Saturday, October 4, 2008

Cozy Up With a Wordzzle


Happy Wordzzle Saturday! It’s a crisp chilly fall weekend here in NJ. Wonderful Wordzzling Weather.

Stop by RAVEN’S NEST and check it out.

This week’s words:

Tattletale
Homogenous
Flighty
Cornucopia
Plethora
Militant
Lovelorn
Myopic
Digitalized
Mute


Washing machine
Cholesterol
Blatantly
Birdman of Alcatraz
Poltergeist

Finola - Part 14 - the first 13 installments have been combined and posted on the sidebar.

The road ahead was long and flat and empty but at least the sun was rising. Finola’s barely contained tears stung even more as she squinted into the widening sunlight. As much as Ray annoyed her she now wished he was by her side, if only to drive. Pavarotti’s car was new and comfortable and an ease to handle compared to the old jalopy and the ATV but still, it was hard to plan while concentrating on the road. This myopic lifestyle had to stop. The stress of not knowing what might happen next was as bad as being back at school. It was only tempered by the physical freedom. Not knowing what to do next Finola rehashed the events that had led her to this latest road trip.

Pavarotti had been exhausted from his trip and had gone to bed before midnight. Ray was, as usual, in the screening room. Finola stood in the doorway waiting to be noticed. The sound was so loud she needed to shout “Pause it or mute it or something. I have to talk to you”. Ray jumped at the sound of her voice. “I didn’t see you; this Birdman of Alcatraz movie is a trip”. Finola blatantly ignored him as she drummed her fingers on the door jam and tapped her foot impatiently. “You want to talk to me now?” Ray asked with his usual command of the obvious. The look on Finola’s face must have been pained; Ray leapt from the sofa and came to her side. “Are you sick again? We never did take care of your bite problem. I thought it was OK”. Finola assured Ray that she was fine. “I’m just feeling like it’s time to move on”. She ignored Ray’s confusion and plunged on. “I’m antsy Ray; I think we’ve been here long enough’. Ray seemed more and more upset as Finola stuttered to come up with a good reason to leave. “Look! I’m flighty OK! that is it. No other reasons. It is just time to go”. Ray stood up straight and tried desperately not to look forlorn and lovelorn. “I don’t mind you yelling at me all the time Posh, not when you at least make sense. But yelling and demanding just to be yelling and demanding, well – that’s a pile of crap”. Wow! Finola thought. Homeboy goes all militant moron! Good for him. “I’m sorry Ray” she told him softly. “I guess what with Pav being back, I’m feeling like we’re wearing out our welcome. I probably just need some sleep”. She leaned forward and kissed Ray’s forehead and turned away before he could say another word.

After pacing back and forth in her room for a bit Finola realized she had to act. Inaction was the enemy. Doing something, anything, was the plan. She packed her meager belongings into the backpack Pavarotti had given her. It made her smile just to look at it. It was the most vivid purple with huge peacock feathers on it. Pav had called it her right to be bestowed with ‘A Plethora of Purple Plumage’. Finola hated the idea of leaving Pav. She left the light on in her room and quietly slipped into the Photo Shop room. She didn’t want to take anything of monetary value from Pav, she still had most of the cash she had left school with, she just wanted the photo of the little boy in the wedding party. Finola found the photo exactly where she thought it would be. She stuffed it into her backpack and went back out into the main hall. Ray was still in the screening room. Pavarotti was asleep. With the light on in her room she knew that if either of them came out to the hall they would think she was sleeping. Finola only slept when the lights were on.

Finola pulled into the truck stop. It was almost noon, she had been driving since before dawn and needed to stretch and get some food. At one end of the truck stop there was a diner called ‘Cornucopia’. At the other end a bar called ‘Tattletale’. Finola wondered why a bar would be called ‘Tattletale’ when she realized it was ‘Tattle tail’ and it wasn’t a bar it was a strip club. She laughed at the silliness of men and headed for the diner. She was in the mood for pancakes.

Ray had to shout over the vibration of the washing machine. “Hey Pav, you gonna make breakfast? I have a craving for pancakes”. Pavarotti smiled at Ray and nodded. “Pancakes sound good, I just wanted to get all my trip laundry sorted out”. They headed to the kitchen together. Ray was rambling on about Pav’s movie selection. “I can’t believe how many movies you have. Even the ones I’ve seen before, like Poltergeist, seem different, they look and sound better. Must be that High Digitalized stuff. Right?” Pavarotti had known Ray for a while and found it best to only correct him when it was a matter of safety. Pav smiled thinking of how he had noticed Posh take that same approach with Ray. “Is Posh awake?” he asked Ray. Ray said the lights were all on in her room so she must still be sleeping. “We’ll let her sleep until breakfast is ready” Pav suggested as he laid out all the pancake ingredients. He asked Ray to get the milk by the back door. “There’s a milkman all the way out here?” Ray asked as he set the bottle on the counter. “No” Pavarotti told him, “the milk comes from the cows I keep. Tommy milks them every morning. He leaves me what I need and takes the rest for his family”. Ray was staring at the milk bottle. “Is it safe to drink?” “Of course it is” Pav said. “Why wouldn’t it be?” “I thought it had to be homogenous” Ray answered confidently. “Don’t worry” Pav told him. “The cows are definitely homogenous; this way we skip the factory”. Ray was satisfied with that response.

Finola sat in a booth by the window. This was the first time since leaving Waterloo that she had seen any traffic and she was enjoying watching the cars and trucks come and go. She assumed that by now Ray or Pavarotti had discovered she was gone. Her pancakes arrived, steaming hot with butter melting down the sides.

Pavarotti piled the pancakes onto a large platter as Ray went to call Finola.

A sweet voice cussed softly as her pancakes all ran together. “Lovee you’re making me ruin breakfast. And you know you need to eat soon so you can take your cholesterol pill”. The large RV had to suddenly slow down as it approached the truck stop. “I’m sorry sweetie, didn’t expect traffic. We could just wait and eat at Waterloo”.

26 comments:

Raven said...

I am so sad that Finola had to leave Pav... and I love the pancakes uniting the three segments. Can't wait for next week's exciting episode. I wish I was the enterprising kind of person who could put all our wordzzles together into a book. Wouldn't that be great? We could have a Finola chapter when her story is done, A Darth Vader chapter, a chapter for Rich's book... and then either chapter's for each person or some other way of dividing it up. But I ramble. I love Finola and her adventures. You write so well.

HeatherK said...

I agree with Raven that I wish I could put the wordzzles together in episodes for a book. Well done.

Mimi Lenox said...

I've seen this word puzzle around for a long time. You do well with it.

Thank you so much for posting the BlogBlast banner in your sidebar. I've added a link to your sight in my sidebar along with bloggers who have done the same. I can't wait to read your words on November 6th!

Welcome to the movement.

Mimi

Akelamalu said...

I love that you called the diner and bar 'Cornucopia and Tattletale' - ingenious!

Melli said...

I think this is the BEST chapter I've read so far! I wish I had time to just sit today and read the whole story start to finish! Maybe Monday! I love the Tattle Tails! LOL! And the milk being homogeneous! Too funny!

Dianne said...

raven - a book sounds wonderful. I think I have to think on that ;)
Pav will return, of that I am certain. He's too magnetic a character plus Finola took the photo and that keeps them connected and and and ... lol

heather - thanks so much!!

mimi - thank you! for all the work you do. I really appreciate you taking the time to visit and to e-mail me too. I am looking forward to Nov 6.

akelamalu - there is actually a diner near me called Cornucopia :)
best grilled cheese ever lol
tattle tail - that I don't know where it came from - I never (rarely) go to strip clubs ;)

melli - I hope you do get to read back, thanks for even wanting to and thanks for such kind words!! It was you and dr. john asking about old installments last week that finally made me get my act together. thanks!!

Kimmie said...

Well Goodness Girl I am on the edge of my seat again! You have me rivited to this story to the max! I love Finola. I love how you have them all eating pancakes...and that Pav will be returning. Keep those wheels a turning Di, you are so good at this! :-)
Hugs,
Kimmie

Dr.John said...

So the adventure goes on without our old pal Pav. But with lots of pancakes. What a wonderful way to use the words. You are indeed a writer of some skill.

Unknown said...

dianne: I'll go for the shorter version this time. Here we go: My Washing machine ROCKS without rolling, and to be blatantly honest with you my Cholesterol has never been a problem. Now you may find "Birdman of Alcatraz" making an appearance on my "Friday Movie Suggestion Night" feature. But unless I want to go another round with insomnia, "Poltergeist" will not be making it to my list. DIANNE ROCKS!!! :D TA-DA____!

Jay said...

Moving on is always so sad. But, pancakes are always good comfort food to remind us of home.

Travis Cody said...

I love the set up for the next adventure.

Jeff B said...

Suddenly I'm in the mood for pancakes. Hmmmm

This installment stands out as one of my favorites. The dual story lines working together were perfectly executed.

Mom Knows Everything said...

You really should do a book about Fiona!!!

Dianne said...

kimmie - thanks!!

dr john - I predict pav's return :)
thanks so much for such a nice compliment

michael - you rock too :)

jay - pancakes are the ultimate comfy food.

travis - thanks!

jeff - what a cool thing to say!, thanks. I've been craving pancakes all day.

tammy - I might just do that, thank you :)

Anonymous said...

That was a great installment. I loved the milk line and the militant moron line. Poor Ray... He cracks me up, though.

Have a great weekend.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

You are a Gehius, my dear! I am so impressed with not only how you use all the words each time but the development of the story is utterly fascinating...
And "The Pancakes"....what a perfect thing to bring all of them together....!
BTILLIANT, Dianne....just Brilliant!

Lu' said...

I sure like reading about Finola and damn at the ending.

Carletta said...

Hi Dianne,
Saw a comment over at Jeff's that you are still in a cast. Hope it won't be long till it's off.
Homogenous for the milk was genius.
Eating pancakes before taking a cholesterol pill - yeah, that's the way to get it down!

Chatty said...

homogeneous milk - love it! Not to mention the Tattle Tail strip club.
This looks like a VERY interesting story!

bobbie said...

The best chapter yet!

Everybody loves pancakes\!

Dianne said...

mommywizdom - thanks!! I liked the militant moron too! just the right shade of nasty ;)

oldoldlady of the hills - Wow!! thanks so much :)

lu' - thanks, now I have to take all that tension somewhere next week. Oy!

carletta - thanks, won't know what the steps (hehehe) are until Friday. I'll be so glad to feel my foot again. I thought pancakes and cholesterol were just perfect together.

chatty - thanks I appreciate that. If you truly have absolutely nothing else to do one day check out the earlier episodes :)

bobbie - thanks!! Pancakes - the universal uniter! lol

Reb said...

Fabulous darling! I can't wait for the next installment. Militant moron is the best!

Dianne said...

reb - thanks! thanks! I appreciate that.

Ramblings of a Villas Girl said...

Hi Dianne! I believe Finola made a bad move this time.
Great installment. Can't wait until next week. Lisa

PS: how is the foot?

Deb said...

So...you totally pulled me in -hook,line and sinker! Now I HAVE to read the other chapters. Be prepared - when I get nothing done around here and people start complaining that I have done nothing all day - I am blaming you :) I love the way you weave it all together! Very entertaining.

Dianne said...

lisa - I think Finola is starting to realize she can't just keep running so we shall see. All paths appear to be converging :)
the foot is a pain in the butt lol
back to the doc on Friday, hopefull cast comes off. thanks so much for asking

deb - Oh NO!! I have corrupted another fine citizen :)
I'm so glad you like Finola and her antics, thanks!!