A word prompt to get your creativity flowing this weekend. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in Sammi’s Comment Section.
It was the early 70’s. I guess you could’ve called it our…
HONEYMOON SUITE
“The rent is $85.00 a month,” said the landlady, cuddling her Schnauzer. “No pets allowed.”
What can I say about that ramshackle, third-floor walkup comprised of four rooms and one closet? It was our first home together and within walking distance of my school, the Art Institute.
A former tenant had painted the kitchen cabinets red and black. Try waking up to that every morning.
The walls must have been constructed of foam core board, held together with masking tape. We heard every clever word our next-door neighbors uttered such as, “Oh wow, man! What a rush!”
We all have to start somewhere! My first ‘ramshack’ was in Central London and above an underground railway, so everything vibrated when trains rushed under it!
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It sounds like a story could be written about your experience, Keith. My parents were horrified that my new husband would make me live in such “squalor.” 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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What a sweet Photo.
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Thank you, Sadje. We were oh so young.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re welcome Rochelle. 💖
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Dear Rochelle
One person’s ramshackle is another’s palace 😉 Ya gotta start somewhere and just look how far you have come since!
Lovely photo as well. 🙂
Shalom and lotsa love in ramshackle palaces,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
It did look like a palace at first but after a few months not so much. 😉 We are light years from those days but we have great stories. Thank you for your kind comments.
Shalom and lotsa current hugs,
Rochelle
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I bet it did. And hey, I think it’s as it should be when starting out 😉
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I love the wry way you told this anecdote of your past – the title alone is hilarious – and I adore the photo! ❤ What a gorgeous couple you are 🙂
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Dear Sunra,
I’m glad you caught my tongue in cheek title. Thank you for your sweet words.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re most welcome 🙂
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What a big deal though, that first place together. But yeah, red and black inside… colors better suited to cards. How long were you there?
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Dear De,
We lived there for about 6 months, then rented a house for year that wasn’t much better. 😉 We bought our first house when we were expecting our first son. It’s been uphill from there. I can’t imagine what they were thinking when they painted the cabinets in that old apartment. I didn’t have enough words to mention that the landlady and her Schnauzer lived a floor below us. We did get a puppy at a party one night and I hid that little dog for a month. When our secret was out, instead of tossing us out on our keesters, the landlady brought dog treats. 🙂
So I guess even she broke her own rules. Good times…well sometimes.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Honeymoon suite indeed. The bed touched the wall on one side and there was, at least 2nd of space on the other. Lol. But, it was our first “home” and we were on our own. I can’t believe we struggled with that $85.00 rent but have had some laughs about it over the years. Good story about our ramshackle honeymoon suite.
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Dear Jan,
I’m glad you caught the irony in the title. 😉 I told you I married you for your money and got all 34.00 of it on our wedding night. And that was just for dinner. Shirley was a character, too. And the hippie-dippy guys next door whose names I can’t remember. I do remember they taught us to play Ha-Ha Herman. Oh, there may be more stories coming forth from that era. From honeymoon suite to dream home, I still do. ❤
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Rochelle,
Ramshackle . . . but most importantly of all, it was yours. And what a sweet photo to share with it. You two . . . so groovy!
Marco
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Dear Marco,
Indeed it was ours, replete with green Naugahyde sofa and end tables made of barrels with marble tops. and don’t forget the shelves separated by cinderblocks. 😉 Groovy it was. Far out and outta sight, too. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh me goodness does that bring me back. How cool it all was, how very enjoyable. I remember doing the cinderblock thing and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.
Far out! LOL
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Oh dear, Rochelle,
Great story. You got me recalling those first places. I can still remember the address of the first, the second was scorpion infested over a garage. The third was in Ankara, Turkey. Next, and longest to that point, was Campus Housing (now demolished) at Texas A&M for about $85 per month.
Thank you for the tour, yours and mine.
Peace,
Bill
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Dear Bill,
We all gotta start somewhere, don’t we? My brother was stationed in Ankara for a while with the Air Force.
The scorpions sound dreadful.
The old home that housed our third-floor, attic apartment, hasn’t existed for several years no.
Thank you for your tour in return.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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We lived in Ankara 1967-1968 (also USAF)
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So at least you were happy and it worked out
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So poignant.
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