Saturday, November 1, 2008

Wonderful Wonderful Wordzzle Hagen


Stop by RAVEN’S NEST and check out all the Wordzzle stories.

Panorama decided not to go to the mall, she hadn’t slept well and she felt cranky and exhausted. She had just about put the strange call from Vegas out of her mind and now the call from Chicago. The sound of her mother’s voice was like an arrow through her soul. Mom had always been good with a bow and arrow.

“Panny honey! Answer the phone. I know you’re there. You can’t avoid me forever you know. Finola’s school called again; we have to deal with this Panny. Call me.”

Panorama hadn’t seen her Mother in years. Her last image of Mom was of her in a waitress’ uniform, reading an issue of Glamour and smoking an extra long cigarette.

Panorama turned away from the answering machine and tripped over a squeaky toy. She scooped up the toy and called to Roscoe. He came running and took it happily. Panorama was glad she had found the toy, without it he’d be howling at the moon any time now.

Ireland settled into the wicker rocking chair with a soft sigh. She was enjoying her time at Waterloo. It was an odd place for sure but it was peaceful and beautiful as well. And she enjoyed Ray’s company. He didn’t compensate for Lovee’s absence but he was a good kid and unintentionally amusing.

“Did you want me to put olives in the martini?” Ray made Ireland jump out of her thoughts. “No honey, no olives”. Ireland laughed to herself. And he’s a good bartender. “So” Ireland started as she settled back, martini in hand. “There’s a lake or stream near here?” Ray shook his head. “Are ya sure honey? I could swear I saw a cormorant this morning, they only live near water.” “Is that those things that look like grasshoppers only they’re rare?” It was Ireland’s turn to shake her head. “That’s a praying mantis; I’m talking about a bird”. Ray played with the straws on the table as he spoke, making strange perpendicular patterns. “There is a pond or something near the shanty town”. Ireland tried to keep an open, objective mind but the strangeness was getting stranger. She hadn’t heard the term shanty town in a hundred years.

“Can we have a civil conversation?” Pickles Pendegrass asked her daughter. Panorama was glad her mother couldn’t see the sneer that crossed her face. Civil? Now she wanted to be civil? Of course, she needed something.

“I don’t know Pickles. Can we? Let’s start with your ridiculous name.” Pickles tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. “You know why I chose the nickname, you liked it.” “The symbolism is not lost on me Pickles but that was when I was a girl and we were a team, before Finola. Pickles sighed. “Did you know Finola left school?” “I assumed something was up. I got a strange call a few weeks ago.” Pickles sounded frustrated. “And you didn’t call me. Or at least call the school. It’s dangerous for her to just be wandering the planet.” Panorama was equally frustrated. This was where they always ended up. “I’m well aware of the statistics of troubled girls versus the world Mom, very aware.” Pickles didn’t hear the anger in Panorama’s voice. She just heard the word Mom.

Squeaky toy
Perpendicular
Olives
Shanty
Howling at the moon
Soul
Bow and arrow
Uniform
Statistics
Praying mantis

Glamour
Rocking chair
Cormorant
Objective
Symbolism

20 comments:

Dr.John said...

And another story goes on or should we say the plot thickens. It is marvelous the way you make everything come together.
Little by little you are fleshing out the characters and giving them a history.
Great writing.

Melli said...

Oh we just didn't get enough "meat and potatoes" this week though!!! I'm still HUNGRY! More please! (honestly, these on-going Saturday stories are becoming an addiction... and Rich hasn't posted yet... AAARGH!) LOL!

Dianne said...

dr. john - thanks so much!! I appreciate the kind words

melli - rich is on his way to Starbucks I assume, it is early in AZ
I agree there is meat lacking this week. I can't decide what happened to Finola and her Mom and GrandMom to make the relationships all such a mess. Why did she end up in the school she hated?
Also - I want to keep Pavorotti. He is so eccentric. BUT he can't just be at Waterloo on his own so I have to decide how big Waterloo is and who are the citizens. Too many characters will take away from Finola but not enough will make Waterloo boring.
AND - OY!! - I can't decide where the hell Finola is right now and how/who finds her. LOL - and I think real life is complicated

Jay said...

I'm so far behind on Wordzzling. I didn't even know that Panorama had left Vegas.

How can I kill her now? LOL ;-)

bobbie said...

Yes, the plot thickens - but not fast enough for me. I do appreciate your quandry. How to pull it all together and continue without having it become too much with too many characters. Well - thankfully for me, that is your problem, not mine! Go, girl!

Jeff B said...

This is like the Energizer Bunny of stories, it keeps going and going...

After having missed a couple of weeks I've got to reacquaint myself with the characters again.

Cherie said...

I think that this tangent is wonderful. It makes the story that much richer to see the backstory of Finola's family and their relationships. A very interesting development. :)

Dianne said...

jay - didn't Panorama become Pandora - the evil twin sister? I could have sworn that happened early on in the relationship with Darth.
But still it was rude of her not to let you know, I'll have Pickles speak to her.

bobbie - I LOVE your new picture!! You look so beautiful.
I hope there will be a lot of action next week.

jeff - all the previous installments are over on the sidebar. the very first set has a list of characters. so when you positively, absolutely, totally have nothing better to do grab a beer and catch up.

cherie - thanks!! the last couple of weeks I noticed that Finola was being seen as flighty or nasty or mean spirited by a few people and I had to make her more than a girl on the run. what I don't know but it'll come to me LOL

Richard said...

Dianne: this episode said a lot and told a lot. Family dynamics are crazy stuff, huh?

Rich

Raven said...

You are such a good writer. Like other's I'm hungry for the brilliant and creative action you write so well, but it is so good partly because, as you did today, you continue to deepen and develop the characters. Poor Pickles. I look forward to learning more about her. Oh... and Jay's comment just cracked me up and I thought your response to it was very funny too.

Travis Cody said...

This does have a bit of a "marking time" flavor. I've found the best way to figure out what happens next is to keep plugging away with the surrounding stories. Eventually something sparks, and then the stuck character actually comes around and tells you what they are up to next.

That's the theory anyway. I'm struggling to get started on my NaNo, so we'll see if I can take my own advice.

Lu' said...

she just heard the word Mom I can feel her, yes I can :)

Jay said...

Doh! I'm a goober. And easily confused. Obviously.

I can still kill Pandora then, right? LOL ;-)

Chatty said...

Oh, I do love the story you are spinning here, and I've only been involved with your characters for a few weeks. One of these days I'm going to have to go back and read about their travails from the beginning.
Now, I don't want to cavil, but a martini without olives is just WRONG. Unless, of course, you have an onion instead. Or, better yet, BOTH.
However, I'm hoping you just wrote about an olive-less martini because of the word constraints ; )

Linda said...

Very well, Dianne, I really enjoyed that! I'm going to have to keep up with the rest of it now!

I've never actually had a martini with or without an olive ...

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I don't know how you do this EVERY Time! AMAZING!
That you find the ways to use all the words and have it all make sense, and be funny, too..Well, like I said...IT IS AMAZING!

BTW: I will have my 3rd Anniversary Post up LATE Tonight...Early tomorrow....Do Come By, if you get a chance, my dear.

Reb said...

Wow, Dianne, you just keep on feeding us with Finola and we will grovel at your feet.

Dianne said...

rich - you sparked something for me!! thanks
Finola was becoming cartoonish, she was a series of escapades and one liners. Now with her Mom and GrandMom I can give her a past and feelings.
and Oy to family dynamics

raven - Jay kills me!! He has the most understated delivery!!
thanks for getting into Pickles, I think I'm starting to like her :)

travis - thanks for the encouragement. I think you're right :)

lu' - thank you!
Pickles is human, I appreciate that!!

jay - I adore you!! you gorgeous goober you.
I give you permission to kill whoever you want to kill ;)

chatty - I drink olive less martinis!! I am a savage, I know ;)
I'm glad you're enjoying the story

linda - welcome to Wordzzle :)
thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed. actually I usually drink pomegranite martinis, Oprah had them on a show and I got hooked. LOL

oldold lady of the hills - thank you!! every week you're so kind and enthusiastic :)
I will be by later today

reb - ahhhh the power I have LOL
thanks lady :)

Akelamalu said...

You always make using the given words seem so effortless Dianne, a great job as always.

I didn't play this week as I was away, as you know. I'll be back!

Dianne said...

akelamalu - welcome home!
looking forward to hearing about the trip