Pam Logan's Blog, page 3

Indies Unlimited 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology

Each Saturday, IndiesUnlimited.com posts a photo by award-winning author and photographer K.S. Brooks along with a short written prompt. Entrants are asked to write a story about the picture using the prompt in 250 words or less within four days. Readers are then asked to vote. Those winning stories have been put in the book Indies Unlimited 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology.

I was lucky enough to win week 2:

Prompt: You have recovered a buried memory. The scene to the right is the now and suddenly familiar image that springs to the forefront of your mind. What happened there? Was it a suppressed memory of unimaginable horror? Was it the scene of your first romance long ago? Try to remember what happened there...

Timestream

It happened so long ago, I had completely forgotten about it until now. Walking through the woods, seeing the creek with the rippling water and cascading waterfalls brought it back like it was yesterday.
My brother and I had made boats out of plastic, cardboard, tape, anything we could find. It was a race to see who could get to the end in one piece. We ran through the woods with our homemade boats, he with his GI Joe and me with my Barbie, were ready.
With passengers strapped in, we let them go on the count of three. It started out slow and calm, neck and neck, or maybe, bow and bow. We walked, then ran alongside laughing and giggling, encouraging our boats to go faster, poking with sticks if they got stuck on a branch or rock, yelling at each other if one or the other helped too much.
The boats twisted, turned and spun around in the current. The creek got wider and faster. We couldn’t poke anymore. Both boats flipped upside down and back again. They went over a small waterfalls, passengers toppling out of the boats and boats coming apart in pieces. That was the last time we saw any them.
Last year, when we said goodbye at the airport, as he headed off to Afghanistan, I gave him a GI Joe and he gave me a Barbie. We both laughed until we cried. I will never see him again except in my memories.
--by Pam Logan
Please check out the the book and the wonderful stories written by the many talented authors.

Uncle Woody

My Uncle Woody is one man that has truly lived. He is not notorious, or famous or a daredevil or in the public eye, but he has touched the lives and hearts of many. He was a loving husband of 57 years and a devoted father who raised six children. He put in 42 years of hard work at The Bethlehem Steel Plant in Lackawanna to support them.
On January 4, 2013, he left his family and friends with many happy memories of childhood escapades to family parties, picnics and reunions to watching his children grow up and become parents themselves and making him a grandfather and great-grandfather. His love of music and certain family values and the importance of friendship were instilled in his kids, turning him into a wonderful role-model.
He always had a smile and a "Hi, how are ya?" for everyone, every time and he had a certain walk that anyone could pick him out of a crowd. He would help anyone that needed it and had a way of making everyone feel welcome in his home and in his life.
He was a good man and he will be missed.

RIP Edward C. "Woody" Sniezak

Happy New Year

To all my family & friends - I wish you the best!

I hope all the troubles, issues, aches & pains that have followed you through 2012 can be left on the doorstep as you enter 2013 so you can start fresh. I thank you for traveling through this life with me. I just want you to know you have made a difference - the world is a better place because you are in it.
God Bless You!

Bad Book

[image error] Life has been very hectic; so much to do and no ambition to do it. I have writing to do and when I sit down to do it, I have no problem, the thoughts, ideas and words come with ease - I just don't feel like doing it. I have housework to do, but hey, it can wait until tomorrow or next week. I want to eat but don't feel like cooking. The lawn needs to be cut, but it rained so I will wait until tomorrow or maybe the next day.

Trying to get out of this funk, I decided to read a book. Since all the books I have on my digital book shelf waiting to be read are probably good, my mood determined that I should read a bad book, so on that note, I read BAD BOOK by K.S. Brooks, Stephen Hise & JD Mader.

Well, BAD BOOK is definitely a bad book and for as bad as I felt when I started, I can honestly say it cheered me up. It was funny, enlightening, creative and very imaginative. Every chapter dove into different genres, time periods, and book and movie references with entertaining spirit, very little grace and numerous sexual innuendos. I expected nothing less from Brooks, Hise and Mader.

The main character, Case, just Case - not Justin Case or even Just N. Case - just Case bounced around or more like stumbled through each chapter believing he was God's gift to women, a manly man, a fearless stud. Ha ha, I said stud! He took every opportunity to unknowingly prove himself wrong. In the end... I don't want to spoil it for you because it is a bad book. I loved it!

Blue Moon

[image error] Once in a blue moon, it happens - everything gets shot to hell.

Normally things go along pretty smoothly. I mean there are ups and downs but they are manageable. I have a good relationship with God, well I guess it's a good relationship with Jesus. I think God pretty much rolls his eyes and says, "Jesus, she's here again, you handle it," and he does. I get that much needed kick in the butt or slap on the side of the head from time to time to keep me in line, but in general, life is good.

Then, once in a great while, once in a blue moon, a big kick ass problem comes along, like this time owing a lot of money by a certain day or the world ends, well not really but close. It seems that I focus all my hopes, dreams and prayers on that one thing and I ask for help from Jesus or God or whoever is listening for that one thing and everything else falls apart. (I’m pretty sure when it comes right down to it, it is God.) Relationships are strained, problems at work with the printer, washing machines needs parts put back together every time I use it, the bank calls and says I'm overdrawn when actually I'm not, and last but not least, I dropped the iPod Touch and broke the screen.

I should know by now that my prayers get answered (the date for that big payment got postponed on the very last day) so I shouldn't lose focus on all the little things. Every time something like this happens, I tell myself to let God handle the big things and just keep working at the little things, but somehow my faith wavers and I screw things up. The next blue moon isn't until July 2015. Maybe by then I'll learn to Let Go & Let God.

Iron Butt

I sat on the back of a motorcycle with my husband doing the driving for a ride from Buffalo, New York to Eureka Springs, Arkansas for a motorcycle Meet-n-Greet. We did an Iron Butt ride, technically called The Saddle Sore 1,000 (1,000 miles or more in 24 hours or less). Our actual ride was 1,053 in 21 hours. Woo Hoo! And, surprisingly, I wasn't even that sore.

It was a beautiful ride, starting out about 3:00 EST Sunday, stopping here and there for food and gas and a few times to stretch our legs. We listened to our favorite songs preprogrammed into the iPod and enjoyed the scenery as I sat back and relaxed in the queen's seat of our Honda Goldwing. The weather was perfect. It started out hot - 90's, cooled some in the evening and I needed my hoodie and jacket during the night. By the time we got to our destination at about 1:00 CST it was back in the 90's. We saw a few storms rolling in and out, but riding 70 mph, we just missed them, hitting a few raindrops at one point and catching a few wet spots that had already gone by, getting wetter from road splash than we did from the raindrops.

We saw a couple deer in the fields away from the road and a woodchuck now and then, so the trip was uneventful and thankfully safe. The hawks flying overhead were amazing as they soared through the air with so little effort. Sitting on the back of the bike, wind dancing to the music, I felt like I was flying with them.

It was an incredible trip and we met up with some of the most wonderful people at our NASSIR (North American Steve Saunders International Rally) Event via Goldwingfacts.com. It is true that YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA!

Mother’s Day 2012

[image error] Is it for a special night out or a lazy Sunday afternoon by the pool? Should you serve it with swordfish or cheese and crackers? Enjoy with your friends or break bread with family?

Yes. That’s the Conundrum. A perfect blend of California white grapes make it the perfect wine, any time.

It was a bottle given to me in remembrance of my Mom, so should I drink it in her memory, or save it forever? I don't know why, but this Mother's Day was very hard for me. It was a great day enjoyed on so many aspects with family and friends, probably the best Mother's Day yet, but for as much joy, there were just as many tears.

I drank the wine in memory of my Mom and I will treasure the bottle forever. I really miss you Mom.

Description of LIFE GOES ON

[image error] Johnny Styles had spent most of his fifty some years partying, drinking, fighting and stumbling through bars, pool halls and the arms of beautiful women without much care. With the death of his best friend, Samantha, contrary to his belief that the world would end, both his life and heart have opened up to let in his estranged family and love for a woman who has been nothing more than a thorn in his side for years.
When his new love Leeny disappears, Johnny sets off on his own to find her. The clues are few and far between, starting off with her old boyfriend, turning to his son and the lunatic he is shacking up with and ending with a serial killer. As the evidence leads in all different directions, with some pointing back at himself, his friends and family continually tell him that Leeny may have just gone off with some other guy to live happily ever after.
Determined to find her, he is beaten, arrested, accused of murder, thrown in a cellar with beady eyed vermin, tormented by Blondie the rat queen, and forced to bet the life of his lover in a game of pool, only to find out that whether he likes it or not, Life Goes On.

The End of 2011

Another year gone and what have I done? To be honest, not a whole lot. I didn't fulfill any resolutions, because I didn't make any. Previous years have proved that to be too depressing, so I don't bother any more. I had hoped to finish writing the book I started, but I didn't. It would have been nice if I was lighter than I started out the year, but I'm not. My hopes of getting rid of some of the clutter and junk are still that - hopes. At least I haven't been viewed on an episode of Hoarders. (Yet!) Oh, and I didn't hit the lottery, either.

I am grateful that I haven't lost any close friends or family due to that black cloaked, scythe wielding character that pays visits from time to time; although, there were some real scares with heart problems and a few bouts with cancer in people around me; I, on the other hand, have been very lucky in that regard.

I haven't become rich and famous with my first book. I do hope that those that have read it, have enjoyed it. That means a lot to me, that I had some effect on someone somewhere. I hope more than to just my family, and I don't mean to belittle that either.

I am sorry to anyone, anywhere that I have let down, neglected or been just plain rude to. It was never my intention to hurt anyone. Please forgive me for taking out my anger and frustrations on you; again, I'm not making resolutions, but I will try to do better.

I am going to start out 2012 with the hopes that you will have a wonderful, healthy and prosperous year. God Bless!

Chrzan

I married into a Polish family a little over 28 years ago. My husband and his two brothers grew up in a household where both parents spoke fluent Polish at times, so the boys wouldn't know what was being said. The boys had no interest in learning the language and now only know a little more than a handful of the words their parents spoke.
Being in the family, I have picked up a few terms over the years like daj mi buzi (give me a kiss), ja cie kocham (I love you), na zdrowie (cheers) and a few others here and there. One of the great things I have learned to look forward to is the food on Christmas and Easter. Pierogies, Polish sausage with marjoram (majeranek) and beet horseradish (chrzan) were, and still are, on every holiday table.
The chrzan was always made by my husband's Aunt Dolores. She has supplied a jar to certain family members for every holiday. As time goes on, it was a bit much for her to keep doing it and as I have shared some of our jar with my family, we ran out quick. Last year, I bought a jar at the Broadway Market, but it just wasn't the same. On that note, this year, I decided to tackle the job myself.
I got the recipe from Aunt Dolores. She always bought the ground horseradish at the market and added beets, vinegar and sugar accordingly. Sounded easy enough to me. She also explained that the usual guy at the market was only there at certain times and may be going out of business. Time is tight so I didn't want to take the chance of missing the market guy or possibly getting it and not being able to use it right away, so I bought two large horseradish roots and my daughter picked up the jars of whole beets.
Yesterday, with a stuffy nose and head cold and no one at home so, no distractions, I decided to kill two birds with one stone - clear my sinuses and make chrzan.
I don't have a grinder, but I do have a shredder. I cleaned and peeled the horseradish and held it in the shredder while I turned the crank. Holy cow! or should I say Holy Kielbasa! I should have worn a hazmat suit. Clear my sinuses? I had fluids leaking, no pouring, out of every orifice of my head. I think my ears were bleeding. I was sweating, my nose was running and my eyes were watering so much, I could barely see. I ran around and opened the doors and put a fan in the kitchen on high, pulling air in one door and blowing out the other. I didn't care that it was 38° out. The dog even ran out of the house. I grabbed a box of tissues and kept wiping my eyes, but I was afraid if I touched the tissue and that part touched my eyes, I would go blind. I really should have thought this out before I started. This lasted for about 20 minutes.
I put the shredded horseradish, vinegar and drained beets in a bowl and mixed it with my KitchenAid mixer. That worked good, but the horseradish pieces were a bit large for my taste, so I dumped it into the Vita-Mix with the appropriate amount of sugar. After a few clicks of the switch for back and forth mixing and chopping, it looked right and to my surprise, tasted great. I spooned it into jars, cleaned up the mess, closed the doors and turned up the heat.
I am really proud of my accomplishment. Will I do it again? Yes, but the grinding part will be done out on the porch!

Wesołych świąt! Bożego Narodzenia!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

BTW - My cold is totally gone; almost like it was burned right out of my head!