“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.combefore 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”
The morning paper has an ad that is hard to ignore. The headline reads; Estate Sale Camelot Castle – Everything Must go.
Further down is a description of the items being offered. Reading the list makes attendance mandatory.
For sale: Large round table reportedly used for meetings and late-night dinners. A sword still in its original stone. Antique chairs, tapestries, beds, tables, and sideboards too numerous to mention and detail. Two crowns (One king-sized and one queen-sized) 12 suits of armor size 38 regular, (Some polishing needed), chainmail, Longbows, crossbows, broad swords, spears, lances, maces, daggers, and knives. Wagons, tumbrels, horse halters, saddles, and feed bags. Cauldrons, catapults, rocks. Antique goblets, tableware, pewter forks. Original candelabras, sconces, and torches. Complete magician’s kit including, hex instructions, hat, and powders.
Refreshments available for purchase, major credit cards honored, all sales final.
This was originally posted on July 3rd, 2017. Now that we are back to making trips, I think it might still be current.
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The inspiration for this list was my return from a ten-day trip. In case you wonder, I am entirely innocent of these incidents. Hope you enjoy it.
Top Ten Things Not to Do Returning From a Long Trip
10 If you are returning from a long trip, do not forget where you parked your car. If you do, at best, security will help you find it. At worst, you’ll have to catch a cab home, convincing your family that you need a physical intervention. (That brain MRI was a pleasant experience, right, Bosco?)
9 If you are returning from a long trip, do not argue with the parking attendant about the price of parking. If you do, at best, he will call the police. At worst, the attendant is Tiny, the WWF champ working nights to pay his fine for the last criminal assault charge. (Looks like you had better use your feet to avoid this one, Buford.)
8 If you are returning from a long trip, do not arrive in the middle of the night and expect a warm welcome. If you do, at best, you will be disappointed. At worst, your watchdog, which is especially protective, will confuse you with an intruder. (Good thing you have that tall tree in the front yard, huh? Putz.)
7 If you are returning from a long trip, do not think the hotel shampoo and conditioner bottles count as souvenirs. If you do, at best, the only one talking to you right now is you. At worst, you’ll have to find an alternative sleeping arrangement. (That couch is as lumpy as you thought, isn’t it, Buster?)
6 If you are returning from a long trip, do not dump your laundry on the floor and declare, “No rush.” If you do, at best, the pile will stay there forever. At worst, you may wonder why the Goodwill receipt is on your bureau. (On the plus side, you can deduct the donation, Ferd.)
5 If you are returning from a long trip, do not make comments at dinner about how good the food was on the trip. If you do, at best, you will be eating out for weeks. At worst, you will be invited to prepare the meals according to your taste. (That includes menu and shopping, Bunky.)
4 If you are returning from a long trip, do not think everyone you meet wants to hear about your experiences. If you do, at best, people will avoid you. At worst, you will have to listen to the experiences of others. (It really gets to you when their trip sounds better than yours, doesn’t it, Tex?)
3 If you are returning from a long trip, do not think everyone wants to hear you speak in the language of the place visited. If you do, at best, most will believe that you are affected. At worst, you will meet someone fluent in the language, and you’ll be stumped. (A little hard to keep up after hello, don’t you think, Pard?)
2 If you are returning from a long trip, don’t keep saying, ”It’s good to be home.” If you do, at best, people will think you had a lousy time. At worst, most will wonder why you left in the first place. (Of course, they may also see through your desire to answer the question, “Where have you been? Leroy.”)
1 If you are returning from a long trip, do not think you won’t have to resume helping out around the house. If you do, at best, you will get a gentle reminder. At worst, you may find your suitcase repacked and ready for another trip. (That one-way ticket is sobering, don’t you think, Cousin?)
The Producer was out scouting for some new views and discovered the Bee Cave sculpture park. I think you will find it as interesting as we did. We are being catered to today by Veracruz All Natural. Our entertainment is Sara Evans.
Menu
Quesadilla Choose: grilled steak, grilled chicken, al pastor, or veggie on flour or corn tortillas with Monterey Jack cheese. Served with guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo
Waiting as usual for the meister of brew to cough up my hot, steaming, frothy cup of joe, a glance toward the newspaper captures a disturbing headline. Customers who have bagged their own groceries are seen as a minimum wage worker threat. Needing more information after the cup is delivered, I grab the paper and head for the back porch.
The story details that the habit some shoppers have of bagging their own groceries is viewed by store bagging employees as threatening their way of life. “Minimum wage phobic,” was how one worker put it. The worker went on to say that a law ought to be passed, making those who have bagged their own groceries guilty of a hate crime.
Sipping my brew and thinking deeply about the issue causes me to miss the first blaring second of the klaxon horn we call a doorbell. Twiggy and Lucy have already gone airborne, so it’s best to see who is there. Then, casting about some turkey treats to turn the dog’s attention to something other than the door, I do the ritual and finally open it.
“I say, boy. This here. I say this here is delivery.” The line came out of Foghorn Leghorn with the velocity to raise my thinning hair. “I say, boy. Don’t. I say, don’t just stand there. I say take this envelope.” It is strange to have someone blowing hot air that has the scent of corn. I take the envelope, and Foghorn Leghorn wishes me a good day and struts off down the street.
Knowing it was from Linda Hill, in no hurry, I watch as the giant chicken disappears around the corner. Turning to the envelope, a quick opening reveals this message. Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “bagged.” Use it any way you’d like. Enjoy! If you want to enjoy, visit Linda’s blog and read how easy it is. Here’s the link. https://lindaghill.com/2022/07/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-july-16-2022/
Today’s good news is taken in its entirety from the Good News Network.
File photo by Jay Blacktrans
DC Subways Will Have $50M in Revenue From New Solar Panels Covering Parking Lots With Shade By – Good News Network –
The transit agency for the Washington, DC Metro area announced Friday a deal worth up to $50 million over 25 years to install solar panels atop buildings and parking structures at four subway rail bus stations.
Combined, Metro says the four sites will generate 12.8 megawatts of electrical capacity and make this “the largest community solar project in the National Capital Area and one of the largest in the nation.”
It will also provide Metro customers who park their cars at the stations with new shaded parking and protection from the elements.
Under the agreement, SunPower Corp. will install photovoltaic solar panels over carports and canopies that shade surface lots and above parking garages. The four Metro sites are Anacostia, Cheverly, Naylor Road, and the Southern Avenue stations.
Goldman Sachs Renewable Power will own the solar power system and provide annual payments to Metro through 2047, providing a long-term revenue stream that will support the regional transit agency’s operations—at no cost to Metro, which is run by the governments of DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
“This project benefits residents of our region, even people who don’t ride Metro, by leveraging the potential of our stations to generate revenue and increase the community’s access to a clean, renewable source of energy,” said Metro CEO Paul Wiedefeld. “This project advances the region’s sustainability goals while generating revenue to help keep Metro safe and affordable in an extremely tight budget environment.”
When complete, the stations (located in DC and Prince George’s County, Maryland) will have 17 acres of photovoltaic solar panels—the equivalent of 13 football fields—and generate enough electricity to power at least 1500 single-family homes. Homes and businesses in the local PEPCO area will be able to sign up for a share of the clean, renewable energy generated by the project while saving on their utility bill.
The project is part of Metro’s sustainability initiatives and will help advance the Clean Energy DC Plan that seeks to cut carbon emissions in half—and transition to 100 percent renewable energy by 2032. Construction is expected to begin early next year.
The good news here is sustainability need not cost money but, if planned, can save money. Today’s JohnKu talks about intelligent projects.
“Using this photo (below) as inspiration, write a short story, flash fiction, scene, poem; anything, really; even just a caption for the photograph. Either put it (or a link to it) in a comment or email it to me at keithchanning@gmail.com before 6pm on Sunday (if you aren’t sure what the time is where I live, this link will tell you). If you post it on your own blog or site, a link to this page would be appreciated, but please do also mention it in a comment here.
Go on. You know you want to. Let your creativity and imagination soar. I shall display the entries next time.”
This post was published on September 12th, 2016. Let’s hope it has legs.
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The inspiration for this list came to me while watching a few shows where people compete for money, a hosting berth on a food show, to see if they would like to sell or list their house, or just want a new place to live. I did not know what to call these shows, so I labeled them competition shows. Anyway, I think you get the idea.
10 If you are watching a competition show and it involves food, do not think you need to match bite for bite. If you do, at best, you’ll be too full to sleep. At worst, your doctor will conduct an intervention and perhaps admit you to a sanitarium to lose weight. (Man, that first 100 pounds came quick, didn’t it?)
9 If you are watching a competition show that involves racing from one place to the next, do not think you need to rush to the store after it is over. If you do, at best, the kindly officer will let you off with a warning after he hears your story. At worst, your insurance company will not reinstate your policy in spite of your promise to get rid of the racing gloves. (You would have been okay had you not slid sideways into the 7-11.)
8 If you are watching a competition show and the players are all on an island with no food, do not plan your vacation while watching. If you do, at best, your room choices will seem luxurious when in fact, they should be condemned. At worst, you’ll arrive at your destination and realize that primitive camp living might not have been the best option. (Especially since your family considers roughing it to be no room service.)
7 If you are watching a competition show and the favorite day of the show is demolition day, do not tackle that small home improvement. If you do, at best, you will spend three minutes on demolition and ten days on reconstruction. At worst, your demolition fever will go unchecked until you realize you have no more bedrooms. (That night sky is sure filled with stars, isn’t it?)
6 If you are watching a competition show and the principles pay for rundown houses with cash, do not make an offer on a house. If you do, at best, you will overlook some needed repairs. At worst, you will realize there is no one to help you with what has been described as a “tear down.” (It looked so easy on TV, didn’t it, Bunky?)
5 If you are watching a competition show and the homeowners are asked if they love it or should they list it? Do not call an agent to list your house. If you do, at best, you will have second thoughts about your beloved home. At worst, your house will sell in two days with the new owners wanting to move in a week, and you have nowhere to go. (How come everything for sale is higher priced than what you got for your house? Huh?)
4 If you are watching a competition show and there are judges eliminating chefs, do not decide you can cook better than all of them. If you do, at best, your offerings may not be enthusiastically received. At worst, you will have a food walkout at your house, and you’ll be the last chef standing. (Seems kind of lonely, just you and that pot of stew.)
3 If you are watching a competition show and it involves food trucks, do not think that may be an easy way to make a buck. If you do, at best, your first week will be a killer. At worst, after you spend all that money to buy the truck, you realize you can’t sell the truck. (Kind of cramped to live in, right?)
2 If you are watching a competition show that involves two guys giving the homeowner a complete makeover for $30,000, do not ask for bids on your remodel. If you do, at best, you’ll never get a price low enough to proceed. At worst, you will find someone to do the job at your price and have to hire another contractor to redo the job at twice the price. (All looked good until the ceiling fell. Right?)
1 If you are watching a competition show that involves selecting a home from three choices of houses, do not think you will be that lucky. If you do, At best, you will need to see more. At worst, you will look at three, pick one, and discover that a better house has come on the market and is cheaper. (So much for being in a rush, huh, Rube?)
A nice sit on the back porch and a concert by the cardinal intent to broadcast his availability is interrupted by a tone on my phone. (I didn’t mean that rhyme.) A quick look on the screen shows a large box on the porch. Thank heavens it didn’t fall into the backyard, is my thought while going through the unlock process.
A gate of steel rolled back, four bolts unlocked, two crossbars lifted, and the front door is thrown open. A mental note is made to replace all this stuff with a security sensor. There is nothing on the box to indicate the contents or sender, but the assumption is it’s from Linda Hill. A walk around the box reveals nothing.
All of a sudden (Love that), a whirring noise accompanies the slow rise of the top of the box. The decision was made to step back just as the top fell to the driveway. Inside the box, a strange green color glows as a hand clutching some kind of gun rises from within.
Soon a green helmated character in a green skirt follows the hand. “Where’s the kaboom? There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom,” says the character. The realization comes to me that this is Marvin the Martain in person. I immediately apologize for the lack of a kaboom, and Marvin hands me an envelope. (Of course)
Marvin continues to rise and disappears in a large fluffy cloud. I open the envelope to find a message. Here is what it says, Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “make a note.” Do with it what you will. Have fun!
