Book Review- Jim Butcher

                                            




                                              

Storm Front is the first in the Harry Dresden Wizard series that is written by Jim Butcher. I first came across this character in s short story anthology called Side Jobs and was fascinated.

A male wizard with a strong moral code who seems to be always getting into trouble. Someone, who because of his power, has to live without the technological advances of the day. Electrics die when he's around.

So I tracked down the first in the series, and couldn't put it down. I can't wait until I read the rest.

This is one of those books where I would love to be able to live in his world, alas not to be.

Book Review- Cathy Caron

                                             




                                           

I am currently on a knitting obsession. (I just have an obsessive personality when it comes to books and crafts). Not that I would consider myself a great knitter.

I am making a jumper for my husband that has caused all sorts of grief. (Its a long long story). But has that stopped me? No way.

I am currently knitting a sock on double point needles while I wait for some new yarn from Bendigo Woollen Mills. I am also finding time to crochet a ripple blanket and make a right angle weave necklace. But I have wandered of topic.

I borrowed the above book from my local library and I am fascinated by the concept of no seams. Seriously fascinated by it. But at the same time I really thought that it would be too hard to do.

Not with this book!

The first few sections explain what top down is about and how to do it. From there it goes in to understanding sizing and then leads onto designing a sweater. Its beautifully simple to read and understand. Anyone could follow Cathy Carrons instructions and be successfull.

This is one book that I will be buying for my own collection.

Do you have any knitting book recommendations?

Book Week

This week my son is having Book Week at his school. All of the activities are being done today with like a rolling display that the kids are involved in.


As part of Multilit this week the organiser asked us if we could read to our students. Something that we had read as kids. So I picked The Story Of Ferdinand. Originally printed in 1937, my copy is from 1970. I would be very surprised if it is still available in print. Its hard to see in these pictures but the pictures are all hand drawn and amazingly detailed.


The story is about a bull called Ferdinand who only wants to sit and smell the flowers. But after being stung by a bee ends up being taken to Madrid to participate in the bullfights. Things don't quite go according to plan.

The kids loved having me read to them for a change and it was really fun for me too.

FSF- Darkness

        
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What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week’s word: DARKNESS



The road stretched into the distance, seemingly endless. So tired now that she was numb, she trudged along, one foot after the other.

No where along the road had she come across shelter and the night was enclosing fast.

Resigned, she at last stopped by a tree, unshouldering her pack.

Another night to be spent sleeping on the ground.

Book Review- Jacqueline Carey

 
I first read Jaqueline Careys series Kushiels Legacy many years ago and its one of my absolute favourites. I have read it multiple times. So when I first found Autumn Bones at my local library I wasn't sure it was the same author. I had to bring it home and check Jaqueline Careys website, and yes its the same author.

But its very different in tone when you read it. And, of course, being me its the second in the series. Believe it or not my library does not have the first book. Drives me nuts when they do that.

This book is set in a much more modern setting. With a heroine that is not afraid to make choices and stand up for them, while often she seems to be flying by the seat of her pants.

Its a fun read that I enjoyed and am looking forward to reading the reast of the series.                                                                                                                    

Spring Has Sprung!

Can you believe that spring is here already? And today in Sydney they are expecting it to hit 23 degrees. Quite a change to last week where it was cold and raining for most of it.

It's great for all of my plants though. Above is a photo of my blueberry bush. It's about 5 years old and a couple of weeks ago I moved it to the above pot. It gets more sun here which it loves. It produces berries every year now and more each year, so I am hoping for a bumper crop this year.




Two weeks ago I planted these seeds with my son. Within days we had the snow and dwarf peas sprout. It's hard to see in the photo but the carrots are also coming up now.

We have made a little wooden garden bed for them but I haven't had time to fill it with soil yet. With the rate at which these plants are growing I really need to get a move on.







Now is when I start my anxious wait for my oak and maple bonsais to leaf again. I do this every year and I am always so relieved when the leaves appear. Shouldn't be long now.



My last bonsai, a port Jackson fig is doing well. I use to have a lot more bonsai but when we got our dog she thought they were chew toys and ate the lot. That's one of the reasons their is wire around the base of the blueberry. It stops our dog from digging it up.


What plans do you have for your garden this spring?

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

FSF - Waiting

                                             

                                                                   Source


What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This week’s word: Waiting. And for some reason it made me think of the farmers in central parts of Australia as they wait or the rains to come.


Hat jammed on his head he leaned on the old fence.

In the distance he could see the storm gathering but would it come this far.

Stooping he picked up a handful of the dirt at his feet, it crumbled to dust in his hands.

Without the rains every thing would die, but he couldn't control nature.

He went back to leaning on the fence.

Book Review- Clair Yates

Again this weeks review is a non fiction. I am still researching diets etc for ways that I might improve my skin and general health.

And I adore this book.

Clair Yates is an Australian nutritionist. I have read a few books on Paleo but I have found them hard to understand, or even way to extreme. One book started by telling you to throw out every thing in your pantry and start again. As you can probably imagine I didn't get very far with it.

This book is really simple to understand. This book is packed full of information to show how eating a Paleo way can lead to better health in the long run.

Clair starts with looking at different conditions and explaining how the diet can help. Then she goes into what being Paleo really means. At the end of the book is a selection of recipes and she also gives you a 28 day reset diet to help you get into the way of eating Paleo.

This book is an ebook that I borrowed from my local library but I am going to get a hard copy as this is a book I can see me referring to a lot.

Have you read this?


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Bullet Journal

When my son started kindergarten I was very excited as I thought I would finally get to do all the things that I wanted to do, both house, craft and blog related. The first week of school I nearly had a melt down until it occurred to me that I had all year to get everything done.

Since then I have to admit that I am still trying to get organised. Some days I feel as though I get loads done, other days nothing. I have to do list and notes all over the place, though I have been trying to keep them together.

And then in July I came across a post on And Sew We Craft about a bullet journal.

Well I was hooked. I spent hours on the internet looking at everything I could find about it. I immediately found an notebook I've never used and set it up. The only thing I haven't used yet is a symbol key as I'm not sure it would work for me.



Now I know it will take some time for me to customise it to myself but I have already found that it's helping me achieve more each day. And hopefully I will keep it up.

Do you bullet journal?

FSF- Luminous

What it's all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin posts a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your sentences, just use it for direction.

This weeks word is luminous.


The glow was hardly noticeable at first. A tiny pinprick of light that broke through the darkness.

As it came closer it seemed to move. Flitting like the proverbial will o' the wisp.

Gradually becoming a luminescence that dazzled the eyes.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

FSF- Secure

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What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.


This weeks word is Secure.

The first howl took her by surprise. Startled she glanced at the window, only to realise the sun had already set.

Nearly falling in her haste she ran to lock the front and then the back doors. Heart pounding with fear, how could she have been so stupid as to loose track of the time.

Trembling, she backed slowly away from the back door she watched as the knob slowly turned.

Book Review - The Eczema Diet

Today's review is a little different.

I suffer with atopic dermatitis (allergies and asthma). Normally summer is the worse time for me but this year it's been winter. My skin was great through summer and then the moment the season changed off it went.

The most common treatment is steroid based creams but I try to avoid them as much as possible. Usually it's easy, a few days of extra moisturising and I'm good. But it's just not happening this time.

Quite by chance I found this book while I was on my local library's site. So I downloaded it to read.

I have to say that while I will probably never follow the diet exactly I did get a lot out of the book. I have bought some vitamin and mineral supplements and I am going to try avoiding some food groups.

Hopefully it will help.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Time Management

Ever since I wrote the last post on trying to get too much done Here I have been thinking about ways that I could save time/ make things faster.

Now I am sure that there are millions of things that I can do, but they have to work for me. So it's been a little bit of trial and error around here.

One of the things that I find most time consuming is washing. Hanging, sorting, folding etc all can take a lot of time. And I have to be honest and say that some days I don't get it all done, so I am left staring at an overflowing clothes basket. Not fun!

But I have found a new way of doing it. And it does save time!

I do one load a day in winter as it takes so long to dry. But I put it on first thing in the morning. That way by the time I am home from the school run its ready to hang out. No waiting around while the washing machine runs. And if its a nice day I can put a second load on.

Then once its dry I fold it as I take it off the line and put it into the basket. Once I am back inside I just have to put it away in drawers. It's really made a difference to getting it finished.


For things like sheet sets I fold them up and put them into their pillowcase. So when I want a particular set I just have to grab that pillowcase. Not only do I find that this saves time but my linen closet looks so much neater.

What tricks do you have for saving time with the laundry?

-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

FSF- Wishes

Source

Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin posts a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not need to appear in your five sentences.


She sat, feet dangling over the edge of the verandah, breathe little puffs of vapour in the cold.

"What are you doing out there? It's freezing".

"I'm waiting for the brumbies to come". Her dad sighed and sat down next to her.

"You'll be waiting a long time I'm afraid".



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Critical Much?

Do you find that you are very critical of yourself? I do! And I have to admit that it's more so now that I have a child.

Before I was pregnant I was an extremely organised Type A personality. I worked full time, did all the overtime I was offered and still managed to keep the house spotless, read lots and craft lots.

Then I got pregnant and things changed (as everyone with kids will tell you).

Now I am doing housework daily, and as for reading and crafting? Well not as much as I would like too. It's frustrating because I am only working part time so in theory should have more time.

Yesterday was a public holiday in Sydney. I ended up spending most of the time reorganising my sons toys and getting rid of the ones he doesn't play with anymore. Plus he and I played a few games together.

Sometime during the day I realised that I was being critical of myself yet again as I had done all the things that I wanted to do. If you had asked my son though, he would probably have told you it was the best day ever, as we had played together.

It really made me think. When did life become all about getting things done? Why do I measure my success like that now?

So I am going to attempt to change the way I think. My son is my major priority. I am going to stop trying to get so much done all the time.

Maybe all I need is to reorganise the way I do things.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Book Review- Stephanie Dowrick

Today's review is a little different. I found this book at the library while looking for a different book altogether, and thought it looked interesting.

Stephanie Dowrick's book is called Creative Journal Writing, and obviously, it talks about creative Journalling. In it Stephanie talks about the process of journaling. It also has a series of exercises throughout it to encourage creativity. For added inspiration are little stories from people who journal as well and what they have gotten out of it.

I have always kept a diary but I have to say that it has become more of a list of events than a true journal. And to be honest most of the entries are bland, we worked type entries.

Stephanie's book has encouraged me to try writing more freely. To turn off the logical side of my mind and let the creativity flow. I am looking forward to see where it might take my writing.

Do you journal?


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My Writing

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The last FSF I did was using the word Marriage as a prompt. At the time this story popped into my head but I had to keep it to the five lines. Since then the story has been swirling around my head wanting to get out. So here we are:

"We're still married!" Stan grinned an ear to ear grin at me.

"No we are not" I ground out through gritted teeth, so angry all I could see was red. "It's to death do us part, and we are dead". Stan's grin just got wider.

"But don't you remember, I got you to leave that line out". I did remember that, at the time I hadn't thought much of it as I was so busy planning our upcoming wedding.

"Why did we leave it out?" I really wanted to rant and rave at him but was holding on to my temper by a thread. Maybe it was the shock of waking up and finding myself here, where ever the hell here was, but while I knew I was dead I was having trouble accepting it.

"Isn't it obvious? By leaving it out once we died it meant we were still married and I could keep you with me here". His hand did a vague wave around him and finally I let myself look around.

We were in a large stone chamber, flames danced on the walls while the floor looked like water. Experimentally I stamped my foot, definitely not water. Slowly I reached out to the nearest wall., jumping when Stan grabbed my outstretched hand.

"Where are we?".

"Home. Well my home anyway. Your home too now. Careful of the walls though, they're real". I stared at him, waiting for the words to come, to explain where the hell I was and what was going on. Since I wasn't showing any signs of another outburst Stan waved his hands again and announced

"Welcome to Hell".

"We really are dead?". Stan nodded, enthusiastically, too enthusiastically for me. With a soft sigh I passed out.

FSF- Marriage

                           
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What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

This weeks inspiration is Marriage.

"We're still married!" Stan grinned an ear to ear grin at me.

"No we are not" I ground out through gritted teeth, so angry all I could see was red. "It's to death do us part, and we are dead". Stan's grin just got wider.

"But don't you remember, I got you to leave that line out".

Dog Sitting

My mum is currently in hospital so I am doggy sitting her two cavalier king charles spaniels, Archie and Marli. I also have my own dog, Bindi, a kelpie cross.

My mums gods are mostly inside dogs, while mine is an outside, but allowed in, dog. So mums dog are sleeping in my bathroom and Bindi has her kennel outside, so far every one is getting along great. As long as I remember to pat Bindi first, otherwise she tends to sit on the other two.

Marli is one of the most timid dogs I have ever met. She's about 18 months old and scared of her own shadow. Doesn't like being patted, or picked up. Runs around with her tail tucked between her legs. Now mum got her as a puppy and she's never been mistreated so I am guessing it's due to her breed.

Though she as my mum organised she was in for a shock when she came to my house. If the dogs bark or cry mum is there immediately to see whats wrong. I'm not. If they don't eat their food after 30 minute, I take it away. They are much better eaters already.

I have a baby gate across the bathroom door so the dogs can't roam the house at night. But it means that I have to pick them up over it. Archie is fine with that, though boy is he a heavy dog (as in overweight heavy). Marli was not amused, at all, and wouldn't let me pick her up. Every time I tried she ran back to her mat out of reach. She's quick though, 15 minutes of crying and barking to get out and she caved and let me pick her up.

FSF- Anchor

                           
                                                                   Source

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie McFerrin will post a one word inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

The word does not have to appear in your five sentences, just use it for direction.

This weeks word is Anchor.


She floated, adrift, free from her troubles for the first time. Dimly she wondered if this was heaven, but then the logical side of her mind stopped thinking.

The pain, when it came, felt like lightening.  Arcing through her body, electrifying every nerve ending.

Through the sudden pain came a voice "we have a heartbeat".

Fit Time!

                     

Before I got pregnant I was reasonably fit. I worked out at the gym 1-2 times a week and ran 3 days a week. At the time my motivation was I needed to be fit for the lifting I do in my job, as well as it helped my CFS and asthma. None of my friends exercised like I did and they thought I was a bit mad (though they would never admit that).

Then I got pregnant and it all went downhill. I had one of those pregnancies where I vomited constantly. Looking back I am not sure how I managed to work as I was not eating much, at all. Just drinking fluids.  I lost approx 15kgs and went down 2 dress sizes. When I wasn't at work I was asleep. And exercising was completely out of the question. I ended up having to go on maternity leave early.

Fast forward almost 6 years and my fitness has not improved much. I put on a whole lot of weight after I had my son and have really struggled to loose it. Motivation to exercise has been difficult when I am juggling working, looking after our son and home. I had hoped since my son started kindergarten that I would have more time but its taken a full term to start getting organised to train.

And my biggest motivation has been going back to karate training with my son. I started years ago and loved it but gave it up due to work.

But boy, has it motivated me. Things that I could do with ease years ago, I struggle with now.

So I have started a health kick. I train once a week in karate and then at the gym 2-3 times a week. My body has started to change shape and I am not so tired anymore.

And the best part? I love it!

To Niche or Not To Niche?

To niche or not to niche? That is the question! And I am sure it is one that most blogger's have asked themselves at some point.

When I first started a blog I had no idea that you were meant to have a niche. I just wrote what I wanted, when I wanted and I enjoyed it. Then I read a few books about blogging and discovered that you were meant (in their opinion) to have a niche.

So I ummed and ahhed and decided to change my approach to writing and book reviews. I was never a very regular poster, another no no apparently.

I participated in the A to Z Challenge and loved it, I finished on a real high with lots of plans. And what happened? Nothing! (As you can probably tell from the almost 3 week gap in posts). Good old writers block with a large dose of lack of motivation.

I can't say it was due to a lack of ideas, as I have had plenty of them. But, you see, none of them was creative writing or book related. And I really do not have the time to have multiple blogs. And a little part of the fun had been taken away I realised.

So the solution?

I am not going to worry if I fit into a particular niche or not. I am going to write what I feel like writing and just enjoy it. After all my blogs not called Random Jumbled Thoughts for nothing.

Did you struggle with the niche question?

A to Z April Challenge Wrap Up

                                             


So that's it. A month of posts based on the letters of the alphabet. This was my first time doing this challenge and I have to admit that I had a few doubts when I started. You know the usual things, would I be able to come up with a short story/ idea every day, would I be able to make regular posts etc etc.

But in the end I thought the only way to go is to throw myself into the deep end and see what happens. And I am glad I did.

I have learnt a lot about organising myself, and what I could do if I was really motivated. I had school holidays and a trip away during this month, yet I still managed to post. Though some of them was a bit late. It still got done.

I thought of a lot of things that I would have liked to do a bit differently as well. More of a theme, pictures to illustrate each post, get a few more posts scheduled so I could read more of the other participants blogs. Ok so maybe the biggest one was to get more posts scheduled. There are a few posts that I would have liked to re-do but ran out of time.

There are so many amazing blogs about. I loved reading through them.

I'm hoping that the things that I have learnt in the last month I continue on with.

And I'm hoping that all of you have enjoyed what I have done and what I am still going to do.

A to Z April Challenge- Z is for Zeal

Today's word inspiration is Zeal.


"She has forgotten." Pronounced Mable, taking another sip of her coffee. Trudi nodded in agreement.

"I think we are going to have to do something." Trudi nodded and then pronounced with great delight,

"We need to have an Intervention!" Both of the friends nodded sagely, and finished their coffee. Their friend Sam was notorious for becoming 'involved' in things, and running away with it. Once literally.

"Do you remember when she joined the circus?" Both of the women exploded in gales of laughter. Normally she would get wrapped up in something and eventually get bored. Staying power wasn't really her forte. As Sam said, their was so many things to try why limit yourself to just one.

They drove the short distance to their friends house, both wondering aloud what it might be that had caught their friends attention this time.

At first they thought their was no one home when they first arrived. For a long time nothing happened, then a loud bang came from the back of the house. Suddenly the door was thrown open.

"Well its about time you two got here. I need your help. And now I have just managed to knock trays of beads everywhere!" Without a second glance Sam vanished back into the house.

A to Z April Challenge- Y is for Yesterday

Todays inspiration is the word Yesterday.

"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday."


Sighing Micheals voice trailed off, he could not for the life of him remember the next few lines of the song. Odd really when it had been his wifes favourite song. When they were younger she had often danced around the house singing it, at the time it had driven him crazy, now he wished she would do it again.


Gently he ran his hand down the side of her sleeping face. She stirred, her eyes half opening as she whispered his name, "Micheal?" He didn't respond, not wanting to disturb her. But her eyes opened fully and she looked at him.


"Your here! Does that mean it's time?" He nodded hoping the thought did't upset her too much. But she laughed instead, sat up and threw herself into his arms. "I thought I heard you singing."


Looking back, for a long moment she stared at the body that she was leaving behind. Then she tightened her grip on him.


"I think I need a new favourite song."

A to Z April Challenge- Xanadu

Today's word inspiration is Xanadu.


"Xanadu, Xanadu, Now we are here, In Xanadu." Singing to herself as she cleaned Natalie danced around her new home.

A home! Finally she had a home of her own. Oh she new it wasn't much, just a 2 bedroom apartment, but it was hers. For the first time in a long time things were starting to go her way.

And it was about time! Her parents had died when she was young and she had ended up in foster care, which had been a nightmare. She considered herself lucky though, her mother had always told her she could achieve anything. That had been her motivation.

At times it had been hard. She had had to juggle jobs with going to TAFE and then she had gone on to university. So many of the people that she knew growing up, had turned to drugs and become lost. But she had persevered.

And finally she was achieving her goals. She had a good job, a home. She had achieved her Xanadu.

A to Z April Challenge- Weave

Todays inspiration is the word Weave. I would love to try weaving with a loom.


Click click clack, click click clack, click click clack, underlying that the shuttle created a humming noise as it slid across the warp threads. With a soft smile Ella lost herself to the rhythm of the loom as slowly but surely the fabric grew.

It was so peaceful sitting and weaving,creating something that would eventually go on to become something else. Almost as she herself was growing and changing to something else.

Lost in her revere Ella jumped as a hand landed on her shoulder. Clotho, one of the Greek goddess of fate, and her mentor smiled down at her.

"Come, you are ready for the next step".

A to Z April Challenge- Vaccine

Today's word inspiration is Vaccine.

Carefully Kel used the micro dropper to pick up a drop of the blood. Setting it carefully onto the Petrie dish beside her. She had to concentrate on taking a deep breath, weeks of work had lead to this moment. In a few minutes she would find out whether it had all been worth it.

Carefully she added a small amount of her vaccine to it. Just a fraction. This was the hardest part, working out how much was required. For a long moment nothing happened, and she felt her hopes dying.

But suddenly, movement. At first she thought she had imagined it, but there it was again. Slowly but steadily the red blood cells were starting to multiply. The blood in the Petrie dish began to increase in size.

Kel stifled the urge to dance around her laboratory. She'd done it! Finally she'd done it. No longer would they be dependent upon the humans for blood.

A to Z April Challenge- U for Unite

Today's inspiration is Unite.


Carefully I cut open all the individual packets and tipped them into a bigger container. As the pieces rained down they made a cheerful tinkling noise. Happiness suffused me.

Slowly I ran my hands through the different shaped blocks, reminiscing as I did. I had adored Lego as a child. Spending hours making different things with the blocks that I had.

Then I had put them away as I had become an adult. No longer did I have time for childish things as life went by. I had missed playing Lego with my kids as they grew up, always busy with other things.

Now here I was again. Fresh Lego blocks lay before me, ready to be united together. A clatter sounded as the front door opened and closed.

"Nanna what do you have?"

A to Z April Challenge- Time Travel

Today's inspiration is Time travel. Now I have to admit to being a huge Dr Who fan. As a kid I was always day dreaming about escaping on the TARDIS.


She was in the zone, that space that all runners talk about where everything just flows. Legs pumping, breath flowing, everything was effortless. Later she would blame that on not seeing the blue police box until she hit it.

Well, hits not really an accurate term, she slammed into it at full speed. Gasping for breath she lay staring at the blue sky above. A face with brown curly hair, hat and multi coloured scarf appeared above her.

"I say, are you alright?" Carefully he helped her sit upright. Dizzy she looked at him closer. Yep, definitely a concussion, or maybe she was unconscious.

"Jelly baby?"

A to Z April Challenge- Seismic Activity

Today's inspiration is the word seismic activity.


The first warnings had come in the early centuries. Little rumbles that were registered on the richtor scale. Fault lines along the earths crust rubbing against each other.

But as the centuries went by they got worse and worse. Eventually new scales were created to measure them. Until eventually humanity had to accept the inevitable.

The planet was getting ready to tear itself apart. All the excesses of the past had brought forward the death of the planet.

The effect of this knowledge on a planet that had been full of civil wars for centuries was incredible. For once we all had a common goal. To find an alternate home. To survive.

The early space race paled to what happened next. The whole world focused on space. And escaping earth. Survival is an incredible motivator.

Against a back drop of Earth slowly imploding, the bio-arks started their journeys of hope.

A to Z April Challenge - R is for Reap

Today's inspiration is Reap. Having been in Cairns, where all you see is mountains or miles of sugarcane crops, helped me with this choice.

The heat was stifling. The humidity was a hundred percent and the heat from the flames didn't help any. Standing on the verandah he stared across the oceans of flame in front of him. The crops were eerily highlighted as the flames went through them.

He couldn't tell for sure but it looked as though the flames were finally starting to abate. Not that it would make much difference to the heat, it was almost midnight now. But it felt like midday. No wonder the old ways were being phased out.

Tomorrow the flames will have gone out and they would start reaping the harvest of sugarcane. At least all the snakes and toads were gone.

A to Z April Challenge - Q is for Quarantine

Today's inspiration is the word Quarantine.


Forlornly I stared out of the window. This was excruciatingly boring. Day by day passed by but all we could do was watch the outside world go by. At least we had the world outside to watch. And long for.

After all we had travelled so far, and yet we might have travelled another million miles for all the good it had done us.

Quarantined, they told us. We had to be quarantined for the safety of the planet. The planet that we had come to be settlers on. A thousand years in cryosleep had not been enough. Apparently it just let the bugs sleep as well. The first new waves of settlers had resulted in massive deaths among the native population.

So here we all were, locked up in a glass dome of sterile white furniture. Watching. Waiting.

A to Z April Challenge - P is for Paradise

Today's inspiration is Paradise.

I am currently in Cairns, Queensland, visiting relatives. So I thought this word was doubly appropriate.

I hope you all have a good Easter.


Outside the storm was raging. Wind whipping through the trees and rain hammering at the roof top. It was your typical monsoon style storm, everything was humid and muggy.

Softly I ran my fingers over the book in front of me. Years of handling had softened the leather, darkening the original colour and obscuring the original tooled letters.

I didn't need to read them to know what they said. Family bible. The original family bible, passed down since my family had first come to this land. Destined to be passed down to the next generation.

Even though it was Good Friday, I didn't want to read that story. Instead I turned to Genesis and the Garden of Eden.

A to Z April Challenge- O is for Overboard

Today's word inspiration is Overboard. It's very in keeping with that that somehow I lost the first post and have had to rewrite it. Needless to say its a different story now.

Sighing, Mike, swirled his glass of beer. Staring into its depths. He was avoiding going home and he knew it. But what was he to do. His wife was completely overboard at the moment, totally obsessed with this latest past time of hers.

Knowing he was out of options he left the bar and made the short drive back to his house. Steeling himself for what waited inside. The laughter hit him first.

Walking through to the lounge room Mike nodded to the group of ladies seated there. Kissing his wife on the cheek he assessed the room.

Beads were littered over every surface of the room, even on the floor. It looked like they were having a fun evening.

A to Z April Challenge- N is for Necklace

My inspiration today is the word Necklace.


The beads glittered in the light, shades of amethyst and rose flashing. They were an impulse buy, but one she hadn't regretted. The colours jumping out at her as she walked past the bead shop. For some reason bringing her a strange nostalgia.

She could remember her grandmother and great grandmother beading when she was a child. Not beads of this colour. But pearls and white seed beads. They had made handmade wedding dresses.

Beautiful dresses that took them hours to bead. She would play under their work table, picking up the beads that escaped.

But that wouldn't do for these beads. While at the bead shop she had bought needles and thread, everything that she might need for a necklace. For that was what these were destined to be, a beautiful beaded rope necklace.

A to Z Challenge - M is for Magnets

My inspiration today is the word Magnets.

                                
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For a long time Jenny just stared at the magnets. Someone at work had decided to start a magnet collection and every few weeks more would mysteriously appear on the fridge door.

So far they had collections of letters, buttons and even little glass dome ones. The newest ones were pebbles. Little tiny pebbles with traffic related themes. Someone had even drawn a road on the door.

Jenny wasn't sure why but the collection of road signs made her feel like they had been made especially for her.

Stop. Yield. Do not enter. Parking. It was like they were an illustration to the rut that her life had become. What had happened to the young Jenny who lived to seize the day.

When had she become so, well, stale? As she took her coffee back to her desk she ran into her boss.

"Daydreaming again are we Jenny. I swear if you worked as hard as you dreamed it would be amazing." Typical of her boss, you were never told you were going a good job, only ever bad.

"Well Mr Lynch, you remember the Jenny that first started here?" Puzzled he nodded at her.

"She's back! And I quit!" With the first real smile she had had in ages Jenny collected her stuff. It was time to get out of the rut.

A to Z April Challenge - L is for Leviathan

Today my word inspiration is Leviathan.

 

Source 

Margaret hummed as she worked, carefully planting row after rows of seedlings. In a few weeks her farm would abound with new growth. She loved where she was, a small country farm, far from the cities. Peace and quiet abounded. She felt free.

As the shadow started over her she thought is was clouds. But the darkness got thicker as it came. Frowning she put down her tools and looked up.

With a gasp, she lost her footing, landing with a bang.

Above her was a huge ship, for lack of a better word. In shape it reminded her of one of the old blimps, but it was years since anything like it had been seen. It was so huge that she felt as though she could touch it if she reached up. But as she watched it sail slowly over her town she realised it was very high up.

As she watched it sail over the farm she realised that it was heading for the empty fields near her farm. The Leviathan was landing.

A to Z Challenge - K is for Killjoy

Todays inspiration is Killjoy.


Blah! Blah! Blah! If he had to listen to his neighbour drone on one more time about his pedigree dog he would scream! At first he'd listened politely, then he had quietly and quickly excused himself. Now he just shouldered past and ignored him.

Damn dog was a mutt anyway. Little yappy thing. Why do people get 'Dog' like that was beyond him. What happened to the good old fashioned Great Dane or Rottweiler? Now they were dogs.

To be honest though he was sick of everyone he met. It was an endless case of blah! Everyone was so mired in their own little world and the things that happened to them. But no one was ever happy.

And people had the hide to call him a killjoy. Bah! He was better of without them.

So caught up in his own thoughts that he never even saw the little dog race past him. He felt it though as he missed his step on the stairs. For a long moment he teetered as he thought, will anyone miss me?

Then he fell.

A to Z April Challenge - J is for Jillaroo

My word inspiration today is Jillaroo. A Jillaroo is the female version of a Jackaroo, an Australian term for someone who works on one of the big cattle properties outback.


The rainy season had arrived with a vengeance, rain sleeted down, reducing visibility to a few hands in front. Mel pulled the edges of her drizabone closer together, and pushed her hat down further. Working in this weather was just miserable. But it had to be done or they could loose the cattle on several thousand acres.

With such poor visibility it nade it hard to repair the fence. She was mostly working by feel. At last the wires had been attached to the last post and tied off. Thankfully. Now to get back to the main house.

Swinging herself up into the saddle of her very bedraggled gelding, she turned his head for home. She tucked her head down against the rain and let her horse have his head. Knowing he would find his way she let her mind wander.

Soon the rainy season would be over and they could all dry out.

A to Z April Challenge- I is for Immunity

My inspiration today is I for Immunity.


Everyone always talked about the Zombie apocalypse but no one really believed it. It was a bit like aliens, great to talk about and watch in movies but never going to happen.

Ha! Thought Ian, slowly rolling onto his side. His left arm hurt like hell. It felt like it was on fire. Struggling to a seated position he looked at it. He was obviously shocked or the torn mangled flesh and exposed bones of his arm should have freaked him out.

His brain couldn't take in the level of destruction around him. The dead were every where that he looked, torn apart, by the creatures that had attacked them.

Zombies were real! And destroying everything in their path. How, or rather, why he was still alive was a mystery.

The pain in his arm spiked sharply. And before his amazed eyes the skin, slowly but steadily, knitted itself back together.