#SOLSC20: Day 10
Version 1:
My foot taps the brake, my thumb taps on the horn, and I count the pairs of eyes. One pair. Two pairs. Three pairs. And then one white-tail is joined by a second and a third.
As I whisper a prayer, “Please don’t run across the road. Please don’t try to jump across my car. Please, NO!”, they pause. They stare. Frozen.
Slowly, cautiously, and with my heartbeat in my throat, I continue on my way.
Version 2:
How did I evade trouble? What force of nature had me tapping the brake to slow my speed as I caught images of pairs of eyes and flashes of white out of the corner of my eye? My experience said, “Don’t swerve. Stay in your lane.”
My defense was to slow down, hit the horn, and proceed cautiously. I counted the pairs of eyes. One pair. Two pairs. Three pairs. Matched by three white-tails extended skyward.
What caught their attention? The change in the sound of the engine as I slowed, the car horn, or the headlights that froze them at the edge of the road. I eased past them as they remained frozen.
Today I was victorious. Driver: 1; Deer: 0. Still on the road.
Version 3: reposted from this previous blog (link)
Two eyes, glowing in the reflection of my headlights, joined by another pair, and then another pair as I see the dreaded white flicker . . .
White-tailed deer
Not to be confused with those other deer, reindeer, also visible during this season, and recognizable by my two and a half year old grandson.
My foot has already hit the brake, my thumb on the horn, sounding out a staccato beat that matches the prayer on my lips,
“Please don’t run across the road. Please don’t try to jump across my car. Please, NO!”
And just like that the glowing eyes decided not to fight tonight. Not to risk life and limbs crossing the road. They merely paused . . . and stared . . .
And I blinked, slowed, and cautiously continued on my way.
Which version is your favorite?
And why?
How often do you rewrite/rework a post?
How do you decide WHAT to rewrite/rework/revise a post?
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for this daily forum in March. Check out the writers and readers here.
Essential Question for today (Link)
Writing/Planning: Do I know enough, yet, to begin writing?
#SOL17: And before that . . .
Three deer strolled casually across the road. I breathed a sigh of relief. No slamming of brakes. No sliding bags. No coffee spilled. I had already hit my brakes when the rear outer red lights flashed on the car in front of me.
And before that, I had just mentioned to a friend on Voxer that it was either
0: dark : thirty OR
0: deer : thirty.
I guess I knew the most accurate time. No rain so deer were moving. Slow and steady for the next four miles down Deer Alley.
And before that, I had just commented on an open gate: “Will those cows be out on the road, in the ditch, or behind the house?”
And before that, I was driving down the road en route to the office for my early morning appointment in the tech department. I was sick and tired of issues with posting my slices 3/4 of the days of the March SOLSC.
And before that, I was racing Mya to the end of the driveway and amazed (daily) by the fact that her four legs regularly beat my four cylinder Vibe.
And before that, I was packing my work bag.
- a Dell laptop
- a Chromebook plus
- an iPad mini
- a Samsung phone
“Did I have all the necessary devices for the day?” I wondered.
And before that, I was enjoying a peaceful second cup of coffee. Silence. Coffee. Peace. Thinking time. No noise. No devices. No conversation with Mya.
And before that, I was packing my lunch of a granola bar and a turkey and jalapeno cheese wrap. Plus a travel cup of coffee.
And before that, I was drinking that first cup of coffee for the morning. Savoring the smell of those coffee beans. Hearing the drip. And waiting eagerly for that first jolt of caffeine!
And before that, shower . . . shampoo . . . and the rest of the story is not available for print.
Do you always tell a story in chronological order?
Have you tried reverse order?
Does it feel uncomfortable to you?
What structure might you try as an innovation?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum and the #SOLSC that runs from March 1 to the 31st. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL17: Fun with Words
(Today is the last day of February so I will be blogging and posting for 32 straight days. Thank you, in advance, for your kind comments and thoughtful reflections!)
K-r-u-n-c-h! K-r-u-n-c-h! K-r-u-n-c-h! K-r-u-n-c-h!
Tracks in the snow show where I have stepped.
Soft snow covering treacherous ice.
Danger! Danger!
Coat zipped, hat on, scarf around my neck, gloves on hands and ice scraper ready.
18 degrees
S-c-r-a-p-e. S-c-r-a-t-c-h! Scrape,Scrape,Scrape!
Window on door cleared.
I tug on the door. It does NOT budge.
I tug AGAIN!
Scr-e-e-e-e-ch!
18 degrees
“How can this be?” I wondered. “Just yesterday it was 74 degrees.”
So cold.
“Can it get any worse?”
Eventually, windows cleared and I’m on the road.
“NNNNNN – N – N- O – O – O – O!
I slam on the brakes.
A deer strolls casually across the road!
So, slowly – barely inching across!
“Not a good morning! Do I continue on my way?”
18 degrees
“That darn deer should be holed up in a warm spot – not out for a morning walk!”
A dilemma
“Does she have any friends? Do I tempt fate by continuing on?”
“It’s okay. It’s daylight.” My self-talk is not very convincing.
“But does that mean MORE deer?”
It should be too cold for deer!
Off to work with miles to go . . . AND . . .
It’s obviously a “Deer Thirty Day”.
Caution, caution, caution . . .
On this 18 degree day, it’s obviously a “Deer Day”.
Not to be confused with a “Deere Day” . . .
Nor with D.E.A.R . . .
Deer, Deere, D.E.A.R . . .
All in a day’s travel to work!
How do you “PLAY” with words?
When do you intentionally have “FUN” with words?
Which words caught your attention?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Deb, Kathleen, Lanny, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum and the #SOLSC that runs from March 1 to the 31st. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL16: Observing
“Writers look closely at the world, they see and feel things intensely.”
My gaze is outward.
My gaze is inward.
The coffee gurgles.
The wind is blowing.
The sky is beginning to brighten.
Time is fleeting; time to move.
A faint shape; a daily appearance.
My daily path.
Finally, the coffee is done. I pour a cup.
I sniff the air.
I wrap my hands around my mug and embrace the warmth.
No rain today; I embrace the crisp air.
I look again, outside my window.
I check for scents, again.
I reach for my phone, punch in the code, click on the camera.
I study the window. Did I see movement?
My morning and evening visitors.
That two-legged creature stuck inside.
What do you see when you look closely?
Thank you, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Lisa, Melanie, and Stacey for this weekly forum. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here.
#SOL16: March Challenge Day 15-Pi Day
By the Numbers
3.14
Yesterday was just another day.
But it was Pi Day – 3.14159265359
Dark and dreary, thanks Daylight Savings Time!
Waiting for the fog to clear.
Couldn’t see the trees on the other side of the driveway.
7:10 and time to go.
52 degrees
Fog was not predicted to burn off until 10 am
Un-joyful driving today!
1 car leaving the driveway
3 deer crossing the road
Not even 1 was curious enough to stop and look
All 3 sauntered across the road as if they own it.
Hmmm. . . I guess they do!
1 stop sign
1 driver anxiously peering both ways
Who would know if a vehicle was approaching?
Go for it! Just go!
1 wet county road
visibility about 0
less than 1 electic pole at a time
2 miles later
4 red eyes about 20 feet away
2 white tails flip up
Will they run towards the road? Or towards safety and the trees?
8 legs poised for flight
1 driver pounding on the car horn: beep, beep, beep!
Warning heeded
8 legs run away from the road
2 lights heading towards me
First car I’ve met
Brief glimpse of driver and zoom it’s gone
Traveling on
A car with 0 headlights
Seriously? in this soup?
A total of 27 cars with 0 headlights in fog so thick it seems to creep inside my car.
Able to finally relax upon arrival at work
After 5 green lights and only
1 red light on this
1 grey and gloomy Pi Morning!
How important are numbers in your writing?
Where and when do you use numbers rather than the words for numbers?
Process:
I have seen several posts during the March Challenge where numbers have been emphasized and yesterday seemed like just that morning – something positive out of the frustration from the weather! I jotted down # of items yesterday before my car was even turned off . . collecting ideas for my next slice on a post it while sitting in my car! This morning I pulled out the post it and started typing. I noticed that when the ideas began to wane, I immediately went to categories and tags, not wanting to waste even 1 minute. Draft completed, process begun, and not an image/picture in mind. No slices read yet this morning. Quickly trying to capture ideas and numbers. Noticing that I had to retype most numbers as I originally recorded them as words. I had to go look up “pi” as that number even beyond the standard 3.14 had to be recorded somewhere today in this post. Rereading, revising, editing. Still no picture/image so I decided to make my numbers blue and bold. Reviewing with 1 cup of coffee in hand! ARRGGGHH – can’t stand verb tenses! Preview one more time. Must publish – time’s up! And it’s dark and dreary Day 2!
Thank you, Anna, Betsy, Beth, Dana, Deb, Kathleen, Stacey, and Tara. Check out the writers, readers and teachers here. It’s the March Slice of Life Challenge so be ready to read DAILY posts!
#SOL15: March Challenge Day 21 The Real Story
The Real Story
Seriously, I’m being framed by a pokey old “gramma – wannabe”! It wasn’t my fault. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!
I was out for a morning walk with Josephine and Henrietta. We were strolling along at 6:39 am when Josephine challenged me and said she could beat me across the road. I saw the lights headed in our direction and told her that we needed to wait. It would be too close to make sure that we could all three cross safely. But because Josephine ALWAYS has to be first, she takes off running.
And then what does that ditzy driver do?
She slows down. Josephine is across the road, I’m waiting on her and she, the one behind the wheel of that vehicle, decides to . . . slow down.
“REALLY? What was she thinking?”
I simply could NOT believe it. Where on earth did she go to school for driving? Maybe they will revoke her license!
Henrietta waited in the ditch, but I decided to cross before any other vehicles headed our way. The expression on that lady’s face was amazing.
I think she was praying or something because she was making this awful face and saying something. I know she wasn’t on her phone because I’ve seen plenty of those cause accidents before!
“Why on earth did she slow down?”
I really thought she was going to swerve to the other side of the road. That’s pretty dangerous and she would have rolled that little tin can if she’d tried that. But no, she has to go and slow down. If she had just kept going, she would have been fine.
So the car hits me where I’m just standing by the side of the road, minding my own business. It was headed towards me so I was braced for the impact and as the car hit, I was in the air bouncing across the road. I felt a slight scrape where some of my hair was gouged off my thigh, but that was it for injuries! I was so out of there before that lady did something silly and backed up to run over Henrietta.
Poor Henrietta; I don’t know if she will ever get over her near miss. She was so scared that she turned around and went back down in the ditch to hide. She refused to cross the road for hours. (Kinda silly because if anyone was going to be traumatized it should have been me, the deer who was hit by that silver Pontiac Vibe at 6:41 am on that dark Thursday morning.)
“Should I file a report? How do I make sure my side of the story gets told?”
Who knows what kind of lies that silly driver has been telling to cover up her failure to have control of her car! She should have been able to stop if she had just put her foot on the brake faster! Won’t someone want to talk to the witnesses?
“Not my fault! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! After all, there was a deer crossing sign there . . . I was following directions!”
formfonts.com
Now that I think of it, can I sue that lady driver in court for the damage, and pain and suffering caused? My hair looks like a trophy hanging on her car!
If you missed the story from the driver’s point of view, you can read it here.
Check out the writers, readers and teachers here. Thanks to Stacey, Anna, Beth, Tara, Dana and Betsy at “Two Writing Teachers” for creating a place for us to share our work. So grateful for this entire community of writers who also read, write and support each other!
#SOL15: March Challenge Day 20 – Unexpected . . .
Classic beginning?
pixgood.com
A variation?
It was a dark and cloudy morning.
or
It was a dark:30 morning.
Or just begin?
“N o o o o o o o,” I whispered.
The thud vibrated through my decelerating car as it came to a complete stop. I heard the items on the front passenger seat slide to the floor.
*&!#
I sat there shaking, adrenaline-fueled and yet caffeine-depleted. If only I had finished that cup of coffee because then I would have been two minutes later. NAH! Four minutes with a pit stop before leaving.
Shaking, I unfastened my seat belt and grabbed my phone. I was in desperate need of the flashlight app. “Where is it? Have I used it on this phone?” I wondered.
Completely dark and silent . . . not a sound greeted me as I emerged from my Pontiac Vibe.
As I pushed the home button on my phone, it lit up the morning darkness.
“Could be worse!”
No metal touching the tire.
Frame still looks square. (I think)
Cardboard-y inner wheel well-lining is drooping some.
Enough to be harmful?
Duct tape?
Do I really have any?
Looks ok!
Check for fluids?
. . . Is it possible? . . . Driveable? . . .
Less than a minute has passed since I began my inspection, but the weight of worry made it feel like an hour. “Oh, man, going to be late today and here I was already a bit panicky about the two hour trip!”
Possible options flashed through my mind in milli-seconds.
Choices,
Plans,
Must Dos,
Nice to Dos.
Ulimately . . .
Driveable, YES!
Off . . . and running. In 15 minutes a pit stop in a well-lit convenience store, another quick inspection, dripping fluid???
Ah, just from the windshield wiper fluid reservoir that is visibly cracked.
Drive, drive, drive, drive and an hour and thirty minutes later . . . at work.
I survived three of these with only one involved in my incident as they casually sauntered across the road as if they owned it.
Now, the repair task for the damage caused by this critter (who, yes, walked away) owned by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (at any rate that is who issues the hunting licenses)!
Insurance claims! Yay! FUN! (not)
Tufts of deer hair in the car frame CAN ruin a very positive attitude!
The good news . . . yes, the car is driveable! And I made it to my day of professional development okay – a bit rattled, YES! But okay!
Unexpected damage to the front passenger quarter panel, hood, and front, and passenger door that does not open . . . TODAY, an extra cup of coffee and daylight before I leave!
What unexpected events have you handled lately?
Check out the writers, readers and teachers here. Thanks to Stacey, Anna, Beth, Tara, Dana and Betsy at “Two Writing Teachers” for creating a place for us to share our work. So grateful for this entire community of writers who also read, write and support each other!
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