Author Archives: Alice
Ah Maria, She’s the Most Powerful Woman in France
Maria Theressa of Austria sent her daughter, Marie Antoinette, off to France with little preparation and many fears. Prince Louis didn’t help matters when he put off the consummation for years. Wrote Maria to Marie on the subject of getting her husband to…cooperate…so to speak. “On no account any peevishness, but only tenderness and caresses; for too much eagerness could ruin everything. Gentleness and patience are the only things that can help. Nothing so far is lost. You are both […]
Win a Copy of Packing Heat by Penny McCall
FBI Agent Harmony Swift looks like a blond bimbo from L.A., but she’s got a good head on her shoulders. She can out- shoot, out-drive, out-boat, and out-think everyone from a corrupt FBI department head to the Russian mafia. It’s only natural she should end up with a genius computer guy who looks like every woman’s wet dream. And all she has to do to get him is break him out of jail, convince him to trust a bureau that […]
Mr. Impatience.
“Mom, hurry up. My girlfriend’s waiting and you said we’d go soon. What do you mean you need a shower first? Just throw a shirt over your night gown and let’s go already!” Monkey Man hosts the 160 Character Challenge. See what you can write in 160 characters or less, spaces included.
Ah Maria, It Was Merely a Tiff
Having inadvertently raisied Marie Antoinette to have strong, puritanical notions, there was little her mother could do to make her understand the special place of a king’s mistress. “The Court of Versailles was beside itself with delight at the spectacle of this child setting herself up against the King’s mistress, therefore, against Louis himself.” And this was what Marie Antoinette could not grasp. She was too young and too un-worldly to understand what Madame Dubarry meant to King Louis. As […]
A Western Man
Jack: How long until it gets here? I don’t want anyone to see me like this. Jill: There’s no shame in it. Jack: I was doing just fine fixing the truck on my own. We don’t need a mechanic, just a few parts. Jill: Yes, I know. We’ll get them now. Jack: I can’t believe there was no one around to give us a ride! It better get here soon. I don’t want anyone to know. Jill: You know, in […]
Suzie’s House 175: The Slip of the Wrench
Suzie swore. Actual cuss words. Vin couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard Suzy swear. He could hear her over the low drone of the TV, which made him realize he wasn’t watching anyway and shouldn’t waste his entire life like this, constantly changing channels and feeling dissatisfied. So, in a rare break in his own habits, Vin turned the idiot box off, and went to see what had Suzie so upset.
Cowboy Up
The announcer’s garbled voice echoed around the arena as the buzzer went off. The gate swung open and the bull took his first crow hop. Hand up, back jarring, rump slamming on spiny back Slam, slam, slam then Flying Over the horns. Under the hooves, A ton of angry animal bucking away. “Oh too bad. Half a second short.” Cowboy dusts off his pants, grinning. Except his wallet, and maybe some pride, all parts are intact. The challenge, should you […]
13 Signs of Summer
Totally Random Picture: You know it’s Summer When: 1. Listening to the neighbor’s dog take a dump is more comfortable than closing the window and letting the temperature climb. 2. You accidentally memorize the names of all the pets and children within yelling range. 3. You learn the musical preferences of everyone who drives past. 4. You don’t think twice about sharing your musical preferences as you drive. Unless the car’s AC works better than rolling down the window. 5. […]
Ah Maria, a Match Made in Heaven… or Not.
We now veer sharply into titillating details of Marie Antoinette’s marriage. A proxy marriage ceremony was carried out in Vienna and a game of one-upmanship between Austria and France shifted into high gear. Receptions of the utmost splendor were held at the Belvedere and Liechtenstein Palaces. Full-dress military reviews, theater galas and much more filled the itinerary. And while all this was taking place in Vienna, frantic preparations were under way at Versailles, including the construction of a new opera […]
Song and Dance
Here’s something to keep you entertained for a little while, because I still haven’t straightened out my guest blogger traffic snarl yet. It will probably be a couple of weeks. If that wasn’t enough, check this out: Dancing Song Emily at Random Ability brought this to my attention. It pays to read her comment stream.
What Isn’t Said
(Totally Random Picture) She’s always doing that; saying something but not enough so we know what she really means. Always hinting of something deeper. But if you ask, she says it’s nothing. Monkey Man hosts the 160 Character Challenge. See what you can write in 160 characters or less, spaces included.
Hangups
Jack: What are you doing up there, Gin? We’ve been calling you for dinner. Need some help down? Gin: Meow. Jack: Hold on. Let me make a lasso and I’ll get you down. Oops. Jack: Gin! Wait! Don’t leave me hanging here. Today’s theme is hanging Previously in Jack and Jill: Jill’s Latest Kick The rules for Photohunt can be found here. Be sure to visit the home page.
Suzie’s House 174: His Call
“I hate her.” Gene slammed the phone into the receiver, the plastic thud of it echoing through downstairs hall. “Who?” Mrs. H said from the kitchen. “My mother.”
