Io is impressive (Chapter 9)

My daughter and family dropped in for tea this afternoon. Luckily I'd stocked up with shopping earlier and I advised Io what was happening. When I introduced them to her she told them of her marriage with husband who was always jetting about on business. I noticed too that her clothes were a bit frumpy, her hair was pinned up, her eyebrows plucked and there were laughter lines around her eyes. She had put on weight too; where had my Io gone?        

As I made some tea I heard her say "I'm trying to persuade your father to come with me on a trip round the Pacific; but he said there was only a lot of water and palm trees to see.

"I can hear you" I said from the kitchen, "I'd rather just go to New Zealand".

I wondered what Io had put in their tea as they started saying when I brought some cake in, "You should go Dad" and "You can stop staring at the walls here". 

Io then interjected "What is the cell phone reception like there? My husband Theo does like to know where I am all the time, poor love".

I listened in amazement. Where did she get all that from? Io by now was pointing to the Pacific Ocean in my atlas at some of the islands with her fingers which now appeared so long and painted an awful purple colour. In fact she looked quite middle aged.

"I'll think about it" I said. My daughter knew I hated long painted fingernals in gaudy colours. She must have delved into my brain to work out what I didn't like! I knew now I was really in love with her. My daughter knew this Io was not my type and was no threat to the family.

After they had gone and I was stacking the dishwasher Io came up behind me and said "Do I get a prize?"

"No!" I said laughing but there was still a thought of just why does she need me, and just what is in her mind?".

                        

Word count 347

Bird Watching

 

I feel quite ashamed that as a youngster I and so many others used to collect different birds eggs take them home, make a hole in both ends and blow the yolk out and place it in a collecting box to gloat over. The unspoken rule was to only ever take one egg and not to tell other young collectors where the nest was.

Needless to say it was easy to find common birds nests but much harder to find rarer birds nests such as those birds of prey or hibernating birds that had flown in from many hundreds of miles away to nest safely away from higher or lower temperatures so that rearing of the chicks was easier.

Seabirds nests were difficult to find as they often chose nesting sites that only they could access…unless we had wings of course. However being young we concentrated on the birds close to home and exchanged eggs with those friends that may have swaps as you might too as exploring boys could find unbroken eggs removed from nests by other creatures and cuckoos that checked other birds nest. Cuckoos were of course lazy by leaving the incubating and hatching to other birds. When the cuckoo chicks hatched it didn’t take long before its instinct told them to kick the other eggs out whilst their parents continued to feed the big cuckoo chick even though there was only one left.

Hopefully egg collecting is much less of a hobby than it was in my day; whereas collecting photographs of local birds and annual visitors is far more worthwhile.  Far better is taking pictures of these wild creatures as you endeavor to capture shots of every bird in the country. There are usually a few birds that are almost always difficult to locate, so your list of sightings never quite reaches 100%!

308 words

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Io and I start planning the trip (Chapter 8)

I really had to be stronger and not let Io seduce me again.

I had bought Sue Grafton’s novel ‘V is for Vengeance’  on the way home and I continued to read when I got into bed. Needing concentration, by the time I put the light out Io was fast asleep.

However by morning when I woke, we were both naked curled up together and I couldn’t remember a thing. But I had a beautiful feeling of her love for me in my brain. So later we discussed the plan to find this elusive male god Io (her namesake) in the Pacific region.

I told her as we were discussing it in bed that there was no way I could afford another holiday just now. Because we were not just doing a package tour of Fiji for ten days all organised on some resort island but an in depth research project to discover the roots of religious beliefs in the area.

“How much do you think we need then?” asked Io. "I think I have some money with me". She reached for her red handbag and fossicked around inside and drew out a little pouch of coins. My heart fell; even if they were rare Greek coins from many years ago we could never get rid of them, except a few at a time.

But they weren’t Greek, they were British sovereigns worth about $1200 each!  All dated in the last 50 years and were legitimate for any transaction and she had about $150,000!

I hugged her as she put the bag of coins away; turned back to me and nodded reading my thoughts showing me an ample glimpse of her flesh. "On one condition” she said, “If you ever speak with any gods don't tell them we are lovers. Especially Zeus and Hera or even Hermes as he likes me too. Well no-one at all as they do gossip and get drunk”.

As she named them, I got up had my shower, shaved and dressed. I went into the kitchen wondering what she would like for breakfast. She was still mumbling other gods names; then called out, "Robin, the worst person to talk to is Echo".

364 words

Flooding rain

 

It is always pleasure to explore the wild

Under high waterfalls roaring down

Caves and canyons with ancient rock art

Wild rivers overflowing their banks

As winters rains floods fields and forests

Carrying detritus everywhere far away

Whilst giving us essential water for reservoirs

And washing everything to the sea

How thorough is nature in its love

Layering its debris far, far away

Silt packed high as each bend in the river

Water cutting new paths in its journey

Except when granite show her stern face

Denying all entry to her domain

For she is old and wise and bears all

As she has patience and knows what will be

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Beloved companion

 

It is some years since my younger daughter's Australian Magpie died. She had found him injured with one wing broken and her immediate thought was to take it to the vet as it had been in a fight with another bird or animal. Clearly it could not fly and the damaged wing was removed and then he was grounded for the rest of its life. He soon settled down happy to be fed and had a large cage where it could roost and be safe from other enquiring birds and predators with all food and cleaning provided for him.

He seemed quite grateful and was inquisitive enough. Often he would enter my daughter’s house and make himself at home and be happy enough to sit with me a visitor and tell me what he had been up to; not that I could understand him. Later I was asked to look after him when my daughters family went on holiday. He settled in very well. I let him use his cage on my first floor balcony so he could see other birds in the area. At night I brought him inside and he watched the TV with me. He jumped out of his cage and sat with me on the arm of my chair or indeed on my arm and enjoyed the programs I did.

I must confess I was quite sad to lose his companionship when my daughter’s family returned home, but he was always happy to see me when I visited. Other birds in their garden used to tease him somewhat.

Sadly, he disappeared one day never to return, probably went for a walk and perhaps did not survive a confrontation with another creature. However knowing him and his acceptance of his disability and the humans that cared for him probably provided him with the happiest life few of his kin ever had.

318 word count

Io speaks the truth...I think (Chapter 7)

 

Io, my yummy companion (and ancient Greek goddess) had somehow upset my normal and dull life and was now telling me she was on a special mission to persuade the world to take the ancient gods seriously. Well yes, I needed little persuasion as she had offered herself to me. She told me that Zeus had caught wind or more likely heard that Aeolus the god of the winds had learnt of a new god that was neither male or female but had the ability to persuade people to think, act and exist with each other and the world. 

I'd already put two and two together thinking that had happened more that 2000 years ago. But Io just shook her head saying "No, this new god's name is "Io" the same as mine!"

I was speechless as Io explained what she had found out. Aeolus in charge of the wind clearly had travelled far and wide reporting back to Zeus. Then off he would go huffing and puffing about as winds do. However once when drunk he had spilt the beans, saying the god he had found was both passive and active, was eternal without forebears but he was the precursor.

Io then looked at me and said "Now you can see why I was summoned, don't you?" 

I nodded doubtfully saying "Well it can't be you or what you can become because you have a father and mother."

Io nodded too and continued. "This male Io is different. Zeus reckons if we can get him on side, the pantheon of gods can become active again. So I think we should go and find him". 

"Have you got an atlas?" Io then asked

I laughed and said "He is part of your lot, holding everything up". 

Io then laughed too "That's what I like about you Robin. Perhaps you should come too and keep me company. 

I nodded but said "I am tired now, let's discuss this in the morning. You can sleep in the single bedroom if you want to".

"No that won't work" she said ,"I have been told to always protect and look after you."

I just shook my head in disbelief!

Word count 360

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Ready for the breakfast table

I awoke from my restful sleep

I didn't even have to count sheep

Eating grass on hillside close by

Watching them made me thirsty

When they drink from troughs by the fence

Chilly dawn arrives with silence

As expected the farmer's hand

Now prods one or two as they stand

Checking if they wobble or not

Happy the day is not too hot

Trying to look like he's hard at work

Keen for breakfast for he's a jerk

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