Mondays Finish the Story – They say Life is a Game of Chess!

December 19, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

The Photo and Sentence Prompt: “They say that life is a game of chess…”

They say that life is a game of chess. Okay, I’m good with that, after spending (in my previous post – the story for Sunday Photo Fiction) a cold, drafty hungry weekend at a castle, I’m really into the whole game of chess thing. Just one question – who made the queen so powerful?

Could we have a little more sharing of powers going on here. I mean the king can barely take a step in any direction without getting stomped on, and he’s the king. You know, head honcho, main dude, Number Ono, and the big prize on the board, still he’s pretty much powerless. But perhaps there’s a truth in this.

Maybe it’s true for everyone. Perhaps the meaning of life is that the king’s not much different than the lowly pawn. Well, except the king has people wait on him and wears groovy clothes and things, but other than that, oh and he probably eats really well and has people (probably the pawn) help him find his way around drafty castles”… no wait this isn’t working out the way I thought …

I guess life is like a game of chess because they both confuse the heck out of a person.

For more information about Mondays Finish The Story (flash fiction) Writers Challenge, where the writer uses both a photo and an opening sentence for the prompt: click HERE. Barb will guide you through the process, be sure and read some of the other well written entries while you’re there.

Thanks for stopping by and reading,

~ Penny

Some fun for Everyone – Horton hears a Tardis!

November 26, 2014March 3, 2015 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

I first wrote and posted this about a year ago, I hope you enjoy:

For all you “Dr Who” lovers – a bit of fun! 🙂

Horton Hears a Tardis

The day started out simply pleasant

In fact Horton knew it was great,

His favoritest meal

the bestest real deal

Was of course a nut full of plates! (actually it’s “a plate full of nuts” but then it wouldn’t rhyme would it. hello?)

*

Suddenly, Horton hears a strange sounding

and thinks to himself “Oh, no …

Not Whoville again?

They just would not send …

In fact, this time I’ll refuse to go.

*

But it turns out it wasn’t the Whoville

But rather “Dr Who” that arrived,

In his tardis he came

Horton hardly could blame

The Whovilles for who was inside.

*

And so Horton looked at the tardis

and then, of course at Doctor Who,

he said “no offense

And don’t think me dense,

but exactly ‘Who are you?’ “

*

And of course Dr. Who replied “Brilliant”

“What a capital elephant you be,

for though we’ve just met

You already get

The person, of course ‘Who’ is me!”

*

And Horton looked first at the tardis

And once again at Doctor Who,

Still shaking his head

and wished for his bed

replied one more time “Who? Are you?”

*

“Yes I am”, the good doctor responded

“And most happy to meet you am I,

If you really don’t mind

and would be so kind

We must wait for the Dalek to arrive.”

*

Now Horton, as you know is a thinker

Deep thoughts are really his forte,

But Doctor Who was a puzzle

And in a bit of a fuzzle

Horton knew not what to say.

*

And so Dr. Who told him the story

The Daleks were bad guys, he knew,

So Horton told them (Dr. Who and his companions) to stay

And they left the next day (actually it was longer, but that doesn’t rhyme either),

The tardis, the Daleks, and Dr. Who.

*

Well Horton was glad when they vanished

Back to whenever they were from,

Now when Horton listens

He’s not listening for a who

but rather the sound of the drums (spoiler).

(you’ve gotta watch the tv series to figure the last line out!)

*

For all you “Dr. Who” TV fans I hope you enjoyed this little bit of farce! I don’t claim to have the talent of Dr. Seuss, but this was fun to write.

Have a great day!

~ Penny

To have a Post or not to have a Post … that is the question!

October 25, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 14 Comments

“Hey Joe, that’s my post (post – get it all you bloggers, lol)!“

“Well excuussseee me! I don’t see your name on it, Dave!”

(Stay tuned to see how this plays out. Will Dave be able to keep his post? Or will Joe hang on to the post he now considers his own. Actually they both see a cute chick and leave in just a little while to see where she’s heading – so having a post becomes a moot point!)

Just a little humor here, hope you’re all enjoying your weekend!

~ Penny

Not a bad hair day – A VERY BAD FEATHER DAY!

October 24, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

Sunday Photo Fiction – The Pose, or why Aliens still haven’t landed here!

October 20, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 16 Comments

Time For another flash fiction (more or less – oh alright, short story) for SUNDAY PHOTO FICTION, brought to you each week by Alastair, the Hoster (that’s the male form of Hostess, for all you folks who aren’t into etiquette) to find out more info or take part, yourself, (as the writer) check in right HERE for more details. My story follows based on the photo below!

Photograph by © Alastair Forbes

Don’t Move – You’re in The Perfect Pose!

“I don’t think I can stand still much longer.” (says the alien speaking telepathically to his captain who is still on board the space vessel.)

“No, we need you to stay right where you are and whatever you do, don’t move. Stay completely stationary in that pose. We’ve fooled them all so far.”

“And so what?”

“When we received the diagram of this figure and were able to create you to look just like this, we knew it would be just the thing.”

“Again I ask, for what exactly?”

“You’re mingling with the earth crowd.”

“There is no crowd. Only every now and then a rude bi-pedal creature comes along and puts some kind of awful tasting round metallic food in my mouth, and twists my head. It’s really uncomfortable, not to mention embarrassing. I don’t even have any arms to push them away.”

“But we’re learning so much.”

“No we’re not. This is dumb. I feel dumb. Can I come back to the ship now.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure. We’re a science vessel and you’re here on Earth, passively collecting information. Aren’t you excited?”

“No, I just want to leave. To tell you the truth, I feel stupid and stiff and OMG (gosh), I’m blue. I’ll never live this down when I get back to the spaceship. I’m going to be the butt of every joke the crew can think of.”

“Oh, alright I’m bringing you up, but with incomplete information, we won’t be able to come back this way for a long time.”

“And that’s the first intelligent thing I’ve heard you say. Farewell Earthlings. We’ll come again when we return from infinity, ha, ha, ha!” (Alien voice echoes in the breeze as he disappears from view.)

Hope you enjoyed my silly romp of fantasy. Have a great day and better tomorrow,

~ Penny

A little humor here (very little, LOL!)

February 15, 2014February 15, 2014 / Penny L Howe / 16 Comments

“So um, hey bud … pal of mine,

you’re just cleaning your paws here

… right?

I mean it’s you and me … right, guy?”

Sometimes keeping your friends close and your enemies closer is not necessarily a good idea!

Hope everyone is having the best weekend they can have (all things considered). Stay cool – or warm, as the case might be and take care of you.

Thanks for stopping by,

~ Penny

Horton the Elephant – hears a “tardis”

December 8, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 27 Comments

For all you “Dr Who” lovers – a bit of fun! 🙂

Horton Hears a Tardis

The day started out simply pleasant

In fact Horton knew it was great,

His favoritest meal

the bestest real deal

Was of course a nut full of plates! (actually it’s “a plate full of nuts” but then it wouldn’t rhyme would it. hello?)

Suddenly, Horton hears a strange sounding

and thinks to himself “Oh, no …

Not Whoville again?

They just would not send …

In fact, this time I’ll refuse to go.

But it turns out it wasn’t the Whoville

But rather “Dr Who” that arrived,

In his tardis he came

Horton hardly could blame

The Whovilles for who was inside.

And so Horton looked at the tardis

and then, of course at Doctor Who,

he said “no offense

And don’t think me dense,

but exactly ‘Who are you?’ “

And of course Dr. Who replied “Brilliant”

“What a capital elephant you be,

for though we’ve just met

You already get

The person, of course ‘Who’ is me!”

And Horton looked first at the tardis

And once again at Doctor Who,

Still shaking his head

and wished for his bed

replied one more time “Who? Are you?”

“Yes I am”, the good doctor responded

“And most happy to meet you am I,

If you really don’t mind

and would be so kind

We must wait for the Dalek to arrive.”

Now Horton, as you know is a thinker

Deep thoughts are really his forte,

But Doctor Who was a puzzle

And in a bit of a fuzzle

Horton knew not what to say.

And so Dr. Who told him the story

The Daleks were bad guys, he knew,

So Horton told them (Dr. Who and his companions) to stay

And they left the next day (actually it was longer, but that doesn’t rhyme either),

The tardis, the Daleks, and Dr. Who.

Well Horton was glad when they vanished

Back to whenever they were from,

Now when Horton listens

He’s not listening for a who

but rather the sound of the drums (spoiler).

(you’ve gotta watch the tv series to figure the last line out!)

For all you “Dr. Who” TV fans I hope you enjoyed this little bit of farce! Other individuals who live here (whom, shall remain nameless) have been watching the entire series!)

~ Penny

A Halloween Mystery – The Pumpkin Family’s missing Engine!

October 30, 2013October 30, 2013 / Penny L Howe / 13 Comments

“Dag blasted, Jack! What’ve you done with the engine?” Mr. Pumpkin was really angry. It was just about time for everyone to pile in to go to the Halloween party and with no engine in the pickup they wouldn’t be going anywhere.

“Honest, Amos,” Jack replied. A seedy look in his eye, “I just can’t understand what could have happened.”

“Well, it’s not as if you have to be a rocket scientist to figer this ‘un out Jack. Firstly, there’s an engine and now there ain’t!” Amos pulled his orange hankie out of his rear pocket and wiped his sweaty orange brow off with the realization he’d have to tell ‘Maude’, Mrs. Pumpkin.” He knew this would not set well with her.

In the mean time Jack had turned away from the pickup and was searching the ground.

“Jack, what are you doing now?” Amos asked, getting more agitated by the minute. “Looking at the ground isn’t going to solve our missing engine problem.”

“Well, that’s not the way I see it Amos,” Jack responded, scratching his triangular concave nose, while he continued to search the ground. It was starting to get dusk, and hard to see well. Thank goodness for the candle inside his head that illuminated his eyesight!

“Joe and Jeff must have run off to get some food? That would explain things! ” I’m trying to see if they left a trail behind for us to follow.”

“What in the gosh durn heck of it all, do Joe and Jeff goin’ for food have ta’ do with anything?” Amos exploded.

“Well I figer it this way,” Jack went on. “If Joe and Jeff took off goin’ nut huntin’, and they be the lead squirrels in dem cages in the truck engine, then they probably let the other squirrels out at the same time.

I’m guessin’ we’ll have ta’ wait for them to fill up and then they’ll be back at work in the engine, gettin’ it up and runnin’, at least that’s what I reckon’ll happen!”

Amos spat on the ground and went along with Jack to get a lantern, and some moonshine out of the shed. They decided they might as well fill up with fuel too, while they waited for their “engine” to do the same thing!

Halloween Mystery solved – The whole thing was nuts!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

~ Penny