Happy “National Apple Dumpling Day” (if you’re reading this on September 17th) or maybe just Happy Friday.
There is a local apple fair that’s held north of here every year and the apple dumpling stall is always packed with happy customers. I’ve missed going to that fair during this endless time of Covid. Perhaps next year we’ll all be able to enjoy apple dumplings, fresh pressed apple cider, and all the other delightful apple goodies once again.
For now, maybe it’s safer to celebrate “National Professional House Cleaners Day” instead.
This day of recognition celebrates a career many overlook or take for granted. While not everyone hires a Professional Cleaner, they do impact our lives in some way. Nearly every business we frequent and apartment building rented hires professional cleaners. The industry also employs approximately 3.25 million people creating a positive economic impact on the marketplace.
I may not be celebrating house cleaners today, but I may very well celebrate “house siding repair people”–well, maybe I’ll hold off celebrating until they finish their work.
In the meantime, I’ll be doing my own work today and then getting started on the prep work so I can re-paint my front porch. Having a house is a wonderful thing, but it does require a bit of maintenance now and again. With the season starting to take a turn for the chillier, it’s time start taking care of all the outside jobs that need doing.
Somewhere along the line I’ll make sure to take a break and give today’s writing prompt and random words a try.
Care to join me?
For those of you working away on a story (whether a first draft or a polished version on its way to publication), if you’re not feeling random, we’d love to hear a bit – whether it’s a scene, a paragraph, or even a phrase that you are especially pleased with and would like to share.
If you don’t have a story in progress, or just want to work on something new, I hope either today’s random words or writing prompt will catch your creative fancy.
Ready?
Prompt: Change of Season
Feel free to interpret the prompt any way you choose (or ignore it completely) and include any (or all) of the following random words:
country adventure banana beehive
casino footwork prophecy toy
hibernation gum doctor harmless
hatch absorbent fashion blended
I look forward to seeing your stories in the comments. If you’re not feeling in the writing mood today, or don’t have time, feel free to post suggestions you might have for future writing prompts. Ideas are always welcome.
Happy writing to all!
Eight Ladies Writing 
My mom woiuld make apple dumplings when I was a kid, but it’s been years since I’ve made them myself. Who knew there was a whole day devoted to them!
This talk of apple dumplings has made me want them, too. They were a favorite of mine growing up. I guess I could make them myself, but I’m sure I don’t have my grandmother’s touch for pastry!
Ah, frozen puff pastry!
I didn’t know about the apple festival! Maybe next year. I have had some stupendously delicious apple dumplings in my time, and now I want one really bad. I guess I could always make some myself. 😦
I had fun with this sprint, not that it has anything to do with the change of seasons.
When Blenders Go Bad
Bessie Herlihy patted her beehive hairdo, giving her time to think. Melba was in a pickle, sure enough.
“I blended the banana barbecue sauce exactly the way Hatch told me to,” Melba said. “And let me tell you, there is no paper towel absorbent enough if the gizmo explodes and shoots everything all over.”
As Pleasantville’s Homemaker of the Year—an adventure if there ever was one!—Melba had been the special guest on Cliff Danger’s All Country All the Time cable television show. The segment called “Cooking Up Something Special with Hatch McDaniel” had gone well until the blender mishap. Now Hatch was in the hospital, although due out any day now, according to the doctor; Cliff Danger was taking an extended leave at the local casino, because he said his luck was in; and Melba had gone into hibernation because of the wrath of the locals, who missed their prime time good ol’ boy music, fashion, and food extravaganza.
“You’re in a heap of hurt, by gum,” said Squeak Mitchell. “I always said how no good could come of that. It was a, what do you call it?”
“Prophecy,” Bessie said.
“Yup, that’s it,” Squeak said. “I always said that. Them blenders ain’t nothing to fool with. They ain’t no toy.”
“Millions of people have used them safely,” Bessie said. “They’re harmless if they don’t explode.”
“Or you don’t stick your hand in it,” Melba said.
“That’s what I mean,” Squeak said. “You just did some fancy footwork explainin’ how they ain’t no trouble, when clearly they are.”
“You got a point,” Bessie said. “Melba, they give you anything for being on the show?”
“I got one of them fancy new air fryers!” Melba said. “Also, a really nice blender.”
That was fun, Kay, though I’ll be looking at my blender in a whole new light after this.
As for the apple festival, it’s up in Sebastopol. I’ll let you know next fall when it comes around again. Hopefully by then it will be save to leave the house.
Let’s hope!