1295 - RELAX

ALAstair was meAndeRing down the pavement in his own little world, thinking about this and that and not paying much attention to anything else. He found himself standing outside a stranger's front door and wondered why the key would not work in the lock. Just then the glare from the policeman's torch brought him out of his reverie. "Oh, evening constable, I was not thinking straight and have finished up at the wrong house", he managed to say as he pulled himself together and made a bee-line to his home. The constable had given him quite a fright, so he made a comforting hot chocolate with frothy cream on top and sat in his favourite chair to relax and recover.

Alastair was at the wrong door

1294 - CHEAP

JAck had just won thrEe million pounds on the lottery. But his sister was puzzled and asked him why he was eating pease pudding for dinner. She told him that it was too cheap and that he could now afford foods like caviar, truffles, pheasant, matsutake mushrooms and oysters. Jack said that he didn't know if he'd like them and that he'd rather stick to something familiar that he liked!

Matsutake Carpaccio

1293 - CHOSE

ShE was trying to decide on which coat to buy; it had to be right. But just as she was confirming her decision on which coat to buy, a party of excited young children were shepherded through the shop, guided by their teachers and assistants and making a lot of noise. When she got home and examined her purchase she realised she chose the wrong coat, having been distracted by the hubbub.

There was a lot of noise from the children

1292 - NERVE

This is my 10-year-old Granddaughter's version:

"Mrs BERciles is such a prude! She wears extremely dull clothes and seldom ever smiles!", Tom said, as Mrs Berciles walked by with a plain loaf of bread and a small carton of milk. "I heard that she doesn't have the nerve to go to the supplies shop because they have started selling drupe shaped sweets! Apparently she detests them!", Mia said, joining in. "Yeah! And when the neighbourhood went to see the town football game, we had the best John Tibbs and Martie Easters score, she didn't even clap! I think she scoffed and read her book for the rest of the game, even though it was really exciting!", Lucy said creepily. "She gives me shivers down my spine!"

At the town football game

This is my version:

ERnestine kept a careful score of the quantity of drupe type fruit she ate every day. She believed that too many would make your hair fall out. She also had many other things she wouldn't do, believing them to be unlawful, irreligious, rude or naughty. She always wore a long khaki dress with no jewellery and she never used makeup. She was a right old prude and her neighbours laughed at her. But woe betide anyone who had the nerve to insult her. She always found a way of getting the better of them.

Ernestine was not to be messed with

1291 - LEMUR

This is my 10-year-old Granddaughter's version:

"EndLEss landscape, it's hot today isn't it, no wondeR Lola's panting so much!", Max said turning the pages of his book. "I'll take her down to the steam for a drink. Its shady over there so I can cool off too!", Lucy announced, getting up. "Anyone want to come?" "I'll come! I'm quite hot myself so the shade will do me some good! Maybe I can cup my hands together and join Lola with the drink too!", Mia said also getting up. "Aaaaw! Listen, the Courtridge zoo has taken on a new baby lemur! His name is pepper because of his markings, according to the paper", Tom said suddenly. "Is that Dad's paper?" "Well, Um, I guess so or... OK it's Dad's paper." "Tom!"

Pepper with its Mum

This is my version:

Feathers McGraw was LockEd in the zoo because he was a buRgler. He tried to befriend the lemur, but it kept falling asleep in the middle of a conversation, so Feathers gave up and started plotting how to steal the blue diamond again.

Feathers McGraw safely in the zoo prison