When I Come To It

I thought I’d cross that bridge when I came to it. And now I had. It didn’t look so rickety up close. Even had a certain look of strength about it. And it wasn’t exactly crossing a ravine. Somehow, having approached it leisurely, in my own time, I was ready to cross it. I didn’t break stride and put to the back of my mind what lay ahead on the other side. For all I knew, the path might open to the valley of the dolls. Or perhaps another bridge. But I’d cross that one when I came to it.

I like to take my challenges when the time seems right. This flash fiction challenge appeared in my inbox today and appealed to me on a number of accounts.

I’m on holiday from school for a week, which also means so are my kids. You know how weans can nip your brain with, ‘what are we doing?’ Well, that doesn’t work too well with me. I’m not a big planner, having learned years ago, to go more with the flow. As a result, we’ve done something different each day, more on the spur of the moment than through any planned itinerary. I like it that way. Crossing my bridges when I come to them.

The challenge asks us to include a little about our week, a song to sum it up and to include, within the body of exactly 100 words, a favourite childhood toy.

Tick. Tick. Ticking more below.

Looking out from Largs. The sun does shine in Scotland sometimes. October’s good with me. 🙂 I headed off for the day with three of my daughters as everyone else was working. Poor buggers.

My eldest, Claire. She’ll kill me!

My youngest, Anna. She’s too wee to. 😉

Louise and I were camera shy. Which is surprising for her but not for me. I’d had three hours sleep the night before – it having been the first day of the holiday and sitting up Twittering politics and drinking whiskey and coke. Somebody’s got to do it. Occasionally. I just kept my sunspecs on and nobody was any the wiser. Except maybe the girl who took our lunch order and wondered why I was wearing them indoors. She never said though.

Inverkip Marina. No, I don’t have a boat. But I like looking at them. 🙂

Last night was a quiz night with all of my crew and a few and a pile of fajitas. My team came second but I had the two youngest which I thought was a bit unfair considering the game was for over 16’s and they’re 8 and 14. And I was up against umpteen universities and an auld guy called Frank. Love him to pieces but he doesn’t half know shit what with all that age on his side. His team won. Sods. Do you know from which film the following statement comes? ‘There is no spoon.’ Well, I didn’t. Till after I heard the answer and then I was fuming. I don’t watch all that many movies so I was rubbish at those questions. But I love this movie. I blame the noise and everybody telling everybody else to wheesht. My excuse. Sticking to it.

Yes, so, going with the flow. Today I’m a lady of leisure which is brill. Everyone has something on. So have I right enough. I got up and put clothes on. Had a coffee. Ate some grapes. Had another coffee. It’s hectic.

Tomorrow we’re thinking – not planning – on the East Coast. I love St. Andrew’s and the area all round. Beach, sea. Loads of craft shops and book shops. Coffee shops. City with a country town feel. I always try to get a wander around it every year. Kinda late this year. But I’ve had a lot of bridges to cross.

Oh! Song!

This one. Because ‘I’m On Top Of The World’. Yass!

Her Gift

I had the privilege, 26 years ago, almost to the minute, of giving birth to my first child. I had the privilege today to spend all day with her sharing a wonderful gift given by her fiance who, in his love for her, chose to share the gift with me. It was a special day, luxurious and relaxing. In her company it was a perfect day. Her presence, from that first 14th April has been a gift that keeps on giving. My daughter, Claire-Frances. An angel. With a wicked sense of humour. We had the best day. Almost as good as 26 years ago for me. And much less pain!

I did not know,

Could not have known,

This day repeated long ago

Would come like this,

Would see the cherub,

Woman grown.

 

Angelic then,

Still angel now,

That pure of heart, retained,

With humour’s spark

A flash of time,

And how

 

Embraces love,

My girl, this friend,

Is love embraced,

Surrounds her as a halo,

Delighted then, in giving gift,

Delighting without end.

Interlaced

In prophecy, she comes to you,

dream beyond pannier’d delights,

floral fragrance, cocoa’d core,

soft and sweet, delicious bite;

warm to touch,

essential meal,

butter’d melt

to taste, reveal.

No crumbs of comfort,

hearty sight,

fulfilling pain,

harvest, excite.

Slumber’d eyes,

token taste,

supped crimson tongue,

refinement, interlaced.

By And By

I dreamt of you last night and again this morning

In slumber’s sleep and early waking hours,

I lay with you in darkness through till dawning

And pondered love as deeply held as ours.

 

My dreams are full of wonder at all loving

How gifted we may be when it enfolds.

I treasure them, eyes closed, then on opening

And expose heart to all my love beholds.

 

There’s magic in my dreams of love unfolding

And passion in my soul for who you are.

I whisper into ether, song rejoicing

You lead me, fill me, guide me, northern star.

 

Should dreams enhance all hours alert and watching,

Perfecting every moment to arouse

Splendour in the passion we are holding,

Eyes open always, never more to drowse.

 

Should life supplant all hopes of dreamers’ weaving

And build a barrier to all our plans,

I’ll close my eyes forever, hold fast to my perceiving

Of who we are in dreams, simply woman and one man.

 

In life we walk a path so often treading,

In dreams’ inertia fantasies unfold,

Collide in dreams, inhibitions shedding.

Come my love, in dreams, let’s both be bold.

 

Meet me in my dreams till eternity is ending,

In heavens purest realm I’ll find you, by and by,

I’ll know your spirit’s call so sweetly yearning

For miracles of love within mind’s eye.

Eyes Locked

Ask me if,

In fantasy,

I find

Some grateful

Giving.

Go on.

I’m still waiting……

OK, I’ll tell you,

A secret

I am living.

 

When cares of day

Are

Overwhelming

And bills

Are mounting high,

I close my eyes

And recollect

When there was

Just we two.

And sigh…

 

For all the days

When loving

Filled

In sensuous

Of wonder,

When clothes were torn

And eyes

Locked, fixed,

And hands grew

To push asunder

 

Inhibitions,

Closet thoughts,

Portraits of

Purest

Giving,

Where neither

Questioned

What was entailed

In loving

And in living,

 

Where meekest souls,

Naïve in ways,

Fuelled future,

Died, emerged,

Reborn.

Ending days

In loving arms.

Ecstasy in reality,

Nothing

Felt forlorn

 

Go on, now,

I’m asking you,

Tell me,

What would

Your pleasure be?

To stray or fix

Your eyes on one

Who has loved

And still

Loves today?

 

I’m sure there are some fantasies

I ought to put aside,

To free my mind from imagery

I keep down deep inside,

But sharing them, in actions,

All for the one I love,

I feel this is a gift I’m given,

Imagination from above.

Seen

There is pleasure in the watching

And pleasure in the keen

Satisfaction

Knowing

You’ve

Seen

And been

So seen.

There is understanding measure

In

Wondrous beauty’s sigh

Encapsulating

Desire

Amidst thoughts

Of you and I….

Illicit Wanting

Is illicit more wanting

In measure?

Desire more acute

When the pleasure

Of seeking the goal

Asks not

What soul

Will fulfil

All the moments

Of treasure?

Motivation – Pleasure Over Pain

Nectar will encourage

A worker’s busy task.

Some sweet reward for being, doing,

All that we could ask.

 

Pleasure, so, can motivate

Just as well as pain.

Better yet, for honeyed sweetness

Forces journey once again.

OK, This One Is For Chocolate

Eyes gaze lovingly

At purple clad delight,

Tongue moistens lips in readiness,

Teeth long to take a bite.

 

Fingers fumble with the foil

Of loveliness portrayed,

Then, desperately, rip cover off,

No more to be waylaid.

 

Unclothed in all its splendour,

Just asking to be taken,

Velvet touch and sinful taste,

Now all senses shall awaken.

 

The look of such, the smell, the taste!

Wrinkled foil discard,

Endorphins surging through my core,

Melting softness from the hard.

 

With pot of tea, this illicit lust

Is wanton-filled with pleasure.

It is not sex, it’s chocolate

But who cares? They’re both a treasure.