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Festa #99WordStories

This week at the Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills challenged writers to In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a festa. It can be any festival, celebration, or use of the word. Is it food-related or an event? Is it an object or a shout-out? Who is involved and why? What happens? Go where the prompt leads!

For my response, I’ve stayed with Josie and the aunts I introduced in two previous stories, A Dark Horse and Whether the Weather. I’m not sure where these characters have come from, but I’m having fun getting to know them. Be assured that they are not based on anyone, currently or previously living, I know.

Family Fun

The celebration was progressing in the usual Festa fashion. The aunts huddled down one end, criticising and badmouthing anyone out of earshot, and even some who weren’t. The men propped up the bar ensuring they didn’t miss their fair share of the free-flowing beer. The children played spotlight outside, relishing the lack of supervision. Any young people whose protests had failed wished they were somewhere, anywhere, else. Including Josie. The stranger, who’d become more intriguing with the aunts’ warnings, was totally self-absorbed. Seems the cool exterior was just that. Nothing of substance below.  Now what was Josie to do?

Thank you blog post

Thank you for reading. I appreciate your feedback. Please share your thoughts.

Note: The collection of stories made in response to the previous prompt The Weather Arrives, including mine, can be read at the Carrot Ranch.

Comments

51 responses to “Festa #99WordStories”

  1. calmkate Avatar

    great character development here, these aunts sure resemble a few of mine … have you met my family?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Thanks, Kate. Your comment made me laugh. I think those aunts are quite the stereotype, aren’t they?

      Liked by 1 person

      1. calmkate Avatar

        with seven real aunts and a dozen or so adopted aunts I think that title covers all our idiosyncrasies …

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Norah Avatar

          Could do. I had a few too. 🙂

          Liked by 1 person

  2. dgkaye Avatar

    Yes, you might have a great story here Norah. 🙂 x

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Thank you, Debby. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Chel Owens Avatar

    So much description and character development in so few words!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Norah Avatar

      Thank you, Chelsea. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  4. singlikewildflowers Avatar

    Great job on the developing story, Norah!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Thanks, Esther.

      Liked by 1 person

  5. Jennie Avatar

    This is developing, and Josie’s character, along with the aunts and the stranger, makes me want to know/read more.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      That is wonderful encouragement. Thank you, Jennie.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Jennie Avatar

        I’m so glad!

        Liked by 1 person

  6. D. Avery @shiftnshake Avatar

    Another! Careful Norah, you might have another serial on your hands. I love where this went, though Josie is rightfully disappointed.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Norah Avatar

      Who know? This one might end up going nowhere too. Yeah, it was disappointing for Josie, but I’m pleased she realised soon enough.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. D. Avery @shiftnshake Avatar

        My serials go no farther than the prompts, but I enjoy the characters when they show up.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Norah Avatar

          I know what you mean – the prompt is king.

          Liked by 1 person

  7. Jules Avatar

    One can get into ‘trouble’ with strangers…
    I can relate to the teens not wanting to be there.
    Sometimes in my youth I was lucky to escape such famliy gatherings. Mostly just by going into another room!

    Adults tend to split and get absorbed in their own wants and needs.
    I liked it one year when I was at a New Years party and young and old were at the same table playing a card game 😀

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Games are great like that. They really do bring everyone together. My family are great game players. I love it!
      I thought the adults and age groups splitting at parties was an Australian ‘thing’.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Jules Avatar

        Na… generational splitting has happened for ages everywhere. 😉

        I get quite a bit of practice with Pinoccle since I play three handed ‘cut throat’ twice a week with hubby and his sib.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Norah Avatar

          I’ve never played that. It must be fun if you played it so frequently.

          Like

          1. Jules Avatar

            We’ve played some others, but it is what our relative likes…
            You can play with 3, 4, 5 people. Maybe 6, but when you play 5 and six you need two decks and remove the 9’s.
            The only cards are 9-A. There are other ‘house rules’ too. 🙂

            Liked by 1 person

            1. Norah Avatar

              Always ‘house rules’. What would life be like without them?! 😂

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Jules Avatar

                Some house rules are strange. When my grandson wants to make up his own rules… We sort of put a stop to them when they get to complex. 😉

                Liked by 1 person

                1. Norah Avatar

                  I think everyone has to agree on house rules. 🙂 We’ve made our own house rules for ‘Cluedo’, which you might call ‘Clue’, I think. We don’t roll the die to move around the board. We shorten the process by just making suggestions. It’s much more fun.

                  Liked by 1 person

                  1. Jules Avatar

                    We just saw the movie ‘Clue’ again (Very funny in a slap stick sort of way) – when it orignally came out there were three different endings in the movies. All three endings were shown when we watched it.

                    Monopoly has quite a few house rules. Free parking does not have an automatic $200 in it. And I think when we were kids we just had a flat rate for ‘luxury tax’. 😉 Sometimes we would shorten that game by mixing up and dealing out the properties. 🙂

                    Liked by 1 person

                    1. Norah Avatar

                      I’m not aware of the movie ‘Clue’. It sounds interesting. I’ll have to look out for it.
                      I always found Monopoly a bit tedious. I think it’s good to make up your own house rules for it.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    2. Norah Avatar

                      Thanks, Jules. I’m sorry I missed it.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    3. Jules Avatar

                      You might be able to find it at the library?

                      Liked by 1 person

                    4. Norah Avatar

                      I’m not sure. I’ve never thought of looking for movies in the library. I’ve never noticed any.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    5. Jules Avatar

                      Our library has movies (they used to have VHS) in CDs, possibly music CD’s too, but I haven’t looked in a while, games, and even posters/images you can borrow. Worth a shot to ask?

                      The libraries also interloan to each other so if you are looking for a book one doesn’t have they’ll see if another in the system has it and transfer it to your local branch.

                      Not all libraries, like mine have a book store. It used to have a manned cafe, but because of Covid that was shut down and not there is only a coffee machine.

                      I think I may have told you about a program my local library had/has about 100 (or 1000 I forget now) books before Kindergarten – I did after 50 (500) books the child recieved a free paperback and after they complete the program they get a certifcate, maybe another book and a luncheon.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    6. Norah Avatar

                      Libraries are wonderful places, Jules. Thanks for telling me about yours.

                      Liked by 1 person

                    7. Jules Avatar

                      📚📔📕📖👍

                      Liked by 1 person

  8. srbottch Avatar

    I can picture the scene. Like your description of the stranger. ‘Nothing of substance below’? I suppose that could be left open for interpretation…

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Thank you, Steve. I’m pleased you could picture it. The substance could have different interpretations, I guess. My reference was to the tip of the iceberg, mentioned in a previous episode, but somehow when I try to explain that, I just get into deeper water. 😅😉

      Liked by 1 person

      1. srbottch Avatar

        Yea, you don’t want to go there😉

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Norah Avatar

          Exactly. 😅

          Liked by 1 person

  9. Jacqui Murray Avatar

    There’s another story in this series! Love the line–“badmouthing anyone out of earshot, and even some who weren’t”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Yes, another one. What a surprise. I’m pleased you liked that line. Thanks for picking it out. I enjoyed writing it.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. robbiesinspiration Avatar

    Hi Norah, poor Josie, such a disappointment ❤️‍🩹

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Yes. We had our hopes for her, didn’t we?

      Liked by 1 person

  11. Darlene Avatar

    A good one. I like how you are creating stories with these characters. Perhaps a book will come out of them. (We all have known aunts like these)

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      I think it’s quite a stereotype, Darlene. I’m not sure that any of mine were like that. I’m not sure about a book either. That would be a lot of 99 word stories. 😉😅

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Darlene Avatar

        Maybe not so much my aunts but my great aunts were like that. (bless them)

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Norah Avatar

          I certainly have an image of it being like that, but can’t relate it to anyone in particular. Have a great week.

          Liked by 1 person

  12. joylennick Avatar

    Aah…I’m always alert to a helping of intrigue! Cheers.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Norah Avatar

      Pleased to hear it, Joy. 😅💖

      Like

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