The Prayer

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Here’s what I wrote in response to Sundays photo 🙂

“Have you seen them?”

“Seen who honey?”

“The men, the men in the van.” She grabs my arm and digs what is left of her bitten down finger nails into my skin. I steer her towards the bed and ease her down gently onto the rough blanket.

“How are you doing Jan?” I ask. She turns towards the window as I prise my arm from her grip. “Has mum been in to see you?”

She remains silent and stares at the window.

“Jan, I miss you.”

She turns, a wry smile forming on her face and pats my leg. For a second, there is a flash in her eyes, a moment of recognition. A glimpse of my beautiful sister, the woman she used to be before this disease took over.

“Have you seen them?”

I don’t need to ask who this time. “I’ll come and see you next week Jan.” I stand and hug her, but she flinches.

I hold back the tears as I walk to the door and turn. She’s staring at the window, lost in her own world.

I make my way to my mothers room with the smell of disinfectant filling my nostrils. I pause at the door and wonder, when will it will be my turn.

There’s a whole debate isn’t there, on whether mental illness is hereditary. Not really sure where this story is going, or even what genre it is lol 😉 I think I’d have to do a lot of research into mental illness if I wanted to continue with it. It must be soul destroying to see someone you love end up institutionalised 😦

Sorry, hope I haven’t depressed you all too much lol 😉

Prayer

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Today’s photo was taken in Jersey, at the Chapel of Notre Dame de la Clarte. Visitors place pieces of paper in the chapel asking or guidance, help and blessings. There were a few very sad ones, but also some really heart warming ones.

See what you can come up with for this…..

Will post what I’ve written on Tuesday.

It reminded me a little of Post Secret and that got me thinking…. Is it wrong to use stuff like the note above and Post Secret to inspire our writing? And come to think of it, why am I always attracted to dark stuff? Lol

In Service & Where I’m Guesting

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I’m guesting over on Chris Stockings Blog today 🙂 So please pop over and read what I have to say about Inspiration A huge thank you to Chris for posting my ramblings!

Remember Sundays photo? Probably not, because it seems that WordPress had a paddy and those of you who usually receive my posts by e mail probably didn’t get it 😦 Bound to Serve – Elizabeth Mourant’s Bedroom. Well, i don’t know if you picked up on the title, and the furniture in the room itself, but, this was the bedroom that belonged to the house maid, sooooo, I decided to go with that 🙂

“I Should Like To Make My Own Living by William Thomas Smedley (1858-1920)” Illustration via Wikipedia

Elizabeth opened her eyes as the early morning light filtered through the small attic window. Pulling the covers up to her chin, she thought about the endless tasks they would be expecting her to perform that day. Her hands were raw from scrubbing and every muscle in her body ached. At 19, she had already lost the rosey cheeked flush of youth, her face now sallow and vacant.

She placed her hand on her stomach and felt the flutterings of the life growing inside her. What could she give this child? What choices were available to her? There was a tap at the door and a whispered voice.

“Elizabeth, come on, it’s time to get up. Cook says if you’re not downstairs in 5 minutes she’ll tell the Mistress.”

Reaching out to the bedside table she clasped the small bottle she had taken from the gardeners shed. The dark liquid tasted of bitter almonds and made her gag as she swallowed every last drop.

Resting her head back on the feather pillow she closed her eyes and imagined being whisked away by a cloud of butterflies, to a fairy tale land, where she was the mistress.

Awwww, poor Elizabeth. It was a hard life being a servant/housemaid in those days 😦

Now….who was the father d’ya think? 🙂

Bound To Serve

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I took today’s photo prompt at The Jersey Museum last week. Upstairs in the museum was a sequence of rooms, furnished and decorated as a Victorian family’s home. But, each room is part of an art installation by Karen Le Roy Harris and Vicky Hinault in an exhibition called The Past Unravels.

This particular room is called “Bound To Serve – Elizabeth Mourant’s Bedroom”

I’ll share what it inspired for me on Tuesday 🙂

Inspiration In Jersey

Posted on June 30, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

I think I’ve finally come down to earth, and gathered my thoughts about the trip to Jersey. I learnt so much about WWII and the German occupation of the island. It was all very sad at times, but also, quite inspirational 🙂

So, here are some brief notes, observations and things that I found inspiring.

The woman on the flight out who clutched a bunch of drooping hand picked wild flowers all the way to Jersey.
Dog walkers on the beach at 6am every morning.
The 3 crow bullies who attacked the wood pigeon.
The husband, who was totally disinterested in his wife’s awe at the historical site.
All the notes left on the alter at the Chapel of Notre Dame de la Clarte.
The coldness and atmosphere of The War Tunnels.
The art by Ronnie Heeps at Mont Orgueil Castle.
The quietness inside The Glass Church.
The smell of the fire in 16 New Street.
The textile art by Karen Le Roy Harris and writing by Vicky Hinault at The Jersey Museum.
The sad look on Freddie Jones face as he sat at the bar on his own.
The scariness of the Devils Hole.
The woman taking a photo of her 2 teenage daughters while a seagull tried to make off with her handbag (that was hilarious!).
The romance of The Princes Tower and the disappointment I felt when I discovered it had been demolished 😦

I took lots of photos, many of which I’ll be able to use as prompts 🙂 So you’ll be seeing a few of those over the coming weeks lol. And of course, my ideas about Louisa May Gould which I’ll tell you all about next week 😉

But above all, the most inspiring thing about the holiday was the view from my balcony. Waking up to the sound of the waves crashing against the sand and being able to sit and write, at 6am every morning staring out over the bay. That is something I will never forget 🙂

Have you ever found that perfect spot? The place where inspiration seems to come so easily?

The Tale Of The Converse

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

As promised, a little extract I wrote on Sunday, prompted by the feet picture 🙂

“Sophia Jackson! You get down these stairs right this minute!”

Sophia hated having an older sister.

“Sophia, I mean it, don’t make me come up there!”

“Ok, ok, I’m coming, keep your knickers on.” She made her way reluctantly to the top of the stairs and stared down at Annie’s red face. “What?”

Annie glared and Sophia found herself trying not to giggle.

“Where are my Converse? I know you’ve had them.”

“Converse? I haven’t touched them!”

It was always the same. Since Annie turned sixteen, two years ago, the four year age gap just seemed to be getting wider.

“Don’t lie to me, you’re always touching my stuff! I’m gunna get Dad to put a lock on my door.”

Sophia watched her sister flounce off down the hallway. Annie seemed to do a lot of flouncing, so Dad said. Sophia stood at the top of the stairs, listening to Annie wailing to Mum.

“Can you search her room, I know she’s got them, I’m meeting Tom in half an hour.”

Sophia appeared at the kitchen door. “Go search my room then, I haven’t got them!” She skipped off down the hallway and out into the garden, knowing full well that Annie would be on her way up to her room.

Dad was at the bottom of the garden putting the last of the autumn leaves onto a huge pile.

“You ok Soph?” He smiled.

Sophia knew she was his favourite.

“Do you want to light the bonfire?”

She nodded enthusiastically as Dad handed her the box of matches.

“Careful now, arms length.”

Sophia struck the match and bent down. Slowly the flames began to lick the old shrub branches and leaves. She stood back and grinned. For several minutes, they watched the flames take hold of the large mound.

“Oooo, what’s that smell?” Dad sniffed the air. “I don’t remember putting anything rubber on there.”

Sophia smiled sweetly and put her arm around his waist.

He he he, I just don’t do nice 😉

Feet!

Posted on June 24, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Wellll…. I’M BACK 🙂 At home that is. I had a lovely week away, and my sincere apologies for not keeping on top of all your posts, I tried my best, but did a lot of “liking” and not much commenting lol

Normal service will now be resumed….So here’s a strange prompt for you……

Hmmmmm, I’m finding this one hard because I know exactly who’s feet they are and it’s clouding my brain lol.

Look forward to hearing your ideas 🙂 I’ll post mine on Tuesday 🙂

Silly Man…..

Posted on June 19, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Here’s my snippet inspired by Sundays picture of the champagne 😉

Orson sat down at the bar and ordered a drink, Vodka, neat, and drank it down in one gulp.
“Steady there fella.” The bar man laughed. “Another?”
“Yeah, keep em coming, no, give me the bottle, room 320.”
The bar man nodded and placed the bottle on the bar.
Orson poured another drink and helped himself to ice from a chrome lidded ice bucket. The tongs were so cold they almost stuck to his fingers.

It was some time before he noticed that he’d hit the almost full bottle hard. His head was beginning to swim and aware that his legs seemed to belong to someone else.
“Vodka and coke please?”
Orson turned in the direction of the voice. A woman stood next to him. She smiled and he was struck by the greenness of her eyes, which matched her dress perfectly. He pushed the bottle in her direction.
“Bad day?” She asked.
Orson looked down at his left hand and twisted the gold wedding band that was beginning to cut into his finger.

The next thing Orson knew was waking in his hotel room, flat on his back on the bed, naked. He tried to lift his head from the pillow and groaned. The pain was intense.Trying to look around the room from his horizontal position he could see nothing out of place until he noticed the bottle of champagne, turned upside down in its bucket. The 2 glasses lay on their sides on a small side table. Swinging his legs to the side of the bed he sat up slowly. He felt sick and dizzy. The pain in his temples throbbed with an intensity he’d never experienced before. He looked round for his clothes but couldn’t see them.

“Shit, my wallet!”
He staggered to the wardrobe and looked at the safe. It was open and empty. It was only then that he noticed all his clothes, even his shoes, were missing.”
The telephone rang.
“Yes!”
“Good morning Mr James, this is Reception. Just to let you know your wife has just arrived. She’s asking if she should come up, or meet you down here for breakfast……Mr James? Shall I send her up?”

*evil snigger* I do like a bit of conflict lol. Poor old Orson, what is he gunna do? Lol

Any ideas as to how he’s gunna get out of that? 😉

Champers Darling?

Posted on June 17, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

Today’s picture is one I took last year…

So who’s celebrating what?

Looking forward to hearing your ideas….will share mine on Tuesday 🙂

For Sale

Posted on June 10, 2012 by Vikki Thompson

So now we’ve all recovered, finished doing our Ernest Hemingway impressions, it’s back to normality *picks party streamer out of her hair* 🙂

Today’s picture was taken in Rochester. At the time I was doing a treasure hunt on Flickr. You were given a list each week, and you had to take photos for each item on the list. It was great fun, actually, I’m not quite sure why I stopped.

Anyway, this one was for the clue “For Sale”