COLD DARK ROOM

CarolM

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Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Yesterday was drizzly all day, so I didn't work outside at all. And now today, the leaves are probably too wet to do any raking, so I guess I'll have to stack some wood. I got a nice pick-up load of wood Saturday and just tossed it out of the truck onto the ground. I stacked about half of it Saturday, but there's still more to put up. I didn't make a fire today because it's not all that cold in here. No rain (read drizzle) today, but it is overcast and not very warm. . . but not exactly cold either. Probably good working outside weather.

So I guess I'd better get to it. Just wanted to tell you all how much I enjoy sharing your lives by reading about you here in the CDR. And I wonder if @Tidgy's Dad would be interested in writing a paragraph for our Christmas story.
I think that if we don't have any takers I know @ Bee62 wanted to add another paragraph. And if anybody else wants to add more then please let us know so that we can put your name down for the next paragraph. As we need to wrap it up soon to share as a gift to the rest of the TFO.
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
I am a faithful Jeopardy watcher. Hardly ever miss a show. Two things that bother me - A WHOLE LOT!!!!! - First one is when the contestants are looking at the board to choose a question, the always say, "Uh-h-h-h-h-h. . ." and then choose the question. Second thing is at the intermission when Alex talks to each contestant he usually mentions something to get them to relate a story. 99% of the time the contestant begins his or her story with "so". . . So, my mom and I were watching Jeopardy. . .So I was on a round the world trip. . . So my teacher asked for volunteers. . . What's with SO? Can't people relate a story without beginning with 'so'?

So after I fed, watered and cleaned up after tortoises I took my wheelbarrow and rake down to the wood pile. I stacked all the firewood, then I raked up all the bark and junk and took it out to the manure pile. I worked so hard that I was able to take off my jacket, and by the time I got back into the house (with no fire in the wood stove), it was warm enough in there that I also had to take off my sweater! So now it's time to feed me and Misty and find a good story on my Kindle.
[emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
I used to look on the "Members" page and take note of which long term member had a birthday that day. I started getting bogged down with sitting at the computer (and addicted to the Forum), so I quit checking the birthday section, but I would still start a birthday thread when a well known member posted something and their birthday banner showed up on their post. But a couple days ago I was asked if we missed a certain person's birthday, and it dawned on me that not all the members post something on their birthdays, hence I was missing making a birthday thread for some, and may just possibly have hurt some feelings.

Starting today, I've gone back to checking the birthday box on the Members page, so there should be a birthday thread for those members who have posted a lot and are familiar to us.
I mostly use the app so I hardly ever see the notice of a birthday. But there is always someone who will notice and give us a heads up - thank goodness.
 

Bee62

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Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
I think that if we don't have any takers I know @ Bee62 wanted to add another paragraph. And if anybody else wants to add more then please let us know so that we can put your name down for the next paragraph. As we need to wrap it up soon to share as a gift to the rest of the TFO.
Do you have the whole story Carol ? Can you post it again ?
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
Will find it and post it shortly.
The CDR Christmas Story...

It was two weeks before Christmas and the kids are getting so excited about Christmas. I love Joe, Torento, Clunker, Jacques, Sully, Ma, Mo, Kristoff, Rue, Kang, Clark, Harry, Blue, Whity, Pickles, Tidgy, Oli Bold, Julio and Misty so so much and I cannot disappoint them this Christmas. I have no job anymore and have been pretending to go to work everyday so that the kids don't know. But with no job and no money Christmas is going to be so disappointing this year. I need a Christmas miracle…….

So I went downtown to view some store windows. Maybe one of these stores need a helping hand before Christmas and would pay me. I was really in despair. I would do mostly every job to earn a little bit money.

There were a lot of people in the streets. Busy people searching for the last Christmas gifts they want to buy. People with heavy bags in their hands. My own hands were empty. So empty like my purse. I was praying to see a sign in one of these store windows saying : "Help needed. Enter when you are interested", but none…

My mood is getting sadder and sadder. At the end of the street right on the edge I recognize a very small window store and something in the window fascinates me. I don't know what it is. I am getting nearer. It was a very small store. The sign on the window tells me that it was a shop for antiquities.

It was very dark in the store but I can see an old man standing behind an old wooden counter. I was scared because the old man looks directly in my eyes. I can’t avoid his look. It seems to me that for several minutes we were looking each other in the eyes but in real it was only a few seconds.

Suddenly I turn my face and want to go away as I hear a little bell jingle. It was the bell on the entry door of the store. A hoarse voice ask: "Are you searching for work ? I could need a helping hand in the store. Are you interested?”

I turn my face and can’t believe the words I have heard. I was astonished. How could the old man know that I was searching for employment? I was looking in two watery blue friendly eyes of the old man and feel that my Christmas miracle has just begun.

"Yes, I am interested." I hear my own voice without thinking about what I was saying.

"Okay, come in. I'll show you what to do. It is easy to do but I am old and some things are too heavy for me.”

The old man opens the entry door of his store and the bell jingles again. I was following him. It was a little bit dark inside the small room. I can see a lot of shelves. The whole store was full with shelves and every shelve held totally different things: Wooden boxes, old lamps, figures in all sizes, a lot of old dolls, porcelain, silver cutlery, tea pots, old tin toys..... and so much more I can’t describe. The lot of things were overwhelming me.

"Here, take that duster and clean my beauties, but be very careful. Every piece in here has his own personality and story. Please don't break a thing, they are very precious."

I began to carefully sweep away layers of dust... as I did, I got this feeling... almost like I was sweeping away all my troubles. My heart felt lighter than it had in some time. One particular object was so dirty that I couldn’t make out what it was right off the bat. As the grime started to fly away, I realized it was a snow globe. It was beautifully anchored on a bronze base with delicate floral tooling etched all the way around. Something pulled at my heart. I picked it up, mesmerized it seemed, and tilted it down and up again. As I watched the snow fall, it seemed a strange glow began. There was a tiny ramshackle looking shed in the globe. It looked as if it was growing larger... or maybe closer before my very eyes….

No, it wasn’t growing larger I was smaller!

The ground beneath me was soft but not cold. I could still see the glow inside the shed so I walked closer and slowly entered and I could not believe my eyes!

I saw hundreds of little people busy working and singing! It was a very warm magical place! As I walked in slowly a cute little lady handed me a tool belt and a hot drink which turned out to be a delightful hot toddy...

The warm toddy worked its way through my body. The aromatic spices and herbs filled my senses, and the Ballmoral Malt Whiskey eased my apprehensions. Suddenly the blocks of wood became live, the “little people” gazed out the frosty windows, and the birds, sheep, camels, oxen, and horses in the bright green pastures were dancing. A bonfire was glowing, the stars, moon and sun could all be seen. Day was night, and night became day. Was it a dream or a new reality...

Suddenly, I spotted something protruding through the snow. I reached out to brush the snow away. The felt slightly odd, reminding me that somehow I was in the snow globe world. As I pulled the snow away, an armadillo was revealed. There were rings on his back as if coffee cups had been left there. The tag on his collar read "Montgomery". Montgomery nudged me and started to plod through the snow. What could I do but follow him? Time passed, but the light stayed the same and it was impossible to say how far we walked. We arrived at the mouth of a cave and the armadillo wagged his tail and headed right in. Should I go with him? Was it safe?

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into to the cave. It was dark, and I had already lost sight of Montgomery the armadillo, although I heard his footsteps somewhere in front of me. I reached out my hands and slowly shuffled my feet forward, hoping not to trip or fall over any obstacles in the dark. Then my fingers brushed against something. I knew instantly it wasn't an armadillo. Whatever I had just touched, it was squishy! Then it started to glow, faintly at first. Carefully poking the glowing blob again, I took a closer look. It resembled a glowing jellyfish.

Was it more than a simple hot toddy that the cute little lady had given me or did I, like Alice in Wonderland, come to a strange place with a logic of its own?

“Montgomery!” I called into the dark.

My voice echoed back a dozen times. I pitied the poor, strange armadillo who might get lost in the dark. The cave must have been very deep, with more corners than one could count. It couldn’t have been safe. I had liked the look of the warm and brightly lit shed with hundreds of tiny workers much better.

I turned to go back—and froze. Not literally, although it was nearly that cold; the chill that ran down my spine was of a different kind. The exit was blocked by a thin sheet of ice with such intricate detail that I could swear it was a spider web, only made of tiny frozen crystals. I had just walked in. When did this appear?

I took a step toward the web of ice and stretched out my hand to touch it, but a voice rang in the silence of the dark cave:

“Careful. If you touch it, you will never be able to leave this place.”

I quickly snatched my hand back! Could this be the dreaded wool spider (if she exists) that we've been hearing so much about? I moved the glowing jellyfish closer and saw many pairs of wool socks, scarves and mittens littered around on the floor beneath the frozen web. "YIPES!!!!" I yelled, and scurried backwards away from the web as fast as I was able.

Squeezing my eyes shut as tight as I could, I softly murmured, "There's no place like home. . . there's no place like home." I felt a cool mist with snowflakes swirling around my body, and when I opened my eyes, there I was, back in the old man's shop, with a feather duster in my hand. I hollered in the direction of the back room, where I assumed the old man was, "I'm outta' here! It's too weird for me." and I ran out the door, while the bell tinkled.

As I ran out the door, the wooly spider ( if it exist ) grabbed ahold of me and tried to wrap me up in it web. All I could think about was my poor little tortoise kids. If I struggled, she would wrap me tighter, so I just relaxed and “Poof”, I fell out of her nest. I then slithered out the door quietly and realized I just left the only job I could find. Now, what a delema I have. Do I go back, or, do I run. I really need to make some money for my kids, they do have to eat.

Okay I CAN do this, it is for my babies after all. I slowly walked back to the door and peered through a crack to see if it was safe. I couldn't see anything lurking about. Pushing the door slowly open the light from outside shone inside the shop through the open door and it looked like everything was safe. The old man looked up from behind the counter, saw me and asked if everything was okay? I stammered everything was fine and that I had just gone outside for a little air ( from all the dust in the back room). I walked back to the room that I was previously dusting, but as I passed the old man...I stopped and asked him if he had had anything strange happen to him when he went into that room. He looked at me and asked 'Strange How?' 'Ummm, oh nothing' I quickly replied and went into the back. Completely missing the smile which came up on his face and the twinkle in his eye.
I carefully looked around the room and as I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary . So I picked up the duster to start working again. However I went to a different shelf this time and started dusting the globes on that shelf. There was a globe with reindeer in it. A Globe with a beach inside. A Globe with a lake and trees. But the funny thing was that each globe when picked up you could see the scenery inside moving, it was almost as if they were magic globes. In the globe with the reindeer I could see the reindeer standing in lines in a harness waiting in front of a sleigh. There was one right in the front with a shiny red nose. The globe with the beach I am sure I could see the sea washing up on the shore, I even thought I heard the sound of the sea. It soon became a game for me to pick up each globe and look inside to see the magic. Until I picked a globe which for me was the most beautiful one of all. As I looked inside I could see a beautiful house with lights shining out the windows. The house had christmas lights all around it and I could even hear christmas music. I was pressing my nose right against the glass of the globe to try and see if I could see inside the house. And then it started happening again, the house was coming closer and getting bigger and bigger until my nose was against the actual windows of the house. And what I saw inside took my breath away and my heart lit up with joy and happiness....

There I stood in utter astonishment. A feeling of peace came about me; the kind of feeling one experiences perhaps once in a lifetime, if at all. All the sights, sounds, and feelings of a Christmas morning spent as a child came about me. I ventured about in awe of it all. A light snow was falling amidst the brightly lit Holiday lights. The smell of wood burning in the hearth coupled with the scent of freshly baked apple pies.

I was suddenly paralyzed by the bliss that had befallen me; unaware of the strife and ineptitude of my daily life. When suddenly I began to feel a chill. The once lightly falling snow was getting heavier to the point of total whiteout. The smells of burning wood and fresh baked pies that had once kept me captive had quickly dissipated. The house seemed much less festive, and an eeriness of my surroundings set in. It was then that I remembered what Christmas truly meant to me: My dear children.

My bliss was now replaced by shame; that I would indulge in my own selfish euphoria while forgetting what truly made me happy. As reality set back in, I once again was standing in that quaint shop. The old man’s eyes stared into mine, grinning all the while. He winked at me as he slowly closed the cash register drawer. Could he have known? Was he somehow responsible for this?
 

Pastel Tortie

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2018
Messages
4,264
Location (City and/or State)
North Florida
I am a faithful Jeopardy watcher. Hardly ever miss a show. Two things that bother me - A WHOLE LOT!!!!! - First one is when the contestants are looking at the board to choose a question, the always say, "Uh-h-h-h-h-h. . ." and then choose the question. Second thing is at the intermission when Alex talks to each contestant he usually mentions something to get them to relate a story. 99% of the time the contestant begins his or her story with "so". . . So, my mom and I were watching Jeopardy. . .So I was on a round the world trip. . . So my teacher asked for volunteers. . . What's with SO? Can't people relate a story without beginning with 'so'?

So after I fed, watered and cleaned up after tortoises I took my wheelbarrow and rake down to the wood pile. I stacked all the firewood, then I raked up all the bark and junk and took it out to the manure pile. I worked so hard that I was able to take off my jacket, and by the time I got back into the house (with no fire in the wood stove), it was warm enough in there that I also had to take off my sweater! So now it's time to feed me and Misty and find a good story on my Kindle.
I have some thoughts on this one... Quite a few actually, but it will have to wait until I have time to write (type) it all out.
 

Bee62

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2016
Messages
11,981
Location (City and/or State)
Germany
The CDR Christmas Story...

It was two weeks before Christmas and the kids are getting so excited about Christmas. I love Joe, Torento, Clunker, Jacques, Sully, Ma, Mo, Kristoff, Rue, Kang, Clark, Harry, Blue, Whity, Pickles, Tidgy, Oli Bold, Julio and Misty so so much and I cannot disappoint them this Christmas. I have no job anymore and have been pretending to go to work everyday so that the kids don't know. But with no job and no money Christmas is going to be so disappointing this year. I need a Christmas miracle…….

So I went downtown to view some store windows. Maybe one of these stores need a helping hand before Christmas and would pay me. I was really in despair. I would do mostly every job to earn a little bit money.

There were a lot of people in the streets. Busy people searching for the last Christmas gifts they want to buy. People with heavy bags in their hands. My own hands were empty. So empty like my purse. I was praying to see a sign in one of these store windows saying : "Help needed. Enter when you are interested", but none…

My mood is getting sadder and sadder. At the end of the street right on the edge I recognize a very small window store and something in the window fascinates me. I don't know what it is. I am getting nearer. It was a very small store. The sign on the window tells me that it was a shop for antiquities.

It was very dark in the store but I can see an old man standing behind an old wooden counter. I was scared because the old man looks directly in my eyes. I can’t avoid his look. It seems to me that for several minutes we were looking each other in the eyes but in real it was only a few seconds.

Suddenly I turn my face and want to go away as I hear a little bell jingle. It was the bell on the entry door of the store. A hoarse voice ask: "Are you searching for work ? I could need a helping hand in the store. Are you interested?”

I turn my face and can’t believe the words I have heard. I was astonished. How could the old man know that I was searching for employment? I was looking in two watery blue friendly eyes of the old man and feel that my Christmas miracle has just begun.

"Yes, I am interested." I hear my own voice without thinking about what I was saying.

"Okay, come in. I'll show you what to do. It is easy to do but I am old and some things are too heavy for me.”

The old man opens the entry door of his store and the bell jingles again. I was following him. It was a little bit dark inside the small room. I can see a lot of shelves. The whole store was full with shelves and every shelve held totally different things: Wooden boxes, old lamps, figures in all sizes, a lot of old dolls, porcelain, silver cutlery, tea pots, old tin toys..... and so much more I can’t describe. The lot of things were overwhelming me.

"Here, take that duster and clean my beauties, but be very careful. Every piece in here has his own personality and story. Please don't break a thing, they are very precious."

I began to carefully sweep away layers of dust... as I did, I got this feeling... almost like I was sweeping away all my troubles. My heart felt lighter than it had in some time. One particular object was so dirty that I couldn’t make out what it was right off the bat. As the grime started to fly away, I realized it was a snow globe. It was beautifully anchored on a bronze base with delicate floral tooling etched all the way around. Something pulled at my heart. I picked it up, mesmerized it seemed, and tilted it down and up again. As I watched the snow fall, it seemed a strange glow began. There was a tiny ramshackle looking shed in the globe. It looked as if it was growing larger... or maybe closer before my very eyes….

No, it wasn’t growing larger I was smaller!

The ground beneath me was soft but not cold. I could still see the glow inside the shed so I walked closer and slowly entered and I could not believe my eyes!

I saw hundreds of little people busy working and singing! It was a very warm magical place! As I walked in slowly a cute little lady handed me a tool belt and a hot drink which turned out to be a delightful hot toddy...

The warm toddy worked its way through my body. The aromatic spices and herbs filled my senses, and the Ballmoral Malt Whiskey eased my apprehensions. Suddenly the blocks of wood became live, the “little people” gazed out the frosty windows, and the birds, sheep, camels, oxen, and horses in the bright green pastures were dancing. A bonfire was glowing, the stars, moon and sun could all be seen. Day was night, and night became day. Was it a dream or a new reality...

Suddenly, I spotted something protruding through the snow. I reached out to brush the snow away. The felt slightly odd, reminding me that somehow I was in the snow globe world. As I pulled the snow away, an armadillo was revealed. There were rings on his back as if coffee cups had been left there. The tag on his collar read "Montgomery". Montgomery nudged me and started to plod through the snow. What could I do but follow him? Time passed, but the light stayed the same and it was impossible to say how far we walked. We arrived at the mouth of a cave and the armadillo wagged his tail and headed right in. Should I go with him? Was it safe?

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into to the cave. It was dark, and I had already lost sight of Montgomery the armadillo, although I heard his footsteps somewhere in front of me. I reached out my hands and slowly shuffled my feet forward, hoping not to trip or fall over any obstacles in the dark. Then my fingers brushed against something. I knew instantly it wasn't an armadillo. Whatever I had just touched, it was squishy! Then it started to glow, faintly at first. Carefully poking the glowing blob again, I took a closer look. It resembled a glowing jellyfish.

Was it more than a simple hot toddy that the cute little lady had given me or did I, like Alice in Wonderland, come to a strange place with a logic of its own?

“Montgomery!” I called into the dark.

My voice echoed back a dozen times. I pitied the poor, strange armadillo who might get lost in the dark. The cave must have been very deep, with more corners than one could count. It couldn’t have been safe. I had liked the look of the warm and brightly lit shed with hundreds of tiny workers much better.

I turned to go back—and froze. Not literally, although it was nearly that cold; the chill that ran down my spine was of a different kind. The exit was blocked by a thin sheet of ice with such intricate detail that I could swear it was a spider web, only made of tiny frozen crystals. I had just walked in. When did this appear?

I took a step toward the web of ice and stretched out my hand to touch it, but a voice rang in the silence of the dark cave:

“Careful. If you touch it, you will never be able to leave this place.”

I quickly snatched my hand back! Could this be the dreaded wool spider (if she exists) that we've been hearing so much about? I moved the glowing jellyfish closer and saw many pairs of wool socks, scarves and mittens littered around on the floor beneath the frozen web. "YIPES!!!!" I yelled, and scurried backwards away from the web as fast as I was able.

Squeezing my eyes shut as tight as I could, I softly murmured, "There's no place like home. . . there's no place like home." I felt a cool mist with snowflakes swirling around my body, and when I opened my eyes, there I was, back in the old man's shop, with a feather duster in my hand. I hollered in the direction of the back room, where I assumed the old man was, "I'm outta' here! It's too weird for me." and I ran out the door, while the bell tinkled.

As I ran out the door, the wooly spider ( if it exist ) grabbed ahold of me and tried to wrap me up in it web. All I could think about was my poor little tortoise kids. If I struggled, she would wrap me tighter, so I just relaxed and “Poof”, I fell out of her nest. I then slithered out the door quietly and realized I just left the only job I could find. Now, what a delema I have. Do I go back, or, do I run. I really need to make some money for my kids, they do have to eat.

Okay I CAN do this, it is for my babies after all. I slowly walked back to the door and peered through a crack to see if it was safe. I couldn't see anything lurking about. Pushing the door slowly open the light from outside shone inside the shop through the open door and it looked like everything was safe. The old man looked up from behind the counter, saw me and asked if everything was okay? I stammered everything was fine and that I had just gone outside for a little air ( from all the dust in the back room). I walked back to the room that I was previously dusting, but as I passed the old man...I stopped and asked him if he had had anything strange happen to him when he went into that room. He looked at me and asked 'Strange How?' 'Ummm, oh nothing' I quickly replied and went into the back. Completely missing the smile which came up on his face and the twinkle in his eye.
I carefully looked around the room and as I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary . So I picked up the duster to start working again. However I went to a different shelf this time and started dusting the globes on that shelf. There was a globe with reindeer in it. A Globe with a beach inside. A Globe with a lake and trees. But the funny thing was that each globe when picked up you could see the scenery inside moving, it was almost as if they were magic globes. In the globe with the reindeer I could see the reindeer standing in lines in a harness waiting in front of a sleigh. There was one right in the front with a shiny red nose. The globe with the beach I am sure I could see the sea washing up on the shore, I even thought I heard the sound of the sea. It soon became a game for me to pick up each globe and look inside to see the magic. Until I picked a globe which for me was the most beautiful one of all. As I looked inside I could see a beautiful house with lights shining out the windows. The house had christmas lights all around it and I could even hear christmas music. I was pressing my nose right against the glass of the globe to try and see if I could see inside the house. And then it started happening again, the house was coming closer and getting bigger and bigger until my nose was against the actual windows of the house. And what I saw inside took my breath away and my heart lit up with joy and happiness....

There I stood in utter astonishment. A feeling of peace came about me; the kind of feeling one experiences perhaps once in a lifetime, if at all. All the sights, sounds, and feelings of a Christmas morning spent as a child came about me. I ventured about in awe of it all. A light snow was falling amidst the brightly lit Holiday lights. The smell of wood burning in the hearth coupled with the scent of freshly baked apple pies.

I was suddenly paralyzed by the bliss that had befallen me; unaware of the strife and ineptitude of my daily life. When suddenly I began to feel a chill. The once lightly falling snow was getting heavier to the point of total whiteout. The smells of burning wood and fresh baked pies that had once kept me captive had quickly dissipated. The house seemed much less festive, and an eeriness of my surroundings set in. It was then that I remembered what Christmas truly meant to me: My dear children.

My bliss was now replaced by shame; that I would indulge in my own selfish euphoria while forgetting what truly made me happy. As reality set back in, I once again was standing in that quaint shop. The old man’s eyes stared into mine, grinning all the while. He winked at me as he slowly closed the cash register drawer. Could he have known? Was he somehow responsible for this?

"You seem to be tired." I hear the hoarse voice of the old man and feel his hand gently touching my shoulder and I awake !
Shame ! I felt asleep sitting in an old rocking chair behind one of those shelfs.
"Oh, I am so sorry ! I don`t wanted to sleep. I will go on with my work right now." I hear my own voice saying rubbing my tired eyes with my hands.
"No, it is enough for today. This work can be very hard sometimes." says the old man calm and friendly. "Please let me give you this little box as a payment for your work. Be very careful with it and don`t open it until you are at home. Good luck."
The old man put a small wooden box in my hand. "But ....." I say not really knowing what to say.
"It is okay, believe me. Now you must go home. I want to close the store."
"But, should I come back tomorrow ? " I was whispering.
"No, it is not necessary." says the old man and smiled at me with his watery blue eyes. "Trust me, all will be okay." he says.
"Thank you." I heard me saying not knowing for what I should be thankful and I leave the store with the small wooden box in my hand. The door bell jingles again and then I was on the street. I hear that the door of the store was locked behind me. How much time had passed ? It was beginnig to get dark on the street. I feel a deep confusion and other feelings too: Anger because I got no money, or was the money in the box ? And curiosity about what was the content of the box. Would it held just another nightmare dream for me ?
I feel that I`d better get back home. I was in a hurry now. One hand holding the box tightly I am running home.
 

CarolM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2017
Messages
19,492
Location (City and/or State)
South Africa - Cape Town
The CDR Christmas Story...

It was two weeks before Christmas and the kids are getting so excited about Christmas. I love Joe, Torento, Clunker, Jacques, Sully, Ma, Mo, Kristoff, Rue, Kang, Clark, Harry, Blue, Whity, Pickles, Tidgy, Oli Bold, Julio and Misty so so much and I cannot disappoint them this Christmas. I have no job anymore and have been pretending to go to work everyday so that the kids don't know. But with no job and no money Christmas is going to be so disappointing this year. I need a Christmas miracle…….

So I went downtown to view some store windows. Maybe one of these stores need a helping hand before Christmas and would pay me. I was really in despair. I would do mostly every job to earn a little bit money.

There were a lot of people in the streets. Busy people searching for the last Christmas gifts they want to buy. People with heavy bags in their hands. My own hands were empty. So empty like my purse. I was praying to see a sign in one of these store windows saying : "Help needed. Enter when you are interested", but none…

My mood is getting sadder and sadder. At the end of the street right on the edge I recognize a very small window store and something in the window fascinates me. I don't know what it is. I am getting nearer. It was a very small store. The sign on the window tells me that it was a shop for antiquities.

It was very dark in the store but I can see an old man standing behind an old wooden counter. I was scared because the old man looks directly in my eyes. I can’t avoid his look. It seems to me that for several minutes we were looking each other in the eyes but in real it was only a few seconds.

Suddenly I turn my face and want to go away as I hear a little bell jingle. It was the bell on the entry door of the store. A hoarse voice ask: "Are you searching for work ? I could need a helping hand in the store. Are you interested?”

I turn my face and can’t believe the words I have heard. I was astonished. How could the old man know that I was searching for employment? I was looking in two watery blue friendly eyes of the old man and feel that my Christmas miracle has just begun.

"Yes, I am interested." I hear my own voice without thinking about what I was saying.

"Okay, come in. I'll show you what to do. It is easy to do but I am old and some things are too heavy for me.”

The old man opens the entry door of his store and the bell jingles again. I was following him. It was a little bit dark inside the small room. I can see a lot of shelves. The whole store was full with shelves and every shelve held totally different things: Wooden boxes, old lamps, figures in all sizes, a lot of old dolls, porcelain, silver cutlery, tea pots, old tin toys..... and so much more I can’t describe. The lot of things were overwhelming me.

"Here, take that duster and clean my beauties, but be very careful. Every piece in here has his own personality and story. Please don't break a thing, they are very precious."

I began to carefully sweep away layers of dust... as I did, I got this feeling... almost like I was sweeping away all my troubles. My heart felt lighter than it had in some time. One particular object was so dirty that I couldn’t make out what it was right off the bat. As the grime started to fly away, I realized it was a snow globe. It was beautifully anchored on a bronze base with delicate floral tooling etched all the way around. Something pulled at my heart. I picked it up, mesmerized it seemed, and tilted it down and up again. As I watched the snow fall, it seemed a strange glow began. There was a tiny ramshackle looking shed in the globe. It looked as if it was growing larger... or maybe closer before my very eyes….

No, it wasn’t growing larger I was smaller!

The ground beneath me was soft but not cold. I could still see the glow inside the shed so I walked closer and slowly entered and I could not believe my eyes!

I saw hundreds of little people busy working and singing! It was a very warm magical place! As I walked in slowly a cute little lady handed me a tool belt and a hot drink which turned out to be a delightful hot toddy...

The warm toddy worked its way through my body. The aromatic spices and herbs filled my senses, and the Ballmoral Malt Whiskey eased my apprehensions. Suddenly the blocks of wood became live, the “little people” gazed out the frosty windows, and the birds, sheep, camels, oxen, and horses in the bright green pastures were dancing. A bonfire was glowing, the stars, moon and sun could all be seen. Day was night, and night became day. Was it a dream or a new reality...

Suddenly, I spotted something protruding through the snow. I reached out to brush the snow away. The felt slightly odd, reminding me that somehow I was in the snow globe world. As I pulled the snow away, an armadillo was revealed. There were rings on his back as if coffee cups had been left there. The tag on his collar read "Montgomery". Montgomery nudged me and started to plod through the snow. What could I do but follow him? Time passed, but the light stayed the same and it was impossible to say how far we walked. We arrived at the mouth of a cave and the armadillo wagged his tail and headed right in. Should I go with him? Was it safe?

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into to the cave. It was dark, and I had already lost sight of Montgomery the armadillo, although I heard his footsteps somewhere in front of me. I reached out my hands and slowly shuffled my feet forward, hoping not to trip or fall over any obstacles in the dark. Then my fingers brushed against something. I knew instantly it wasn't an armadillo. Whatever I had just touched, it was squishy! Then it started to glow, faintly at first. Carefully poking the glowing blob again, I took a closer look. It resembled a glowing jellyfish.

Was it more than a simple hot toddy that the cute little lady had given me or did I, like Alice in Wonderland, come to a strange place with a logic of its own?

“Montgomery!” I called into the dark.

My voice echoed back a dozen times. I pitied the poor, strange armadillo who might get lost in the dark. The cave must have been very deep, with more corners than one could count. It couldn’t have been safe. I had liked the look of the warm and brightly lit shed with hundreds of tiny workers much better.

I turned to go back—and froze. Not literally, although it was nearly that cold; the chill that ran down my spine was of a different kind. The exit was blocked by a thin sheet of ice with such intricate detail that I could swear it was a spider web, only made of tiny frozen crystals. I had just walked in. When did this appear?

I took a step toward the web of ice and stretched out my hand to touch it, but a voice rang in the silence of the dark cave:

“Careful. If you touch it, you will never be able to leave this place.”

I quickly snatched my hand back! Could this be the dreaded wool spider (if she exists) that we've been hearing so much about? I moved the glowing jellyfish closer and saw many pairs of wool socks, scarves and mittens littered around on the floor beneath the frozen web. "YIPES!!!!" I yelled, and scurried backwards away from the web as fast as I was able.

Squeezing my eyes shut as tight as I could, I softly murmured, "There's no place like home. . . there's no place like home." I felt a cool mist with snowflakes swirling around my body, and when I opened my eyes, there I was, back in the old man's shop, with a feather duster in my hand. I hollered in the direction of the back room, where I assumed the old man was, "I'm outta' here! It's too weird for me." and I ran out the door, while the bell tinkled.

As I ran out the door, the wooly spider ( if it exist ) grabbed ahold of me and tried to wrap me up in it web. All I could think about was my poor little tortoise kids. If I struggled, she would wrap me tighter, so I just relaxed and “Poof”, I fell out of her nest. I then slithered out the door quietly and realized I just left the only job I could find. Now, what a delema I have. Do I go back, or, do I run. I really need to make some money for my kids, they do have to eat.

Okay I CAN do this, it is for my babies after all. I slowly walked back to the door and peered through a crack to see if it was safe. I couldn't see anything lurking about. Pushing the door slowly open the light from outside shone inside the shop through the open door and it looked like everything was safe. The old man looked up from behind the counter, saw me and asked if everything was okay? I stammered everything was fine and that I had just gone outside for a little air ( from all the dust in the back room). I walked back to the room that I was previously dusting, but as I passed the old man...I stopped and asked him if he had had anything strange happen to him when he went into that room. He looked at me and asked 'Strange How?' 'Ummm, oh nothing' I quickly replied and went into the back. Completely missing the smile which came up on his face and the twinkle in his eye.
I carefully looked around the room and as I couldn't see anything out of the ordinary . So I picked up the duster to start working again. However I went to a different shelf this time and started dusting the globes on that shelf. There was a globe with reindeer in it. A Globe with a beach inside. A Globe with a lake and trees. But the funny thing was that each globe when picked up you could see the scenery inside moving, it was almost as if they were magic globes. In the globe with the reindeer I could see the reindeer standing in lines in a harness waiting in front of a sleigh. There was one right in the front with a shiny red nose. The globe with the beach I am sure I could see the sea washing up on the shore, I even thought I heard the sound of the sea. It soon became a game for me to pick up each globe and look inside to see the magic. Until I picked a globe which for me was the most beautiful one of all. As I looked inside I could see a beautiful house with lights shining out the windows. The house had christmas lights all around it and I could even hear christmas music. I was pressing my nose right against the glass of the globe to try and see if I could see inside the house. And then it started happening again, the house was coming closer and getting bigger and bigger until my nose was against the actual windows of the house. And what I saw inside took my breath away and my heart lit up with joy and happiness....

There I stood in utter astonishment. A feeling of peace came about me; the kind of feeling one experiences perhaps once in a lifetime, if at all. All the sights, sounds, and feelings of a Christmas morning spent as a child came about me. I ventured about in awe of it all. A light snow was falling amidst the brightly lit Holiday lights. The smell of wood burning in the hearth coupled with the scent of freshly baked apple pies.

I was suddenly paralyzed by the bliss that had befallen me; unaware of the strife and ineptitude of my daily life. When suddenly I began to feel a chill. The once lightly falling snow was getting heavier to the point of total whiteout. The smells of burning wood and fresh baked pies that had once kept me captive had quickly dissipated. The house seemed much less festive, and an eeriness of my surroundings set in. It was then that I remembered what Christmas truly meant to me: My dear children.

My bliss was now replaced by shame; that I would indulge in my own selfish euphoria while forgetting what truly made me happy. As reality set back in, I once again was standing in that quaint shop. The old man’s eyes stared into mine, grinning all the while. He winked at me as he slowly closed the cash register drawer. Could he have known? Was he somehow responsible for this?

"You seem to be tired." I hear the hoarse voice of the old man and feel his hand gently touching my shoulder and I awake !
Shame ! I felt asleep sitting in an old rocking chair behind one of those shelfs.
"Oh, I am so sorry ! I don`t wanted to sleep. I will go on with my work right now." I hear my own voice saying rubbing my tired eyes with my hands.
"No, it is enough for today. This work can be very hard sometimes." says the old man calm and friendly. "Please let me give you this little box as a payment for your work. Be very careful with it and don`t open it until you are at home. Good luck."
The old man put a small wooden box in my hand. "But ....." I say not really knowing what to say.
"It is okay, believe me. Now you must go home. I want to close the store."
"But, should I come back tomorrow ? " I was whispering.
"No, it is not necessary." says the old man and smiled at me with his watery blue eyes. "Trust me, all will be okay." he says.
"Thank you." I heard me saying not knowing for what I should be thankful and I leave the store with the small wooden box in my hand. The door bell jingles again and then I was on the street. I hear that the door of the store was locked behind me. How much time had passed ? It was beginnig to get dark on the street. I feel a deep confusion and other feelings too: Anger because I got no money, or was the money in the box ? And curiosity about what was the content of the box. Would it held just another nightmare dream for me ?
I feel that I`d better get back home. I was in a hurry now. One hand holding the box tightly I am running home.
That was beautiful.
Who wants to write the next paragraph?
 

Maro2Bear

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
May 29, 2014
Messages
14,713
Location (City and/or State)
Glenn Dale, Maryland, USA
First off, thanks to everyone in the CDR for the many birthday greetings, pictures, cards, and the cake was wonderful. Pretty darn accurate.

Wifey and I spent the day over on Marylands Eastern Shore and explored Blackwater National Wildlife refuge. Saw thousands of geese, hundreds of ducks, maybe 20 Bald Eagles, and 100’s of Tundra Swans! So kool! All the wildlife.

As hoped, I did get out in the kayak for a short paddle in a nice, protected calm area. It was really gusty today, but i found some quiet waters. Spotted many eagles, including a nice eagle nest.

Heres one pix, if you look closely, you can see an Eagle’s nest in the pine tree on the right, about 1/2 way up.

54AB2C51-90C1-48AD-9478-1548050AE032.jpeg


Thanks again for the birthday wishes!
 
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