Gollum's Challange / It's My Birthday!! ;)

We have a very famous writer among us in Blogland. Her blog name is Gollum and you can visit her at http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/ Now for the past few days, she's been throwing out a challenge to anyone who would like to participate ~ write a short story using her props, key words, etc. We've had some dillies and I'm always up for a challenge and being a year older, why not! ;)

Here goes my little tale...

“Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year, you can find it here"

Do you know this song sung by the Eagles? Hotel California. Everyone knows it. Everyone can sing it. Most think this is just a fantasy song that draws on one’s imagination to think of mysterious things… even evil things.

Well, I’m the girl in this song! The song keeps playing over and over in my head! They’re trying to push me to insanity but I won’t cave in! I won’t!

I must tell you I’m not really sure how I got here. I remember I was taking a long drive one evening in my new burgundy colored convertible and smelling the beautiful scent of the pine trees. I pulled my car over to the right side of the road for just a minute because I thought I'd seen movement in the bushes. Out walks the most beautiful young man carrying a tartan patterned bag. He looked as if he’d come straight from the Scottish Highlands.

I didn’t feel scared, I felt as if I’d known him all my life! He didn’t say a word but walked up to my car, opened the passenger door and sat down beside me. I was hypnotized by his blue eyes! He leaned over to kiss me – I let him! I couldn’t help myself! He lifted a beautiful antique looking bottle from his bag and said, “Drink!” Like a puppet, I did as he said.

That’s when my life ended and this life filled with hallucinations, terror and hell began! I know I’m twenty five, or I was when I bought my convertible. Now they tell me I have a Mercedes, but I’ve never seen it! Was that last year, five years ago or more? Oh, I don’t know! Did you see a car anywhere? Can you take me with you? Please, I want to get out of here!

Where did that beautiful young man go? If I could find him maybe he could help me! No, no, he’s the reason I’m here and I’ve never seen him again. The people here are not real! They have no faces! No, I’m not crazy!! I woke up in this monstrous place! Where am I? Can you help me?

“There she stood in the doorway
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
This could be heaven or this could be hell”

Oh, no, I don’t want to do this! I can’t help myself! It keeps happening over and over again! I don’t want to dance with these men! The ones with no faces! Do you see them? Did you hear those bells? Or are they bagpipes? I can’t think, I’m just too confused!

"Her mind is tiffany-twisted

She got the Mercedes Bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys

That she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard

Sweet summer sweat
Some dance to remember

Some dance to forget”

I’m not mentally disturbed, I know I’m not! I’m a normal person who had my life all planned out and now I’m afraid I’m doomed to live these frightening events over and over again! I do hear voices at night keeping me from my much needed sleep. When I finally drift off I always wake up with a start, sit up in bed and there is the same glass of whisky that someone has poured for me sitting on the night stand! I will not drink it! I refuse!

“And still those voices are calling from far away
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say…”

I’m afraid for you! I need your help, but if you step across this threshold, you’ll become a part of this horror! Wait, do you hear the voices? Are they coming to get me again? I can’t take it any longer! Shhh…be quiet!

(Hands reach out to grab me, pulling me back inside this monstrous place and the terror starts all over again) No, no! I don’t want to go back in there! Please let me go! Somebody please help me!

"Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
‘Relax’, said the night man
We are programmed to receive
You can check out any time you like
But you can never leave”

Welcome to the Hotel California...

**************************************************************

Hi Dear Ones! I usually don't post on Sundays, it's my day of rest, but I had to share my joy with you today! It's my birthday!! I'm quite old today, but I'm not vain about my age and I'm just so thankful to be healthy and happy. I'm 57 years old today! Man, that does feel funny typing '57'!

Well, last night Mr. Precious and Mother gave me my little Birthday gifts. I feel so very blessed and really didn't need or want anything. My reasoning for the cupcakes for Pink Saturday ~ these would be my Birthday cake! Mother is 85 and a little shaky so she doesn't do much in the kitchen. So she wasn't going to bake me a cake. Mr. Precious ~ he doesn't bake!

Well, a very sweet wifey card from Mr. Precious!

Oh, just look at the beautiful roses Mr. Precious gave me. There's six here even though I can't see them all. I love roses!

Ummm... they smell heavenly, too! sniff sniff

Now you know I love crosswords! Before my Daddy passed away, he stayed in the hospital for three months. I stayed most of the time with him because at the time my Mother's health was not very good. I had to sit a lot and I don't do that very well, so I started working crossword puzzles. After he died I decided I would continue working crosswords just for him and so I do and that's been almost 12 years. Mr. Precious knew I would love these. See, I'm an easy gal! That didn't sound right, did it? ;)

Ooooo, Mr. Precious also knows I love Stephen King novels too and he just happened to have one for me!

Then he gave me this beautiful ceramic basket with fruit. When I opened it he said, "You can use this for one of your tablescapes!" Isn't is funny how our family members get pulled into blogland and the fun things we do?

I think this is just so sweet! Look at those little cherries!

I even received a real live Birthday cake with strawberries! Yummy goodness! I know this all sounds so very simple but it's just so nice to feel so blessed! My children live far away from me and their phone calls today and silly singing made my heart just fill up with love! It's nice to be loved.

I just wanted to share my 57 year old Birthday heart with all of you, my most Precious Ones!! You've shown me love and friendship these past five months that I've been blogging and I love you all dearly.

Be a bunch of sweeties,

I'll leave you with a little Note Song~

Happy Birthday Song

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday to me

Happy Birthday, dear me

Happy Birthday to me

~ sung by ME:)