‘Shhhh’ said Simon. ‘It’s over there, look!’

Samantha and Simon crawled ever so quietly, and ever so slowly across the lawn on their hands and knees. As they got closer and closer, the grasshopper just sat there. Closer and closer, then ‘Ouch!’

‘Be quiet Samantha’ whispered Simon. ‘I said don’t make a noise’

‘But I knelt on a stone’ hissed Samantha. ‘It hurt’.

‘Don’t be such a girl’, said Simon. ‘I knew I should have brought Sean’

‘I won’t help if you are horrible’ said Samantha, ‘you are so mean’.

The grasshopper still sat there. They were just feet away. Closer and closer they went.

‘Have you got the jar?’ whispered Simon.

‘Of course’ hissed Samantha sounding a bit cross. ‘And I’ve put some grass in it’.

Jack knelt up and made his hands into a cup shape, then very slowly, very very slowly, he shuffled forwards on his green knees. He moved his hands towards the grasshopper. Six inches away, three inches, then one inch and ……

Suddenly the grasshopper jumped high up in the air, nearly as high as the house! It landed on a yellow flower by the shed.

‘Grrrrr’ said Jack.

They crawled ever so slowly, and ever so quietly across the lawn on their hands and knees towards the shed. The grasshopper just sat there. It made a chirruping sound and Samantha started to giggle. Then she flung herself forward and reached out as far as she could to try and catch it.

Again it hopped high into the sky. Nearly as high as the tree!

‘Now where is it?’ said Simon.’

‘I don’t know’ said Samantha. ‘It was a silly idea anyway.’

‘Hey’ said Simon. ‘Let’s go and catch a butterfly instead!

‘You can go on your own’ said Samantha.’ I’m going to pick some daisies’.

 

 

Tomorrow –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey was Singing!

 

In 2017 – In Amble Bay, we visited the Shops.

 

 

for Sunday Photo Fiction

It looked fabulous in the brochure. Wonderful sun-drenched beaches, lush jungles, magnificent waterfalls and fabulous food. And here I am. Another place ticked off my bucket list. Beautiful Belize; a jewel on the eastern coast of South America they call it. Paradise.

Oh dear. Is this it?

Right, there’s a chemist shop, so I’ll be able to get some suntan lotion. There’s a chap asleep in a chair selling something leafy, don’t know what it is and I’m not sure I want to know! Oh look, there’s a place down there where I can buy some supplies. Trouble is, I need to change my money to the local stuff and I don’t see a bureau de change anywhere. Oh, hang on, the store’s called Poundyard so it probably takes my English money!

But that’s it.

Ahah! There’s the tourist information! My holiday starts here and now.

Oh dear, it’s closed.

Now, how do I get back to the hotel? This way or that way?

 

 

Prod the frog to read other’s stories!

 

Sunday Photo Fiction is hosted by Susan Spaulding who also provided the picture.

 

 

Monday –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey did a Charity Run!

In 2017 – We went for a Ramble in Amble Bay

 

 

 

When I grow up I’m going to be the Queen’ said Hollie. ‘I’ll wear a sparkly crown on my head and wear posh clothes and sit on a big gold chair called a frone, or something like that’.

‘Don’t be silly’ said bossy brother Ben. ‘You can’t be the Queen!’

‘Yes I can, and I’ll have some soldiers and some servants and some maids and a big bed with tall wooden poles in the corners and a lady to bring me my breakfast before I get up’.

‘No you won’t’ laughed Ben.

‘Yes I will and I’ll have a bubble bath every day and a rubber duck with diamond eyes and nice smelling squirty stuff to spray all over me and….guess what?

What?’ sneered Ben.

‘I’ll whisper it in your ear because it’s a bit rude’ said Hollie.

Ben came closer.

‘Queens don’t go to the toilet‘  

‘Really?’ said Ben.

‘Cross my heart’ said Hollie, ‘Suzie told me. And you know on Christmas Day at three o’clock when Mummy and Daddy tell us to be quiet while the Queen talks out of the telly? Well, when I talk to everybody it will be interesting not boring like it was last Christmas’.

‘Ok, your Majesty, but I’m not going to be your page boy!’ Ben giggled as he pinched Hollie’s nose and ran off!

 

Tomorrow –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey – The Quiz

In 2017 – Amble Bay – Pub Quiz

 

 

May I start by apologising for not visiting many of your blogs yesterday. My PC suffered a sudden and somewhat dramatic death and as a result, my day was spent acquiring and setting up a new one!

 

‘Let’s play pirates’ said John to his brother Jack. ‘Let’s pretend the garden is a tropical island. We’ll look for treasure, there’s bound to be some’.

‘I’ll get Daddy’s spade and a sack’ said Jack.

‘Twelve steps forward and two steps right’ said John looking at an imaginary treasure map in his hand. ‘I think it’s here’ he said pointing to a bit of garden with no flowers in it.

‘Watch out, there’s a tiger’ said Jack to John.

Tom the ginger cat stopped and stared for a moment or two, then wandered off. ‘Shiver my timbers’ said Jack, ‘that was close’.

‘Argh Jack lad, so it was’ said John. ’Look, there’s a parrot in that tree.’ He tap-tap-tapped his shoulder hoping it would come and sit on it. The pigeon flapped its wings and flew away!

 

They made a big hole 

and burrowed and dug.

Rusty old nails,

a bit of a plate,

a handle that broke off a mug!

 

‘When Daddy sees this mess he’ll be cross’ said John.

‘He’ll make us walk the plank’ said Jack. ‘Yesterday he planted seeds here and now we’ve dug them up!

‘We’ll fill the hole and smooth the dirt, he’ll never know’ said John.

‘He will when his new plants don’t grow’ said Jack.

‘Or they grow upside-down’ John said.

‘But we are not afraid because we are pirates’. 

‘Argh’ growled John.

‘Argh’ Jack growled back, ‘We are fearless’

‘Oh no!’ yelled John pointing to a little mouse as he ran for the kitchen door.

 

Tomorrow –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey was writing Poetry

In 2017 – It was the Amble Bay Prizegiving

 

 

Millie and her friend Billy were looking at a picture book about things that live in the sea.

‘What’s that funny thing?’

‘I think it’s called an octopus’

‘Why has it got, err… one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight legs?’

‘Because that’s the way it’s made’

‘If it wore shoes it would need four pairs and it would have to tie up lots of laces wouldn’t it?’

‘Yes, eight of them. I bet it would be good at football. It could kick the ball in all sorts of directions’.

‘If it was the goalkeeper it would just lay on its back and stop every shot!’

‘I wonder if it ever treads on its own toes?’

‘Or trips itself up!’

‘I’ve just thought of a joke’

‘Go on then’

What do you call a cat with eight legs?

I don’t know. What?

An octopussy!

Haha, very good! Now let’s look at the next page’

‘What’s that?’

‘It looks like a little horse with no legs’

Your mummy will know’

‘Mummy, what’s this called?’

Tomorrow –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey Overheard something

In 2017 – We heard Amble Bay’s Orchestra

 

 

 

Nellie and Ned were doing their maths homework. It was very boring.

‘Why is ten scared of seven?’ asked Ned.

‘I don’t know’ said Nellie.

‘Because seven ate nine, and ten is next!’

Nellie didn’t laugh.

‘That’s not very funny’ she said.

‘Why?’ asked Ned.

‘Because they shouldn’t eat each other of course’.

They went back to their homework.

‘What about this’ said Ned. ‘If I’m holding  six oranges with my left hand and five apples with my right hand, and I drop one apple and two oranges, what do I have?’

‘Very big hands!’ laughed Nellie.

‘That wasn’t supposed to be a joke’ said Ned, ‘It’s here in our homework, look’.

‘Oh, right’ said Nellie.

‘Ned, why isn’t your nose twelve inches long?’

‘Where’s that question?’ asked Ned looking at his homework book.

‘It’s a riddle silly!’  said Nellie.

‘Oh, because erm…..because I don’t tell lies?’

‘No’

‘What then?’

‘Because it would be a foot’ giggled Nellie.

Ned didn’t laugh. ‘I don’t get it’.

‘A foot!’ she shouted pointing to his shoe and then his ruler.

Daddy walked into the room. ‘If there were four pizzas, one big bowl of chips, three vanilla ice creams and one chocolate ice cream, two cokes and bottle of wine, what would we have?

‘I know’ shouted Nellie, ‘Twelve!’

‘No’ said Daddy. ‘Supper! Now hurry up and finish your homework,  Mummy and I are  starving!’

 

Tomorrow –

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey was painting Nudes!

 

In 2017 – We learned about Amble Bay’s Neighbourhood Watch group.

 

 

 

The Queen of all Mermaids took the hand of her eldest daughter.

”I am weary.  Your time has come, time to take my place. Our people are waiting to crown you. Go, child’.

‘Are you not coming with me Mother?’ she asked.

‘I cannot Princess, this you must do alone to prove you are worthy.’

‘But where do I go?’ 

‘To the horizon’ her Mother said.

‘How will I know when I’m there?’ the Princess asked.

‘You will know little one. You will know’

And with that, her mother was gone.

She was alone. 

She swam with a kaleidoscope of fishes, through forests of coral and above deep dark places that made her shiver. But the horizon came no closer.

‘How far is the horizon?’ she asked a dolphin. ‘As far as you can see and farther still’ it said.

Which way is the horizon?’ she asked a starfish. ‘That way child’ it said pointing in five directions.

‘How long will it take?’ she asked an oyster. ‘How long is a string of pearls?’ it replied.

‘I’m tired, may I ride on your back?’ she asked a seahorse. ‘No Princess’ he said. ‘You have to go alone’.

Suddenly the ripples began to glow. Flowers floated around her. From the shimmering sea towered a rock of silver, gold and sparkling diamonds. At its peak, a jewel-encrusted throne and alongside it sat her Mother. Finally, she had reached the horizon.

She heard her Mother’s voice. ‘Your journey is over Princess. It’s time for you to lead your people’.

A hundred smiling mermaids swam to the surface and formed a circle around her. They splashed, they frolicked, they laughed with joy. They formed a nest of arms and gently lifted the Princess higher and higher. Songbirds of every colour fluttered and whistled, rainbow fish lept and dived. 

‘Place her upon the throne’ said her proud Mother. ‘Let us all welcome our new Queen of all Mermaids’ 

Tomorrow –

 

 

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

 

In 2018 – My Friend Rosey’s Mummy!

 

In 2017 – It was Amble Bay’s May Fayre

 

 

 

for Sunday Photo Fiction

I was not entirely sure what this weeks photo prompt was all about, but after a bit of Googling, I’ve concluded it’s probably a weather dome. I may be wrong of course!

 

The rain was beating on the window.  He poured the last drop of vodka from the bottle and downed it in one. Music blared from the radio; Buddy Holly, Raining in my Heart. He spun around, swept it from the table. It crashed to the floor and fell silent.

It was a week ago she left. A week on his own. All alone.

There was nothing of interest in the local paper. Until that was, he saw an article about the weather. It was the longest period of foul weather he could remember, yet the forecasters said ‘the current spell of unseasonably warm and sunny weather is set to continue’. Then he spotted the result of a football match which he thought wasn’t happening until Saturday.

The radio crackled back to life. ‘And it’s raining, raining in my heart’. He kicked it into the corner where it smashed to pieces.

On page thirteen were the obituaries.  He saw a photograph that stopped him dead; he was looking at a tribute to himself. The words started spinning and everything around him became a blur except for the date at the top of the page which came into sharp focus. 

He was reading next week’s paper.

 

 

Thanks to Susan Spaulding for hosting Sunday Photo Fiction and for providing this week’s intriguing picture!

Prod the frog to see what others have written!

 

 

It’s very very dark tonight

I can’t see very far.

Look, the moon is tilting back,

to catch a falling star!

.

Something’s swooping up above

A bat with spiky wings.

Wow, much too close for comfort

Not sure I like those things!

.

See those shooting stars up there

flying without a sound?

I wonder where they shot from

and where they hit the ground?

.

Can you see that moth there

fluttering by the light?

I wonder where he sleeps by day

He only flies at night.

.

You there, no use hiding,

‘Cos darkness holds no fear.

No use trying to scare me…

.

…yikes, I’m outta here!

 

Monday –

 

Previously A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

 

In 2018 – My FriendRosey made us Lunch

In2017 – We went to Amble Bay’s Lake