"The fairy princess woke to the sound of dragons gnashing their teeth,..." is the start of the 300 word story just submitted to the Mslexia Flash Fiction competition. The competition is open to women from any country. Entries close 30 September 2019, with results due in Feb 2020. Today I started learning about patience, ensuring … Continue reading On the Nature of Fairy Gifts, Moonlight and Dragons
The Half Made Bed
Kate walked the garden alone. She stopped in the shed doorway, turned and considered the activity. The bees hard at work at the cabbage flowers. The tomatos full and ripe. All was well. Putting her early morning tea on the bench, she allowed only a sigh at the neat row of tools, all clean, all … Continue reading The Half Made Bed
Lemonade for all
“You can fill it all the way” piped up the hopeful voice behind the bar. “I’m allowed.” He moved towards me, glass in hand, smiling his missing middle tooth with pride. “Did you mother say yes?” I looked around the room for an owner for the little one before me. “Yes. She said I could … Continue reading Lemonade for all
Jemima vs the aliens
The stars were shining brightly when the little girl climbed out of bed, and tiptoed to the window. Peering out over the ledge, she stumbled for a moment. Righting herself, she raised herself back up to her tippiest tiptoes. She looked left and saw the letterbox outlined by the streetlight. Looking right she saw only … Continue reading Jemima vs the aliens
And you thought you had a ‘late to work’ story?
“Oh God." Oh no! Was she even allowed to say that? “Oh Gosh” she thought to herself. She was going to be late. And they had warned her in orientation. “Don’t be late” they said. “It counts as a verbal warning, and you don’t want to start your new role with a blemish on your … Continue reading And you thought you had a ‘late to work’ story?
The best laid newly-wed plans…
The bulldozer was on its last legs. Or should that be on its last tread? Bad jokes weren't really her thing, but at times like this that the tension came out in inappropriate ways. It had all seemed so innocuous last summer when they first went to look at the newly purchased section. The last … Continue reading The best laid newly-wed plans…
The Library
The children were making too much noise. One of them had even just run past him. The child had been singing. Singing for goodness sakes. When did this start being allowed? When did the hallowed halls of his childhood become this romper room games session? Once you would walk in here under the gimlet eye … Continue reading The Library
Joining the kitchen gang
A childhood recollection of the “correct” way of doing the dishes. One sink of warm soapy, one sink of water as hot as you could stand. A designated washer, a designated dryer, and a “putter awayer”. And adults of the house in the furthest room to ignore the arguments. “There’s still dirt on this fork” … Continue reading Joining the kitchen gang
… wealthy, healthy, wise …
Wealthy, healthy, wise, happy, loved, successful, kind, important. The fridge list was getting longer. He wasn’t sure where she was finding these aspirational goals, but it seemed that every day a new one appeared. Today’s one seemed to suggest that if you acted wealthy, you would become wealthy. Laws of attraction, or somesuch. Or maybe … Continue reading … wealthy, healthy, wise …
Hang in there little buddy
He was purring as loud and clear as ever. Just touching him started him off again. Surely any cat that could make that much noise, as easily as that, was fine. Maybe the lack of interest in food, his regular food, the expensive donated food and the exotic human treats, was only a passing fad. … Continue reading Hang in there little buddy
Ursula Hoult 