1982

"The Brady Bunch"(TV), 1969

"Hawaii Five-O"(TV), 1968

"Gilligan's Island"(TV), 1964

"The Beverly Hillbillies"(TV), 1962

"West Side Story"(Musical), 1957

"Lucia di Lammermoor"(Opera), 1835

"The Gladiator"(Play), 1831

Today in History:

In keeping a vow he made at the Battle of Pharsalus, Julius Caesar dedicates a temple to his mythical ancestor Venus Genetrix, BC 46

Sir Francis Drake returns to England with Spanish treasure, 1580

In a battle between Venetians and Turks in Athens, the Parthenon and Acropolis are seriously damaged, 1687

New Jersey passes a bill requiring a license to practice medicine, 1772

Thomas Jefferson is appointed the first Secretary of State of the US, 1789

Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson proved tomatoes weren't poisonous by eating several on the steps of the courthouse in Salem, New Jersey, 1820

The Diamond Match Company patents book matches, 1892

New Zealand and Newfoundland each become dominions within the British Empire, 1907

Indonesia is admitted to the United Nations, 1950

Concorde makes its first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in record-breaking time, 1973

The United Kingdom agrees to the handover of Hong Kong, 1984

An earthquake strikes the Italian regions of Umbria and the Marche, causing part of the Basilica of St. Francis at Assisi to collapse, 1997

Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy becomes first person to fly a jet engine-powered wing across the English Channel, 2008

Georgia changes its second language from Russian to English, 2010

Saudi Arabia announces it is overturning its ban on women driving - last country in the world to do so, 2017

It's Tuesday!

(Because some people like Blogger and some like WordPress, i am putting the same content at both.  If you would prefer to read this on the other site, it is linked here.) 

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It's time once again for a random and happy Tuesday, linking up with Stacy's Random Thoughts at Stacy Uncorked and Sandee at Comedy Plus.  

Have you ever noticed that, no matter how much you are craving one certain food or another, once you finally just eat what you have, it doesn't matter?  When the stomach is finally sated, what you ate doesn't seem to matter so much as that you ate.

Right, everyone is going to eat veggies when they crave chocolate.

The other day, i was spending a bit of time in the car waiting until a business was open, and their lawn/maintenance people showed up.  The requisite truck was there, pulling a trailer with equipment, and out jumped three men and a young boy who looked to be about 10.  It was a Saturday, so i'm guessing he was out of school and dad had to work and had no one else to watch him.

It was good to see him get out of the truck, grab his bucket and picker-upper, and go start policing the parking lot for trash.  Far from child labor, i think sometimes we don't ask our kids to do enough these days.

While at Dr. D's yesterday, i had to run errands.  As typical, we got busy doing other things, and the errands kept getting pushed back until it was early afternoon.

Finally, as the clouds ominously gathered, i headed out for lettuce and cat food and to check the mail at the post office box, among other things.  While sitting in one parking lot, the heavens opened up, and i had no choice but to slog my way to the store.

When i got back to Dr. D's house, she heard me drive up, opened the door and greeted me with, "Would you believe it's rained twice here since you left?"

As i squished my way up toward the door, i was sorely tempted to pull off and wring out my wet socks and say, no kidding!

The sweet thing is, she was so concerned about me being soaked from the knees down that she sent me home a bit early.  

It's probably time for me to wrap this up, i have two chihuahuas in my lap, fighting for attention.  It would probably make a great Awww Monday photo, but i can't reach the phone and no one else is nearby to snap a shot.  Phooey. 

Have a great Tuesday, everyone!

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Today is:

Armed Forces Day -- Mozambique

International Ataxia Awareness Day -- highlighting the difficulties of living with the many forms of ataxia     

Join a Cabal of International Bankers Today Day -- internet generated, and only for people without a conscience

Kamarampaka Day -- Rwanda (Republic Day, marks the 1961 abolition of the monarchy)

Math Storytelling Day -- the brainchild of Maria Droujkova    

National Comic Book Day -- internet generated, but go read one, they are fun

National Crabmeat Newberg Day

National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims -- US

National Food Service Employees Day -- because everyone wants to eat out once in a while   

National One-Hit Wonder Day -- US, remembering those who had only one hit on the rock charts

National Psychotherapy Day -- US (a day to fight wear turquoise and encourage education about who psychotherapy can help people)     

National Voter Registration Day -- US (Celebrating Democracy in America)   

National Youth Day -- Nauru

Old Holy Rood Eve -- OS calendar Holy Cross Eve, the last day to pick blackberries (after this, the devil poisons them because when he fell from heaven, he landed in a blackberry bush)

St. Cadoc's Day (Patron of the deaf; against cramps, deafness, glandular disorders, scrofula)

St. Finbarr's Day (Patron of Barra, Scotland; Cork, Ireland)

Toad Tempting Day -- Fairy Calendar

Woman Road Warrior Day -- to recognize the traveling businesswomen in today's world

World Ataxia Awareness Day

World Pharmacists Day -- International Pharmaceutical Federation; this year's theme is "Pharmacists: Caring for you."   

Birthdays Today:

Lee Norris, 1981

Catherine Zeta-Jones, 1969

Will Smith, 1968

Scottie Pippen, 1965

Tate Donovan, 1963

Aida Turturro, 1962

Heather Locklear, 1961

Michael Madsen, 1959

Jamie Hyneman, 1956

Christopher Reeve, 1952

Mark Hamill, 1951

Cheryl Tiegs, 1947

Michael Douglas, 1944

Robert Walden, 1943

Juliet Prowse, 1936

Glenn Gould, 1932

Barbara Walters, 1931

Shel Silverstein, 1930

Phil Rizzuto, 1918

Dmitri Shostakovich, 1906

Walter Wesley "Red" Smith, 1905

William Faulkner, 1897

Jean Phillippe Rameau, 1683 (baptismal date, as actual birth anniversary is unknown)

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, 1358 (Japanese Shogun)

Debuting/Premiering Today:

"Beauty and the Beast"(TV), 1987

"Stepping Out"(Play), 1984

"Winterset"(Play), 1935

"Dorothy"(Comic opera), 1886

Today in History:

St. Ferment is beheaded in Amiens, France, after voyaging there to preach the gospel, 303

The Battle of Stamford Bridge marks the end of the Anglo-Saxon era, 1066

Columbus begins his second voyage, with 17 ships, 1493

Vasco Nunez de Balboa becomes the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the west coast of the Americas, 1513

The first printing press in the Americas begins operations, 1639

Old Style date; two very accurate clocks are set in motion at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England, the start of Greenwich Mean Time, 1676

Ethan Allan, American Revolutionary War hero, is captured, 1775

Benedict Arnold joins the British, 1780

The first all-black university in the US, Howard University, is created by Congress, 1867

Yosemite National Park is established by Congress, 1890

Charles Follis becomes the first black to play professional American football, 1904

Birth of the remote control -- Leonardo Torres Quevedo successfully demonstrates the invention of the "Telekino" and guides a boat from the shore in the port of Bilbao, 1906

Jimmy Doolittle performs the first blind flight from Mitchel Field proving that full instrument flying from take off to landing is possible, 1929*

Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, is integrated by the use of United States Army troops, 1957

In a referendum, the people of Norway reject membership of the European Community, 1972

Belize joins the United Nations, 1981

The last of the Magdalene Asylums closes in Ireland, 1996

The Vitim event, a possible bolide (comet nucleus) impact in Siberia, Russia, 2002

China launches the spacecraft Shenzhou 7, 2008

The Wildlife Authority of Uganda announces that, since 1999, the population of some of the animals in the country's game reserves have doubled in population, 2010

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia announces that women will now be able to vote and run in municipal elections, 2011

Singapore closes schools due to hazardous levels of air pollution from fires in Indonesia, 2015

World's largest radio telescope at 500m wide in Guizhou Province, China begins operating, 2016

First ever woman graduates from the US Marine Corps' Infantry Officer Course, 2017