Fairytale-ish Pinterest Contest: Sylvia

Girl with umbrella - painting by Esao Andrews

“I’m so glad you found the old Christmas decorations. I knew she’d like the glitter” said Grandma Ethel as she switched off the hall light.  Grandpa Ralph sighed: “At least we were able to buy her something.”  

Ethel took her husband’s hand gently in hers, “It’s not your fault, Ralph. Sylvia doesn’t know. She’s happy with the things we found.”

Down the hall in her room, Sylvia sat on the bed, surrounded by her birthday treasures. Taking each gift in her hands separately, she cooed, gazing at the shiny, the delicate and the brightly coloured. Then using remnants of an old bedsheet, she wrapped each dented trinket and scratched piece of glass, tucking them into a cardboard box labeled “Nine Years Old”.

The voice came to her, as it always did, over her left shoulder. “Your gifts are beautiful, just like you Sylvia”.

“Grandma and Grandpa gave me this umbrella! It’s new - from a store and everything!  Can you see it?” Sylvia opened the pale blue umbrella and swirled it above her head.

“Yes I can. I’ve told you before - I can see everything you do.”  

“I kinda forgot.” Sylvia said. “Will Grandma and Grandpa be okay without me”

“You'll see them again, I promise”.

Still clutching the umbrella, Sylvia tilted her head, looking towards the voice, “You promise?”

“Yes my dear. Now, do you remember what to do?”

Sylvia nodded.  She moved the box to the foot of the bed, then wriggled under her patchwork quilt and laid her head on the pillow.

“Close your eyes, little one. Think pleasant thoughts.”

“What’s pleasant mean?” asked Sylvia, keeping one eye open.

“Pleasant means nice. Something happy. Something that you’ll miss.”

“Oh, that’s easy then.” Sylvia said matter-of-factly.  

“I’ll pleasant Grandma and Grandpa, birthdays and pretty things.”

One Lovely Blog Award

 

Until I started blogging, I had 'won' exactly three awards in my many decades of life:  Elementary School Citizenship Award: Grade 3 ; Elementary School Citizenship Award: Grade 7;  High School Bursary Award ($500): Grade 12.   I have now lapped those in the course of 1 year online.  Perhaps I do still have time for an Oscar?

The One Lovely Blog Award was a nomination from the even lovelier KD Rush (thanks Chris - that's a handy phrase!) who has one of the busiest and best blogs in our writing community.  I've gone on about his site previously so just go there already and check it out! www.kdrush.net
 
The rules of acceptance for this award nomination are as follows:

• Thank the person/people who nominated you and link back to them in your post 
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Nominate 15 or so bloggers you admire ** you'll see I've nominated only one blogger officially but have named several very honourable mentions too***
• Contact your chosen bloggers to let them know

 So thank you again KD! 

Seven things about myself (sorry if this is getting old - I'm trying to be as fascinating as I can be!)

1. My favourite colour is yellow though I usually say it's green. I don't know why.
2. When I'm waiting for a bus, I usually hum "Yellow Submarine" or "What'll I do" or "Ain't no sunshine". Not a large repertoire but it seems to make the bus get to the stop more quickly.
3. I also hum loudly on the bus if someone starts to do something rude in my line of vision; in other words, I hum a lot on the bus. Sometimes it makes the person stop, but alas, not every time.
4. I have to look up the word 'repertoire' in the dictionary every time I want to use it in a sentence
5. My favourite flowers, in order: Gerber daisies, pink roses, irises, freesia, daffodils, peonies.
6. At work, whenever there is a baby in the office, the rule is that the child must be brought to me first.  Everyone knows the rule. I heart babies. Nothing more affirming, nothing more important, nothing I'd rather do than hold a baby. It's the circle of life!
7. This music makes me extraordinarily happy as do the movies in which it played. :)))

Now because I'm a rebel (this started only after the age of 40),  I am going to do the same thing I did with the Kreativ Blogger award and pass the One Lovely Blog Award on to only 1 person; however, I am going to name more blogs as honourable mentions.

So first, I pass this award to: Mathew Lyons !! Mathew is a historian and author, whose most recent book "The Favourite" is a must read for anyone interested in the various aspects of Elizabeth I's reign.  When you visit Mathew's blog, and you must, you'll be won over by fascinating articles about the Tudors.  Mathew is a scholar, but he also is a very nice fellow with a good sense of humour.  If you follow him on Twitter, you'll find he's a bit obsessed with witty word/hashtag challenges.  Sorry Mathew, I had to mention that!  If you are a writer who sets stories in historical times, then do visit his blog.

Now, other lovely blogs and bloggers who I visit on a regular basis, some of whom will have already received this award from other admirers. Extremely honourable mentions go to:

Chris James - does chatty, update vlogs as only a witty, erudite, handsome & tall English author can do (P.S. he will also be contributing articles at Indies Unlimited, as well as finishing two new books soon, so he's someone to watch & read)

Louise Hastings - a poet who shares much of her luscious poetry on line. Her first anthology is being published late summer

Daniel Swensen - irascible Surly Muse, thought provoking blog posts

K.M. Weiland - every writer should be following her, excellent tips & so very nice

Veronica Sicoe - every writer should be following her, excellent tips & so very nice

Angie Richmond - one of my very first writing tweeps, just updated her blog to WordPress, creative beyond measure with a heart to match

 Broke many of the rules for this award, but I know KD won't mind:))  Onward!!