On dusted Parchment

photo credits: s1.favim.com

barely visible
letters adorn
dusted yellowing
parchment
as stitches are
divorced
from fraying binders
and
leather bound covers
are held by
fragile
pleated hands
read by waxen glow
his eyes
opaque
he struggles

words of writers
embodied
past times
treasures
as grandmother’s necklace
handed down

feelings etched
from another mind
another vision
penned
with quill
from brighter
eyes
unaware who may
read
whose hands will touch
the ink or
turn
the page

words of love…
philosophy
poetry
pain
a writers life once lived
sharing
deepest thoughts
to be read
again
and again

don’t shut the book
forever wondering
what knowledge beauty
joy
is held
blow off the dust
read what is written
so that you may
learn
to close the book
shall only
close your mind

~~~~~~~~~~~

Miriam from    http://anotherwanderingsoul.wordpress.com/2013/06/05/my-pages/  and I have once again written a piece from a photo that Miriam has chosen.  We then post our pieces at the same time (or near enough) not knowing what the other has written. Please go and see her contribution.

Origami – Haiku

Haiku for Haiku Heights

Origami

Folded intricate

Paper likeness entity

Simple masterpiece

Trifecta Week Sixty-Seven – Madeline

Trifecta Challenge  Week 67 – The word is JUGGLE  Using the 3rd definition in 33 to 333 words – 3: to handle or deal with usually several things (as obligations) at one time so as to satisfy often competing requirements <juggle the responsibilities of family life and full-time job — Jane S. Gould>

She drapes herself in Gucci, Armani, Versace. 24 carat gold jewellery adorns her fingers, wrists and throat. Her watch, a Cartier Santos 100 diamond 18 carat is exquisite, a birthday present from him. The price tag a mere $39,000.00. Jimmy Choo is all she wears on her pedicured feet, her nails, french manicured. Her hair cut elegantly short, black, slick, shiny.

She lives amongst the haute monde, her house palatial, decorated with Italian furnishings, an ambience of pure glamour. The stately garden, which surrounds her castle, is full of elms and magnificent perfumed rose trees. Koi of red and white, swim elegantly under lilies at the base of the waterfall in her fish pond, whilst black swans paddle gently back and forth. Every morning she swims 20 laps in her pool to maintain her tightly toned body. Her husband appreciates her anatomy, she is twenty-five years younger.

She is the hostess of all hostesses, though she never lifts a finger in the preparation of holding a garden party or a sit down dinner for thirty of their closest friends. She has servants who are paid to attend to the cooking and cleaning. Madeline does not need to get her fingers dirty.

She is in the book club, the bridge club, the tennis club and like clockwork every Wednesday evening she jumps into her Bugatti Veyron kisses her husband David on the cheek to join her girlfriends to play bridge or sometimes even poker.

Wednesday, a warm summers evening, when she drove to the club.
Where she was greeted with warm smiles and kisses on the cheek.

Walking up the staircase, she entered the room.

Madeline let her Armani dress slip to the floor.
Laid on the bed and welcomed her first client.
They took her, paid her, walked away.

She was not born with a silver spoon.

Madeline had knocked on heavens door, when she married David, but now this was life she chose to juggle….

the life she wants against the life she has.

 

 

For Trifecta  332 words

Looking in the mirror

When I look into the mirror
who looks back at me?
character lines etched
by a chisel
eyes that no longer
have clarity

wrinkles, skin loose
thinner than it was
time marches on,  the woman
that looks back now so very
different than the girl of my
childhood, this is the grown up me

the foundations still remain
yet sometimes when I see myself
it’s hard to visualise who I once
was, the years unfailingly have
changed the image of the physical and
yet,  I’m aware changes are inevitable

am I happy to accept?
some days I do, others not
should I convince myself
to refrain from feeling as I do?
my mind remains the same regardless
the inner me not altered

this is only my outer shell
one that has accompanied my
life for 57 years, yet forgive
me my reflection, there are
moments when I gaze at you
and wish that who looked back

was that little girl once more
swirling in a pretty party dress
without a care in the world
no thought given to appearance
no worries of her future
no desire for anything to change

compliments will flatter for just
a moment but they fail to erase
completely those times when 
I look upon myself and feel this way
you may not know of what I speak
you may not have reached this stage

how my impression is of me now,  the
aspiration to feel like that little girl
once more, a non-sensical notion
to turn back the hands of time
but just for one sweet moment
one brief minute or three

I think of how nice it would
be to have that chance
to start life over,  to see the little girl
where I stand now….looking back at me

Written for  – Picture it & Write

This is for the men – just to show you I care

You poor blokes men,  aren’t you envious? Don’t you wish you could have at your finger-tips the vast magnitude of products that are pushed, brain washed offered to us women?

Don’t you all want that perfect glowing, unwrinkled, unmarked, unblemished skin like the stunners in the glossy magazines?

Or have the photos of these beautiful women just been photo-shopped to death? (the photos not the women).

Come on surely there is a tinsy winsy tinge of jealousy that YOU can’t slather your face with a miracle cream that will make you  achieve the ‘look’ that us females are so wanting to achieve? I’m not talking make-up fellas, I’m talking creams for your face that rejuvenate, lift, plump and give us that outer glow.

I mean look at the amount you can choose from!

Day moisturiser. Yes I use as my skin dehydrates now that I’m…older.

Night moisturiser. Occasionally I use – but couldn’t one just put a double layer of the day moisturiser on?

Vitamin C moisturiser. Particularly good if you want that orange glow.

Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. This is the plumping up one I was talking about, as far as the Marine? Is it made from Marine life? Are we meant to use it whilst swimming? Or if we wear it we will attract one?

Soothing Protective Cream. Oh yes sooth and protect me…erm from what?

Ultimate Youth Cream. Yes men guaranteed to make you look your youthful self again, so be prepared to also purchase  Clearasil.

Chemical Peels. Do you want your face to fall off bit by bit – then try this!

Retinol Cream. Ahh yes Vitamin A enhanced miracle cream of our time for that plump and radiant skin…

Herbal Cream. Ok let’s just go into the kitchen take out a packet of mixed herbs, throw some hot water onto it..let it ‘infuse’ – (you have to say that word slow and sultry like) anyhoo cool down herbal broth and pad on face..cheaper.

Cream for those with black skin. This is obvious coloured skin is different than caucasian skin.

Skin Caviar. Right then everyone who wants some pickled fish roe slapped on their dial hands up??

Avacado, strawberry (and other fruit) Cream. These are harmless, but you may as well just rub the actual fruit on your face.

Repair Balms. Repairing what – what you have lived in for how many years and now like  a car needing a service your face needs repairing?

Hydrating masks. Probably applied 2 masks my entire life..made a difference – nup.

Skin rejuvenation Cream. Rejuvenate – rejuvenate – the world has gone completely rejuvenating mad!

Perfect protection Cream. From what the one who walks in the night, the taxman, the robber, the door to door phone salesman (I wish).

Laser aid. Darth Vader are you there?

Moisture defense for dry skin, aged skin, sensitive skin, oily skin, combination skin. Ok moisturise…any defense is better than none.

Even blend Serum. For those that don’t want uneven blends.

Hypnotherapy Eye Cream. Look into my eyes – oh you are.

Sublimage Cream. A (apparently) chiffon like cream with ‘unparalleled power and precision which targets different areas of the skin simultaneously’. You have to be kidding??  Unparalleled power? The unleashed power of atoms? Pow- Wham- Bang – their is your simultaneous.

Glycolic Scrubs, cleansers. If you can pronounce it properly I guess it would work wonders.

Eye Replenishing Creams. So does that mean I can throw away my glasses?

Firming Cream. The muscle tone of healthy tissue. Therefore if you are not firmed you are not healthy.

Toning Cream. Yes it promises to tone – gives strengths and firmness to the muscles. Nothing beats having a six pack on your face.

Dark spot Cream. Bleach? Grab a bottle of peroxide – same thing.

Anti Wrinkle Cream. Gods gift to women! Yes plaster it on your throat and face and watch those character lines  disappear!

Am I being a tad judgemental? Seriously men – you can do without all of this, be rugged, be swarthy. If you MUST use something, a little moisturiser never goes astray it will do what most of the above will do. When you shave your blade will glide easier. Your face will be shiny and smooth and have that outer glow.

My beauty routine is goats soap and moisturiser – yep you heard it right..non drying goats soap.

I have tried for the last 57 years, well ok I didn’t commence my beauty regime when I first popped out but I have used numerous products that say they will promise the world and give you only an empty pocket. None of these back in my mums day and at 83 her complexion (yes though a little wrinkled) is still beautiful….if you don’t believe me have a peek https://ramblingsfromamum.wordpress.com/2012/10/26/this-is-the-lady-my-mum

So men beauty needn’t cost you a fortune and there is nothing wrong in being a ‘metro sexual’…just let common sense prevail.

What Irritates Me – Do you care about your physical appearance?

Today Mr S and I were Christmas shopping and it was certainly bad hair day as far as the eye could see.

We had the older man in his black T-shirt and jeans with grey, tangled unwashed hair floating about.

We had the middle-aged man with protruding T-Shirt stomach and plaits down to his belt line.

We had the middle-aged women donning a buzz cut except for the pony-tail sprouting from the top of her head.

We had the let’s do a little bit of red and green colour because it’s Christmas.

What on earth? Did someone declare it National Bogun http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bogun day in Melbourne and I wasn’t informed?

Or is it a case of “Look at me …look at me – I don’t care what your reaction is as long as you look at me”.

• Your hair may be unwashed – you couldn’t find 3 minutes to run some shampoo through it  – or would that mean crap I have to shower to?
• Your hair is a tangled mess – surely somewhere you possess a hairbrush – a comb – how about your hands?
• Plaits only look good on Heidi – so leave them with her.
• Your hair is buzzed with a pony-tail – what’s the pony tail for – trying to make the buzz cut look feminine?
• Your hair has wads of blaring red and green splashed through it – did you perhaps walk under a ladder with paint buckets?

I mean seriously people how about a little bit of personal pride?

Yes you can wear your (sweats) trackies and food stained T-shirt when you’re camping by a river – but would it hurt you to don a little something nice and also see to your hair whilst out in public?

Yes I know a lot may say – each to their own – what harm is it doing.

Call me an old dragon but I beg to differ, there are certainly days when I get out of bed with bed hair – but I brush it, if need be I wash it. I wouldn’t dream of setting foot out the door otherwise.

Granted you can slop around all you like in the privacy of your own home, or up the bush, but would it hurt you terribly to look in the mirror before you leave the house just to make sure you look reasonably presentable?

Or is that I attitude these days of I simply don’t care what anyone else thinks?

Personal appearance and taking pride in yourself should be at least of a little concern should it not?

When we look good – we feel good – maybe they haven’t heard of that?

We have a better attitude, we walk with shoulders back.

These folk today, slouched (and please they weren’t poor underprivileged souls who couldn’t look after themselves) as the majority were laden with large shopping bags filled with Christmas goodies. Perhaps I shall receive comments that they don’t look after themselves so that they can afford presents for their kids and family…no no I don’t believe that is the case. **shakes head vehemently**

No this was purely a case of …..I just don’t care and Pffft yes my followers it irritated me.

Google & http://www.artdoxa.com.           These men can wear plaits.

Dr Who and the Tardis

Courtesy Google & bagsmagazine.com

See my every day hand bag is this size    (see left)

Courtesy Google & indimart.com

But I really should have this….Yes Ladies the old conundrum of toting (pardon the pun) around a bag far larger than my needs require. For the amount of rubbish that I accumulate in having a bag of this size gives me nothing but complete exasperation on a daily basis. Why do I stuff everything bar the kitchen sink in there? What can I never find when wanting it? For me it’s my little mobile phone.

“Your bag is ringing” they would say.

“Oh yes, well no use trying to retrieve as it will have stopped by the time I actually find the bloody thing!”  There are pieces of paper, tissues used and new. There are eye liner pencils and lipsticks that have not so conveniently fallen from the make-up bag and roll around enjoying their freedom. There is the make up bag. The pens (some work some don’t). There’s old pay slips, sun glasses, notes with directions on, shopping lists, paperclips..how did they get in there? Rubber bands. Loose change.  There is FRUSTRATION !!! I carry this around daily (yes I do have other bags) but I like the look of this (enter stubbornness) one the most (not as in the picture girls) and for some unexplained reason perhaps only to us females (or just me) I continue to use it, even though I should be booking a Chiropractic visit weekly for putting my neck out under the weight.

“So tell me what on earth are you lifting to do this”? “Just a hand bag”

Searching, scrummaging,fossicking is a daily occurrence for me and said bag . Shall I stop using it ..no..shall I try  emptying it more often to make life easier for myself..again possibly no.

Now I know why men make such a fuss over man bags..not because they don’t want to be seen getting in touch with their feminine side but because they simply don’t want to have the drama involved in digging their way around, through inside pockets, outside zips and inside folds to find their mobile phones!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TARDIS   = TARDIS stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space. The Tardis is bigger on the inside using transcendental dimensions.

Ladies & Gentlemen I rest my case.

Open Progressive Story – All who read add 1 to 4 lines..see where it goes?

Thank you for all of those that are contributing

This has just popped into my head. I shall start. Let’s see how many twists and turns this story can take on from those that add their piece.  Let’s then see how the story ends.

Two simple rules

Try and keep to the theme of what has been written.

Do not add other comments just write your lines.

I shall start with –

She had walked into the bar, dressed in jeans, white T,  black blazer and her designer leather boots. Yes it was casual day at the office but she still liked to dress to impress. Sitting down at the cosy bench seat tucked away in the corner she was out of the way of the crowds that were spilling through the doorway for their after work drinks. On the table in front of her, a champagne cocktail, with obligatory pink umbrella hanging off the side of the glass, though she probably should have asked for a beer, she was in a beer mood.

What’s your routine in the morning?

Today as I opened my sleepy eyes & thought its best I get ready for my day, I lay for a second or two longer and thought…same old routine… Which led me to think a little more…does everyone stick to the same routine day in & day out? I realise those with young children would have a different regime than I but it wouldn’t it be nice to do something just a little different?

• Alarm by way of my mobile rings out its glorious wake up tune next to me (though some mornings I need a 21 gun salute to do the job)
• Me ‘Ugh’ time to get up (do I really have too? Just another 5 minutes my inner self tells me).
• Press off stupid, annoying, inconsiderate alarm (look at time & realise I don’t have just another 5 minutes).
• Feet onto floor, slippers on and grab dressing gown (yes the mornings are still cold over here).
• Open draw to retrieve knickers and bra (wouldn’t it be nice not to have to bother occasionally?)
• Stagger with eyes half open to the en-suite and turn the heater on (I don’t like the cold).
• Still staggering into the family room & put main heater for the house on (Damn didn’t put the timer on).
• Toilet time (ok so no need for details here).
• Open shower door, turn on taps, wait…wait..dressing gown off, singlet and knickers off, slippers kicked off (Not the time to look in the mirror).
• Weigh myself (Scary but necessary ..it’s a ritual I do every morning..tells me if I can or cannot eat for the day).
• Step into shower..damn it’s hair wash day again ( yep every 2nd day it’s the wash).
• Shower shampoo, conditioner (shave any necessary bits that have been left purposefully unattended due to the weather being cold and I’m pretty much covered up any-ways).
• Grab specific hair drying towel and wrap head in turban. Grab body towel – larger & commence the onerous process of drying every nook & cranny (believe me it is a process).
• Out of shower, bra and knickers (yes clean) are donned & back goes the dressing gown for warmth (I really do not like the cold).
• Stares at the face looking back at me in the mirror (not a pretty sight) .
• Cleans and flosses teeth (fresh mouth starts to wake me up).
• Grabs make-up bag to start the arduous task at hand of applying the face (seems to be getting a longer process with every year).
• Concealer, foundation, eye liner, mascara, lipstick (looking more human now..oh to be one of those women who have the flawless complexion without a scrap of anything applied).
• Walk into robe & decide what to wear for the day (Melbourne weather…need to be prepared for anything)
• Dress, put shoes on (thankfully only a 5 minutes decision whether it’s pants or dress, or skirt & top).
• Back into en-suite for the ‘doo’ to be created (well not so much created just done & look reasonable)
• Turban ripped off, grab hair-dryer and brush, squirt product & shimmy through hair (have to get some sort of body into it).
• Pick up bra & knickers from floor which sometimes have looped themselves over the handle of the vanity unit (not done on purpose but I’m still amazed I have done it)
• Toss said items into laundry basket (hmm & look at the insurmountable load that needs washing).
• Into kitchen grab a drink and take the 100mg of aspirin (if I remember..to ward off arthritis pain).
• Yell good-bye to daughter (that is if she is out of bed).
• Get into car for the drive to work (wishing that it was a Saturday or a Sunday…or that I didn’t have to work at all!).
• My day has begun (the routine is over till the next day that is).

Tomorrow I have a day off work.

BUT Maybe on Monday I shall put the radio on REAL LOUD and dance around the kitchen …just to change it up a bit… you know Gangnam  style…maybe..

 

PIC COURTESY OF GOOGLE

Dance it up Gangnam

 

 

 

 

 

It HAS to be the week-end when you feel you are out of your routine.. last Saturday Mr S and I were walking around the Supermarket and a Van Morrison song was playing. I started to dance down the isle (not gangnam but definately not walking) An older gentleman was walking towards us..and I thought “Nup I’m not going to stop”. He had the broadest grin on his face and said to Mr S as we passed. “You’ve got a good one there”.. to which Mr S laughed and said “I know & (hand motioning that I’d had a drink or 2)..which I hadn’t , we all laughed.. so yes BRING ON THE WEEKEND!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time to hang up the washing last of the old pics

My my I know what you’re saying “please no no no mooore, getting bored now, get over it, who are these people anyway?” but I’m not listening 😉 This is the last of the very old ones and then possibly it’s onto the hideous hairstyle of moi and non fashionable dressing (if you thought the button up cardi and skirt was a shocker) be afraid…be very afraid..

Now I know what you’re all thinking…why is she in overalls ….obviously mum only dressed me up for special ‘doos’.

then again I am playing with a toy car.. but how cute am I??? Huh Huh??? No… seriously

My Grandparents on their Wedding Day…doesn’t everyone look happy….

Ahh now they look happier!!

Dad in the middle in uniform…the guy on the end

wishing they had invented the GPS