It was 29th February in a Leap Year. (Not that it’s possible to have a February 29th in any year other than a Leap Year.) Jerome was feeling pretty upbeat. It felt as if he was getting a day for nothing. It was free. He’d take the day off work, unpaid; after all, there were still 365 other days in the year. His annual wages would stay the same.
He packed a picnic lunch and drove off towards the hills. He thought he’d walk the “famous” tourist track. He’d never done it. Everyone said the view was spectacular. There were no shops during the five hour walk. One had to take one’s own food and water.
Walk it he did. He took some lovely photos. He had a nice conversation with others walking the trail. His lunch was most pleasant. The track went in a circle so it ended in the same place as the parked cars.
A good thing to do on a Leap Day! Pleasant indeed!
See! (O Those of You-Who-Are-Cynical-Readers) not all events of life are tragic or full of surprises or over-the-top extraordinary.
It had been a delightful way to spend the day prior to dying in his sleep that night.
To listen to the story being read click HERE!
LEAPING LIZARDS!! ….as Little Orphan Annie, Miss Hannigan, and Daddy Warbucks used to say.
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LEAPING LIZARDS is certainly better than that maddening expression from Gone with the wind: GREAT BALLS OF FIRE!
And – everyone – Cynthia’s poetry book won an award! – here! Leaping Lizards! Great balls of fire!
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That’s wonderful news – I love Cynthia’s book of poetry and am waiting for the next volume to be published. I followed the link and glancing quickly, read the site’s title as ‘readers digest’ and thought ‘Oh, no! They’re abridging her works……..’ 🙂 Coffee required! Congrats on the ‘Honourable Mention’ Cynthia.
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Thanks, Pauline. Writer’s Digest is a national publication that I used to subscribe to back in the 1970’s, and had great respect for, as an example of that particular genre, i.e. essays and articles to help writers who wanted to publish. I am amazed it is still around, today, and has a thriving web presence. It is a serious effort though more in gear with the ordinary reader than the academic—something I always liked about it. (Too many “courses” for writers on the internet are conducted by people with university degrees that don’t amount to much.) Anyway, it was only by a fluke among my WordPress stats yesterday that I found my book was one of only two awarded an Honorable Mention in the 23rd Annual Awards for self-published poetry category. They never even notified me, and I don’t know how it happened. Beau, in cat heaven, pulling strings, as Bruce hypothesized.
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That Beau doesn’t muck around does he! Good work Beau!! ❤ Are you intending to publish another anthology Cynthia? I'd like to encourage you ………..
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That’s very kind of you, Pauline. I’m letting the poems pile up until I have enough of those—and also the ambition to do it. (The mental picture of my “heirs” tossing it all in a dumpster when I turn up my toes, has a tendency to get me organized and going in that direction.) 🙂
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Yes, that is a handy organisational impulse – the same picture tends to make me keep my art and craft supplies in order 🙂
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It’s enough to make ones heir stand on end.
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My own are too kinky for that.
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😀 What then about your ‘ears?
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Too corny.
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Amaizing!
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Aww…shucks…
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You win! I’ve sat here for 5 minutes trying to concoct a pun! Shucking was a word I never knew until I went to the States – and I helped a neighbour shuck over 200 ears of corn. It’s such a good word.
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:-D….it certainly is a good word, for all the things it can rhyme with, too!
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Don’t stretch your luck!
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Congratulations Cynthia !
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Thank you very much, Sylvie. It was a surprise, and a good one!
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After I finish calling you names for lulling us into a sense of false serenity, may I add my congratulations to that little old lady who writes poetry?
Now, the names; many start with “b”, and sadistic features as a modifier, frequently.
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Thank you for the congrats, Yvonne…..I am imagining the names that start with a “b”, and that’s not good. You, above all, can get away with calling Bruce names, because you are both, in my estimation, delightfully incorrigible.
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Thanks, Cynthia. Coming from you, that’s a compliment not to be taken lightly! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the 3 of us could meet one day!?
How are you and Lulu doing? ❤
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Lulu and I are doing fine, thanks, Yvonne. She’s an amazing cat….though she still is wary and sticking close to me, as if I might suddenly, inexplicably, disappear.
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Thank you, Cynthia. At least you’re not taking sides!
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Glad to have made your day, Yvonne!
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This is very cool! and not a peep from Cynthia! Wow. I hope it gets many more readers for the lovely poems in the book!
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It’s not the quantity of readers, but the quality of readers, like yourself, for instance, Lisa. 🙂
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Thanks, Cynthia!
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That makes us pretty famous, by association, doesn’t it?
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Yes it does…but no so you should try getting into a speakeasy by saying “Cynthia sent me…”
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Darn …
Maybe I’ll try the local pub that serves Leak (sic) and potato soup, using your name.
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Atta girl! And becoming thereby apprised of your importance, they’ll probably give you complimentary croutons with that!
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I have to use the overworked LOL for that one, Cynthia
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And would he still have died if there hadn’t been a leap day, I wonder…..
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It may have been something he caught on the walk!
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What a great idea to take off the extra day. I was thinking of doing it so if you don’t hear from me you’ll know what happened.
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Just don’t take any of those fattening rice crackers with you!
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It ain’t the rice cracker, it’s the cheese. I have, by the way, given up nothing, not being of the faith. It was just a thought. A trifling. Blither blather. Jibber jabber.
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It was a cracker (if I may repeat my joke – and hope it’s not an Australasian expression! – otherwise it will be in blue vein).
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This reminds me of English speaking people who speak louder and louder to non English speakers thinking that volume makes sense. Blame it on the date-line.
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WHAT?
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Where’s this date-line? Do they have mature fellows looking for soul mates on that site?
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Darn it, you did it again! Nice one.
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LOL! Thanks! I will admit to giggling every time I read it!
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Sadistic B…. (that’s Bruce, what did you think I meant?)
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My middle name is Bernard and I thought for a moment you’d got muddled!
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Too bad it wasn’t Benny.
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[Groaaaaaaaaaaaan!] But then again, why not? A lovely way to end a life 🙂
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You bring out the worst in me, Pauline!
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It’s ALL my fault?
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I’m innocent 😀
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That was a good one Bruce 🙂
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Thanks Sylvie!
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Actually laughed out loud 😀
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Excellent!!!
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Bruce, you’re just awful! Toying with us and then giving us death and destruction anyway. I was sure he would be killed in the car park.
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Oh Lisa – that would be soooo cruel!!!
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That was wicked, Bruce! I had a foreboding of something sinister coming up when you said the track was circular ending in the same place as parked cars.
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You’re too suspicious!
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If he died before midnight will there be a quadrennial anniversary of his death so that after he’s been dead 100 years it will only be the 25th anniversary?
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Either way – as they say – stiff!
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Nice way to go though. To finish with fresh air and views.
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Oh my word! Well at least he had an extra day on earth
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He’s probably counting his blessings!
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