Greetings, all! I've just finished reading the last competition entry, and I agree with Violet. There are some stunning entries, and I'm glad to see some newcomers!

I have no idea whose story I would pick as the winner – and am glad that I'm not doing the judging! To be honest, after a while the stories start to blur in my memory. But then, I've been told I have a one-track mind, so keeping several stories straight is clearly beyond my feeble abilities!

A mug of Red Rose, please, Mendalla, and a couple of GF cookies to go. I've got tasks to manage before I can collapse and do some more reading!

Ironically, I find myself almost rooting for the owners in the MLB debacle of negotiations. The MLBPA wants to bring in free agency a year earlier, which I understand from the players' point of view, but it also means you grow to love and root for a player (like Vlad Guerro Jr.) then BAM! They've moved on to the Yankees or Dodgers!

But I doubt very much the owners will accept that. They've said, loudly and repeatedly, that it's a non-starter.

sigh

Take me out to the ballgame,

Take me out to the crowds…

At least may I please have some Red Rose tea and a couple of GF cookies? I'll be back lying on the floor by Sara's chair, hoping for a fur-brushing!

Quote by Amelia

Oh I am so ready for baseball again! Hopefully this year my Red Sox will go farther and just dominate lol 😂 I will always love them even when they are having a horrible season. Though they do know how to frustrate me lol 😂

The weather here is COLD and icy … I wish it was snow and not this ice mess

Amelia, I'm right there with you on baseball – except I'm a Blue Jays fan!

But I suspect both of us are going to be disappointed as the MLB owners and players are continuing their uninterrupted string of monumental stupidity at the negotiating table. They've more or less admitted that Spring Training will be at least delayed, and they're still miles apart in positions.

If the owners weren't such entitled, spoiled brats, they would learn from the NBA and hire a professional commissioner, instead of an ass-kissing flunkey. Peter Ueberroth was the last professional commissioner they had – and that was in the 1980s!

So, much as I would be counting down the days to pitchers-and-catchers – I ain't holding my breath!

Since MENDALLA is still having vision problems, let me get things started this morning.

We've got pots of Red Rose and Lemon Zinger teas brewed on the side, plus sachets of other fine teas. We've got hot chocolate mix, plus a heap o' marshmallows for those who love 'em (especially Sara).

And I've managed, once again, to clean out, rinse, and reset the coffee machine without blowing anything up, so coffee's a-brewin'!

(checks cookie tins)

Yup. Sara's Disney cookies are going fast, but there are still some left.

I think this is a Red Rose and cookies morning, so you'll find me over by Sara's chair, waiting for my fur-combing.

Quote by CuriousAnnie

Evening all, I am delighted to have actually got back into the groove of competition stories; and to think I was told that new mums can't find the time to write. Well it is actually so true, discipline when I am writing is key. Lol and I am late with my submission here, mind you being good friends with Violet does assure me of knowing I wont be last. Of course my story has to get approved, but, if it is, do check it out if you have a minute.

Hot and humid here, a very wet warm summer, but fortunately no bushfires as a result. Did you know I have hardly ever seen snow and never in Sydney? And some of my online friends have snow blowers.

Quote by Mendalla
It's a quieter, less raucous hangout for us more refined writers😉.

Lol, don't tempt me, I can do raucous, which by the way is a fabulous word, must find more uses for it. Oh and how does one become a refined writer; just asking for a friend.😇

Simple, Annie. Just eat a lot of sugar!

But you're sweet enough as you are, so I wouldn't bother.

Well good morning, Inspirators! As I'm not sure how Mandella is doing today, I thought I'd get things started.

The tea kettle is rinsed, filled, and steaming away, and today we have both Red Rose (orange pekoe) and Irish Breakfast already in pots, plus sachets of other teas for those with a different palate.

Next, the coffee machine has been emptied of yesterday's beans, rinsed, refilled, and reassembled, primed with fresh coffee, and is now perkin' away.

Thanks to Sara for the Disney cookies. I'll take a couple, plus some Irish Breakfast in a to-go mug – busy day today!

Take care out there, y'all! And welcome back, Writer Girl!

Quote by Sugarcube

I finally got my hair cut. And now I'd like to color it a bright, vibrant color if I can. For all of the time I blended in, I'd rather stand out now.

Sugarcube, you're a woman after my own wife's heart. Colourful hair, colourful nails – and colourful personality, that's her – and apparently, you, too!

Now, since we were so successful yesterday…at NOT burning the coffeemaker (and thanks for the vote of confidence, Sara!), let's see if we can keep the string going.

Tea is on, with pots of Red Rose and Lapsang Souchong already brewed in pots on the sideboard, plus a wide assortment of other fine teas for the more discerning tea drinkers. (Which is to say, picky)

And, yes, I have rinsed, refilled, reloaded, and restarted the r…I mean, coffeemaker, and she's bubbling away.

Coffee should be here soon!

Meanwhile, I'll sit back with a cuppa Red Rose and some of Sara's lovely GF cookies!

I had some troubles getting the site to load this morning. Anyone else?

Well good morning, Inspirationalists! As Mandella is hard of seeing today, I thought I'd take a shot at getting things running. Filling the tea kettle I can manage, and I often make pots of tea, so today we have both Red Rose (orange pekoe) and Earl Grey (fruity-toot-toot) brewing, plus sachets of other teas for those with a more tender palate.

Now how does this coffee thing work? (hums away for a while). OK, I think that's got it…so, the coffee machine has been emptied of yesterday's beans, rinsed, refilled, and reassembled, primed with fresh coffee, and is now perkin' away.

(checks biscuit/cookie containers) I see Sara's been busy, so there are cookies a-plenty for those who want a bit of a gnosh…so – there we go!

Let's all keep our fingers crossed for Mandella. It is a routine procedure, but he seemed a bit nervous about someone aiming a high-energy beam into his eyes for some strange reason!

Quote by WriterGirl

Hi!

Feeling my age at Universal Studios and Disney. I've been shaken, stirred, spun, dropped. 🙄 Every part of me hurts. I think the Spiderman ride broke me. 🤣 My son is being very sweet moving slower for me.

AAAHHHH!!!! Help! It's the Masked Writer Girl and her sidekick, Son-of-Her! Run for your lives!

(snicker)

Sounds like you're having fun, kid. Just tell your aches and pains that "age" is just a number, right?

And can you bring me back a turkey leg and a Mickey Bar from Magic Kingdom? Thanks!

Some Red Rose tea, please. Lots to do today, especially as we are visiting our son, DIL, and especially our 22-month old granddaughter. She's just getting the knack of talking, and is remarkably cute. And bright, brilliant, even. Amazing – and, well, my granddaughter. What more needs to be said, right?

BTW, if anyone needs their fur brushed out, I'd recommend Sara! She's an A #1 fur-brusher-outer!

Quote by Mendalla
And speaking of the comp, we are down to less than a week. Come on, folks. We don't even have ten for a complete short list yet.

OH! Does that mean I have a chance?

Quote by Mendalla

I hope that cookie syringe is full of cookie COVID vaccine.😊 I will take a syringe and a Band-Aid.

Gooooood morning!

Coffee pot is full up with some good Blue Mountain brew. Teapots have Peach and English Breakfast. Hot water is ready.

And guess what? It's Friday!

A mug of English Breakfast for me, please. I still can't get over the idea of fruity teas. It's downright un-Canadian if you ask me!

I'm gonna take my mug, snaffle a couple of the GF cookies that Sara keeps, and wander over to her corner to wait up. I haven't had a good fur-ruffle in a while, and she gives great ones!

No peeking, now!

Quote by DenimAngel

Hi folks

A little bit chilly here in my neck of the woods.

Finally getting better .. ugh I don't like being sick. I'm staying away from people as much as possible.

That's the one thing I love about small towns.. good neighbors and friends who check on people who are sick and might need something.

Soon as I feel better there will be fresh cookies.. there are cookies in the cookie jars and when those run out there is a stockpile in the cookie tins behind the counter.

Taking a cup of peppermint tea and climbing up in my favorite overstuffed chair

Stay safe everyone

Hey, Polar Bears don't catch cold, so I'll sit with you Sara. Lemme get a mug of Lemon Zinger tea to warm the cockles. You get comfy – I'll be right there, OK?

Quote by AnnaMayZing

Quote by JamesPBear

Quote by AnnaMayZing

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I have a question for you all which concerns the different spellings of words between British and American English.

In this case, I am referring to the word Brake.

Here in the UK, we have a brake pedal in our cars, and if we wish to stop quickly, we brake hard. If this was past tense, we would have braked hard. Once we have stopped, we apply the handbrake.

When I check this with Grammarly, it tries to tell me that the would is Break. This would change the meaning entirely, I don't want to damage my car, I just want it to stop.

So, the question is this. Is the word Brake used in American/Canadian English or is Grammarly just trying to ruin my car?

Not in Canada. But then, Canadians have a weird habit of letting our spelling veer between 'Murcun, and English!

I suspect that Grammarly is just plain wrong, and when it's wrong, it seems to get VERY insistent, unlike polar bears, who are practically perfect, as well as being incredibly modest!

Hope that helps!

Sorry, I should have said, is the word Break used in American/Canadian English instead of Brake?

Not to my knowledge, no. The brake on a car, whether foot or hand, is spelled as you have done it, not "break" as in to destroy.

However, according to Merriam-Webster (which is, I believe, American) "break" also means "to stop or bring to an end suddenly". Yet, the same entry also says "When the subject is slowing or stopping movement, the word to use is brake"

In summary, I believe Grammarly has made an ungrammarly mistake!

Quote by AnnaMayZing

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.

I have a question for you all which concerns the different spellings of words between British and American English.

In this case, I am referring to the word Brake.

Here in the UK, we have a brake pedal in our cars, and if we wish to stop quickly, we brake hard. If this was past tense, we would have braked hard. Once we have stopped, we apply the handbrake.

When I check this with Grammarly, it tries to tell me that the would is Break. This would change the meaning entirely, I don't want to damage my car, I just want it to stop.

So, the question is this. Is the word Brake used in American/Canadian English or is Grammarly just trying to ruin my car?

Not in Canada. But then, Canadians have a weird habit of letting our spelling veer between 'Murcun, and English!

I suspect that Grammarly is just plain wrong, and when it's wrong, it seems to get VERY insistent, unlike polar bears, who are practically perfect, as well as being incredibly modest!

Hope that helps!

Can someone remind a poor old Bear how to change his signature? I used to know, but I'm having a Sometimer's moment!

Hey Sara! I didn't think it was your turn to be sick! Cut it out, OK?

Seriously, hope you feel better soon, kiddo!

Meanwhile, I'll have a mug of the Earl Grey tea, and slump down in the corner, near – but not TOO near – Sara to offer some company.

Mandella, we'll all keep a lookout for your story! Yours tend to be very character-driven, so I'm looking forward to it!

Quote by DenimAngel

Hi peeps

A large hot chocolate with mini marshmallows would be great.

Yesterday was a little busy and this morning was spent herding kittens.

Moving the old cookies to the emergency cookie tins behind the counter and filling the cookie jars to the tippy top

Today's offerings are diabetic and gluten free friendly sugar cookies.... WINTER ANIMAL theme : Arctic fox , Arctic wolf ,polar bear, brown bear .seals and penguins

Giving the adorable critters fresh water and treats

Please stay safe everyone

Like me and Henry, for example! Thanks, Sara!

And thanks for the GF treats, as always!

I'll take a couple of those, plus a mug of Red Rose tea, and find a comfy place to rest my weary bones a spell!

I'm reading the competition entries, and am coming to believe that it will be possible to finish out of the rankings – even if there are fewer than 10 entries! What great stories!

I'll take some Irish Breakfast tea and a couple of Sara's yummy GF cookies, please, Mendalla.

And I just re-submitted my comp entry after discovering that I had (foolishly) edited out one of the required words in a final polish.

I have a one-track mind, and this time I jumped the track!

Oh, well…

Quote by gillianleeza

Covid is everywhere now. My parent's retirement community has dozens of cases. My sons' work has cases, and I know several people in our neighborhood who have it. Thankfully everyone is vaccinated, so they all have mild symptoms so far. I'm still exhausted and waiting for my sense of smell and taste to return. It took months last time. Weirdly everything smells burnt to me when I can smell. It's very cold here, so a good weekend to stay in and watch movies. One effect Covid left me with is difficulty concentrating. It makes reading hard, and that makes me very unhappy. I'm done complaining, for now, lol. I hope everyone is staying warm and healthy. Have a great weekend.

Sounds horrible, Gillian. Condolences – not that they help much. I know it won't help much but I've read a couple of health officials say, informally, that everyone, sooner or later, will catch Omicron. If you're not vaccinated, that will be bad news. If you are, especially with three doses of vaccine, then it will almost certainly be mild.

We were badly prepared for this pandemic, soon to be endemic. The bigger question in my mind is whether we will learn from it! I'm doubtful – and hopeful, both.

Forgive my absence, all. It's been a busy and complicated time for me. And Larry – forgive me for missing your birthday! Many happy returns, mon ami!

I'm going to try to read the competition stories now as I just submitted mine. I'm sure they will be intriguing!

Take care out there!

Wait! I have an idea for the competition! Having an idea…well, it's in a strange place, so I have to be careful not to scare it away.

Now…"green" "midnight", "fireworks"…hmmmm…

Hey there. Thanks to Ping and Verbal for the idea-generation ideas. I'll do something along those lines – as well as whacking myself upside the head with a 2x4 to my motor running.

And thanks to Mandella for the tea (Earl Grey, please. Peach? Really?) and Sara for the yummies.

Now to see if I can coax that little thought into growing into a real idea! Thanks for the help, everyone!

Cold but clear here. Toronto tends to miss a lot of the snow that the rest of y'all get. We're nestled in a bowl of hills, plus the heat column from North America's 4th largest city tends to nudge storms north or south of us.

As a result, it's cold but clear and sunny here today, with no snow at all, even though I know they got heap big snow farther south.

Gonna go sit in the corner, and nurse that little thought, now… 'bye…

Hey there, everybody? Anyone got a spare idea for the competition?

So far, my mind is a blank. But then again, that's pretty well normal for me.

I'll have a Red Rose tea, please, and will sneak couple of Sara's GF cookies from the safe…

I'll bet it's colder here, Sara! And we got significant snow today!

I'll have a hot chocolate with marshmallows, and join you if I may! Maybe my fur will help keep you warm!

Hey y'all! Just dropping by to pick up a cuppa Red Rose, and wish everyone a Happier New Year! I'd say it couldn't be worse, but that would just be tempting fate, right?

Anyway, have a good one, everybody!

Happy Boxing Day, y'all! It's been a good Christmas – so far!

People have already started asking me why I'm wearing my Santa hat when Christmas is over.

The reply is simple: Christmas is a tide and a season, not a day. There are the 12 days of Christmas – and liturgically, Christmas doesn't end until Candlemass – February 2nd. And yes, I know that's Groundhog Day, too!

Anyway – Merry Still Christmas, everybody!

I'd like a big mug of hot chocolate … WITH mini-marshmallows … as a lovely end to a very quiet, but quite wonderful Christmas Day.

And Merry Christmas to you all, and to all a good night!

I just wanted to drop in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! And to those who don't celebrate it, then I wish you the spirit of Christmas – compassion, joy, understanding, and love. Even if we are not co-religionists, these values are universal!

And if you are travelling, please be careful, stay masked, and do whatever you can to take care!

Hi folks! I need some tea – perhaps some Earl Grey, if we have any.

(checks the cookie safe, finds two gluten free cookies, snaffles them)

We had quite a bit of wind here, too – not as bad as the American Midwest, but quite unusual for this time of year.

But then, the new normal for climate in NO normal!

Take care out there!