The Bear

 

       “Oh come on, you can do it!” he coaxed.  He knew she was afraid of the water.  It was time to leave the fear behind and learn to swim.  Riley chose to manipulate the situation throwing her precious bear into the swimming pool.  “Mr. Cuddles!” she screamed and without another thought quickly jumped in to save her precious bear. 

     With the floaties on her arms and Daddy waiting in the water, she never was in any true danger.  Daddy hugged his precious girl close as he rescued Bear from the water.  “You did it my sweet!  Now just move your arms and legs!”  Her floaties kept her afloat bobbing like a cork on the water’s surface.  “Daddy, look what Riley did to poor Mr. Cuddles!!”  “Nothing the dryer won’t fix sweetie.”  He took the teddy bear and set him on the side of the pool to dry in the sun.  She quickly began moving her arms and kicking her feet like Riley.  

 

      “Look at you Sweetie, you are swimming!!  Isn’t it fun?”  It was then she fully realized what she had done and what she was doing.  “I’m swimming, I’m swimming!  Look Riley!”  With a crooked grin, her big brother cannon balled into the pool with a huge splash.   She giggled and tentatively paddled over to Riley and gave him a playful splash as the bear and her Daddy looked on.

word count: 231

MANIPULATE (transitive verb)

1: to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
2a : to manage or utilize skillfully
  b : to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
3: to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose : to doctor

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Unconnected and Enjoying Life!

    It is day 13 of the Ultimate Blogging Challenge and Nablopomo asked “How do you feel when you are unconnected to the internet?”  I don’t know about you but when I am unconnected here, I am more connected with life around me.  I am running around like a chicken with her head cut up trying to get all my chicks in a row and take care of business.

     This morning I was up at the butt crack of dawn racing for the bank and paying bills.  From there I visited Lowe’s for bug spray…the husband so loves to play exterminator and kill anything long and leggy that crawls!!  The way the bugs have been taking over this summer, his date with a huge jug of bug killer was long overdue.  We even had our brush with the bees. 

     
       A whole colony of the beasts decided to take up residence right across from my camper in the peak of our house.  They must have been busy because we discovered a huge hive literally crawling with bees.  My husband decided to rain on their parade and sprayed the living piss out of their home with the hose before knocking the hive to the ground with a rake.  Even now those crazy bees are still hanging about trying to figure out just what the hell happened.  They need to get a clue and move elsewhere instead of sticking around trying to repair what is left of their home.

      Even though I worked in a laboratory conducting quality control in my youth on diabetes test strips, I never thought that I would ever become quite so intent on test strips again without being paid for it.  Instead of in pursuit of the almighty dollar, I am obsessed with obtaining perfect swimming pool water.  So you will find me poolside daily testing the water for the levels of PH and whatnot.  For what, crystal clear pool water that doesn’t stink or cause itchy skin.  It is so worth it in the end!!  After a long day of rushing about getting things done there is nothing better than sinking into a nice cool swimming pool and cooling off.

       My husband and son race his remote control trucks, we ride the three wheeler, my daughter and I play badminton or what kind of looks like it and in the midst of it all, I still manage to do laundry, get the house clean, dishes done, and comments answered and reciprocated because that is the kind of girl I am.  I get ‘er done because I’m that kind of girl!! 

     When I am not connected to the internet I am knitting socks, reading books, cooking, playing card games with my kids, playing with my dogs, swimming, and just having a grand ole time.   Isn’t that what life is for…to enjoy?  That is what I do when I am not connected to the internet, and when I am I share the experience.