In Her "Print Worthy" Words

As most of you who follow me on Facebook or Twitter will know, I regularly post boastful updates regarding Aalliyahs academic achievements. Being that this is her final year in primary school , she is currently working really hard ahead of her SATs. Now obviously being her mum I have an overly bias opinion when it comes to Aalliyahs work but to say that I am pleased with her current level of work is an understatement. I am absolutely thrilled with how far she has come and when I read her homework or listen to her reading at night I am astounded and blown away by what I see and hear. It never gets tiring to hear how well she is excelling in her school work and I will continue to encourage her as best I can as I truly believe she has an amazing academic future ahead of her.

One subject which she is excelling in is English, which comes to no surprise as this is by far one of her favorite subjects. In particular her writing. Aalliyah has always been a bookworm and can always be found either reading or writing a story. She is regularly writing wonderful pieces at school and literally soaks up vocabulary like a sponge. A thesaurus is her favorite tool and she is forever researching new words and definitions. 

The class were assigned the task of coming up with a short story. The stories will then be published as a collection into a book. I had read a few sentances here and there as she was doing her planning, but finally got to see the finished draft that she brought home yesterday and I was amazed.  So amazed in fact that I felt inspired to share it with you all. 

So here goes...

Immersed in the baffling history of the ancient vase, Zachery sat down to have a well deserved rest. Just then pandemonium broke. The noisy phone rang and Zachery answered it. It was work. Zachery was an archaeologist, which meant that he was given historical objects to observe. However this particular assignment seemed especially intriguing.

Trudging moodily the slush on the cobblestone path, which was to be cautiously trod upon, Zachery thought about the historical wonders that awaited his observation. As he unlocked the door to the lab he spotted a locket with a note that read "Zach, this locket was uncovered in Pompeii: we suspect that it was involved with the volcano. Good luck, Sam" Zachery then set out for home to examine the mysterious locket with a cheesy grin of utter excitement on his face.

Gathering mountains of dust, it sat there. Still as a snowman. Slowly rotting. The complex engravings and patterns embellished this already gorgeous locket. Finally Zach uncovered his magnifying glass and began to examine the historical masterpiece. Now utterly immersed, he surveyed his back-story sheet and discovered that the design originated in Rome, which was where the incident of Pompeii happened. WOW , He thought to himself, as he read the previous owner was in fact a roman emperors daughter! He had to learn more...

Abruptly, while Zach was in the middle of a deep slumber, the phone rang. (again) The young archaeologist sleepily answered the phone. All that could be heard- Silence ."Pranksters", Zach laughed to himself. "What do they think, I was born yesterday"? Just then hunger struck and he strolled into the kitchen for a quick midnight snack... BOOM!

The fridge had exploded! Now crouching on the floor Zach squinted into the distance, which was easy as he had 20/20 vision. What was that? He spotted a light in the distance. It was a ghost! Oh no. It had come for the locket. Zachery knew this because of the extravagant purple toga that hung around her body. She was also wearing a leaf crown interwoven with minuscule strips of twine. "Who are you"? Zach stuttered. "Please leave me alone!" However the ghost was in no debating mood. "GIVE ME MY LOCKET" The ghost screamed. Oh no, where had he placed the locket? Probably burrowed deep inside the pigsty he tried so desperately to keep clean. Zachery panicked , frantically scouring his apartment, which was only four rooms. The archaeologist kept glancing behind him only to find that the ghost was getting angrier and angrier! WHERE WAS THE LOCKET? Oh no the ghostly figures eyes were as red as a fiery pit of lava. She had lost her patience..

"ENOUGH"! the awoken dead bellowed, "YOUR TIME IS UP" She impaled Zachs shoulder with the golden scepter she held with pride, "AAAARRGHHH" Zach wailed in utter pain and fear. He lifted his weary arm to his shoulder only to find that it was wet-Wet with blood. Bright red, precious blood. All of a sudden felt a surge through his veins. Blood unhurriedly trickled down his sweat coated arms and onto the oak wood floor: Now this was seriously becoming a problem.

At this point he found himself crouching on the floor and begging for mercy."Please spare me" he howled. She cackled, "Very well. Any other day you would be gutted and your insides fed to the gods! the ghost threatened. The vulnerable victim gulped. The ghost let out a sickening smile.

"THE POWER OF THE TIME LOCKET SHALL BE BROUGHT UPON YOU!"The ghostly monarch warned."YOU SHALL RELIVE THESE CRUEL MOMENTS OVER AND OVER AGAIN; RIGHT BACK FROM WHEN I RANG YOU!"

That was her Zach realized. Immediately he backed away."Please don't put me in a time loop!" Zach pleaded. "I'll find it I swear" However it was too late and before he knew it, he found himself lying on his sofa, among all the rubbish and dirt.

Abruptly while Zach was in the middle of a deep slumber, the phone rang (again). RING RING! The young archaeologist got up and moodily answered the Samsung house phone. All that could be heard- Silence...


I am really impressed with her short story and look forward to seeing the finished thing in print. I could easily see some thrilling novels in her future ;)

What do you think? She would love to hear your thoughts as much as I would.

I am linking this post up with the Prose for thought linky over at Verily,Victoria Vocalises #Prose4T

10 Tips To Reduce Waste When Cleaning Your House

It doesn’t matter what season it is, spring cleaning can bring out the best in your home and make you feel a lot better about yourself. The only problem is, once you’ve finished, you can be left with piles of stuff to get rid of. It’s up to you what you do with your rubbish, but here are ten tips for reducing waste. If you’re lucky, you could pocket some extra cash for rainy days or for dealing with rising gas or electricity prices.

1. First sort out anything metal, which you can either sell to a scrapyard, or arrange for a local scrap dealer to collect it from you free of charge.

2. Sort any remaining waste into boxes. Fill the first box with things to sell, the second with things to swap or give away, the third with things to recycle, and the fourth with things to throw out.

3. With any luck, your biggest box will be filled with items to be sold. Just because you’ve dieted out of your favourite clothes doesn’t mean they’re necessarily destined for the bin. Spend a few minutes setting up an account on an auction site like eBay and prepare to be pleasantly surprised at how much money your unwanted clothing can earn.

4. If you find yourself with unwanted or unused electrical items, DVDs, phones and suchlike, you might like to try a buy-back schemes. Simply go online, register your items and then post them off in return for a cheque or online payment.

5. Many large towns and cities have shops that buy and sell used goods and this can be a quick and convenient way to clear your clutter and fill your purse at the same time. Make sure everything is clean and in good working order first. If you have the original boxes and instructions, make sure you include those too as they will make a better impression.

6. Your second box will be full of items that still have some life in them, but that aren’t really in saleable condition, such as toys that aren’t played with any more. These are perfect for a swap-shop session with your friends and neighbours. This can be a particularly helpful way to dispose of outgrown school uniforms and equipment in an environmentally friendly way.

7. If you don’t have time for swapping, then there are many outlets for donations. Schools will often take uniform and equipment in good condition to sell on or loan to people on low incomes.

8. Alternatively, you can donate to a wide variety of charities without leaving your home. Many charities deliver collection bags. Simply fill the bag with your unwanted items and leave outside your door on the designated collection day.

9. Watch out for recycling points. Many local convenience stores and larger supermarkets have recycling points where you can donate clothing and shoes. They may not be in excellent condition, but charities can still sell them on for recycling and raise money.

10. When you reach the third box, this should be items that you can recycle. So watch out for things like cardboard, plastic milk containers, glass jars and bottles and recycle them in your appropriate bin. Most recycling bins are full of air, so squash plastic bottles and flatten boxes before recycling.

After following these ten tips, you should be left with hardly anything that can’t be sold, swapped, donated or recycled. So, you can put the little that’s left into the refuse bin with a clear conscience.