Saturday, 2 July 2011

A Rainy Day in July - Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus - Week 61


Photo Copyright Christina Wigren

Happy Fourth of July to Everyone in America!

Jenny Matlock

Welcome to Week 61 of Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus, a writing meme where participants are asked to write a text to a given prompt, using only 100 words or less. This week's prompt is "Oh say can you see... " (which, for those of you who are not familiar with American patriotic songs, is a line from the American National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.) But since I'm living in Sweden, I'll just try to use this prompt any way that I can. This is my text:

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Sanna and her friend John were riding their bicycles home from the library. It had been unusually hot for Sweden, even for July. Thunder rumbled overhead from the gathering dark clouds. Then the sky opened up and drenched them. When they finally arrived at Sanna's apartment it was dark inside, as the power was out. It was dim but light enough to see where they were going.
Sanna was rummaging through a closet looking for towels and dry clothes when she pointed to the kitchen counter and asked John, "Oh say, can you see that flashlight over there and hand it to me?"

Wordcount according to WordCalc:97
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Best wishes,

Anna



P.S. (This was written Monday, July 4th, 2011)

I wrote my centus text in a great hurry and it may need a little explaination:

When I write texts about Sanna, I am writing purely fictional stories, even though Sanna usually borrows content from my own life. In this text I am introducing a new character, John Tell, an acquaintance from America, whom Sanna met when she went to school there. John does not say much in this short centus text. His function is to give Sanna a reason to speak out loud. The cats would not be able to hand her a flashlight. John Tell is just visiting Sanna, but may stay a while if I can give him a reason to stay.

The real life background to this story is that I actually rode my bike to the library on Saturday, the same day as this centus, in order to borrow the library's computer, since I don't have a printer at home. I stopped by the new apartment (since I only received the keys the day before) to take measurements and really got depressed. It is so small, cheesy and plastic compared to the home that I am forced to leave. It was only about three in the afternoon when it started turning dark and I heard thunder and saw lightning. And then it started to rain really, really hard. I had to get back to the old place since there is nothing there yet - no furniture or food or even toilet paper or light bulbs in the new apartment. I was alone, of course. It would have been fun to have had a friend along. I decided to be nice to Sanna and let her have John Tell with her in the rain. I rode my bike splashing through puddles and shedding tears and was drenched when I got "home". I had to take all my clothes off.

The photo of the fireworks in the evening sky is from the Swedish holiday Valborg, April 30th, when there is a great bonfire to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of spring. And there are usually fireworks too. Forgive me for using it to illustrate the Fourth of July. The last time I actually saw fireworks for a celebration of the Fourth was long before I owned a digital camera. This photo was taken this April 30th.

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First Commenter:
Judie
of
Rogues Artists



To read other Saturday Centus texts for Week 61 please visit this site or click on the image below:

Jenny Matlock


Thursday, 30 June 2011

K is for Kittens! Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren

Here, this cutey has just recently opened its eyes!


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren

K is for kittens! My first cat, Cajsa, gave birth to five kittens April 5th. This is a stripey kit that we still are not sure whether it is a boy or a girl. My son Erik wants it to be a boy and he calls him "Kalle". I secretly call her "Mathilda", just in case...


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren

This skinny little fellow was given extra food and happily has caught up with his siblings as far as weight and size are concerned. He peeped a lot, and is still called "Peep"!


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren


Photo & Copyright Chistina Wigren

Sara Cat made herself scarce while all of this was going on.


Best wishes,
Anna

First Commenter:
Dominique Goh
Linkof
Dominique's Desk
new button


To read other posts about the letter K, please visit this site or click on the image below:

Jenny Matlock


Sunday, 26 June 2011

"Dear John"- Mrs. Jenny Matlock's Saturday Centus Week 60



Jenny Matlock

Saturday Centus is Mrs Jenny Matlock's writing meme that has participants write up to 100 words to a given prompt. To celebrate the 60th week, we are only to use 60 words with a two-word-prompt, "Dear John".

This is my text:
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This is Sanna's reply to a letter from John Tell:

Dear John,

I am sorry to hear about the passing of your mother. She was a wonderful woman.

My divorce was final in April. The children and I moved to a smaller apartment with a bed-sofa in the livingroom, that you can use, if your work takes you to Sweden.

Regards,
Sanna

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Wordcount according to WordCalc: 60

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Best wishes,
Anna


P.S.
Whenever I write about Sanna, I am writing purely fictional texts, even if Sanna's life borrows content from my own. There is no "John Tell". He is inspired by several different boys I knew in school. Since John Tell is an American, he will give Sanna someone for whom she can explain about life in Sweden. He may be worth the fictional airfare, just for that purpose, as tourist and old aquaintance.

First Commenter:
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To read other texts for Saturday Centus, Week 60 please go to this site or click on the image below:

Jenny Matlock


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