It's the first Wednesday of the month,
the day that members of the
Insecure Writer's Support Group
share their writing struggles
and writing successes
and offer their encouragement
and support to fellow writers.
To visit the IWSG website, click here.
To become a member of the IWSG, click here.
Our wonderful co-hosts who are volunteering today,
along with IWSG founder Alex Cavanaugh are:
Sadira Stone, Patricia Josephine, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Erika Beebe, and C. Lee McKenzie.
I hope you have a chance to visit today's hosts and thank them for co-hosting.
I'm sure they would appreciate a visit and an encouraging comment.
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with advice, insight, a personal experience, or a story in their IWSG posts.
Or, the question can inspire members
if they aren't sure what to write about on IWSG Day.
Remember the question is optional.
This month's featured question is:
What's the strangest thing you've ever googled in researching a story?
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Hi, Everyone!
I can't believe it's already IWSG Day again!
I hope that you've all had a great October
and made progress with your writing goals.
At first glance, this month's question seemed easy,
until I actually tried to think of the strangest thing
I've googled while doing research for a story.
I have literally googled thousands and thousands of things
since I discovered the wonders of Google Search,
amazing to someone who grew up information-starved in isolated places.
When Information Was Hard to Find
Donnie, Me, and Roy
Atholville, New Brunswick, Canada
Fall, 1956
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Most of this research has been prompted by my writing:
from how to knap a flint knife and butcher meat,
to the formation of elements in dying stars,
to Roman bridge construction in ancient Italy,
to what happens to a person's body when cut by a chainsaw,
to French coins and Miꞌkmaq names from 1600.
Nucleosynthesis
Finally I gave up and went with a recent search
that prompted a lot of discussion among my family and friends.
I haven't used it in a story yet, but I'll work it in somewhere.
It was something I had never thought of before
and didn't expect to find anything about.
I was cleaning the freezer one Sunday morning while listening to Fareed Zakaria,
when I pulled out a bag of freezer-burned hotdog buns,
leftovers from our July 4th celebration.
I tried to throw them into the garbage, but I just couldn't do it ~
Too many frugal great aunts in my lineage.
What to do? What to do? I thought, tossing the bag back and forth in my hands.
And then it hit me, Maybe I can use the hotdog buns to make bread pudding!
I never for a second believed I'd find a recipe,
but I entered a search in Google and one popped up instantly:
justapinch.com
I had more buns than the recipe called for,
so I played around with the ingredients and proportions,
chose butter over margarine, and substituted half and half for much of the milk.
That leftover hotdog bun bread pudding was scrumptious!
Ample butter, cream, and sugar makes most things mouthwatering!
And when you top a concoction with homemade whipped cream, it's even better!
In no time we were out of whipped cream
and down to the last half bun each.
The Last Bit
Way Better Than It Looks!
October , 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Over the next few days I described my creation to family and friends,
joking about channeling my inner Newfoundlander.
No one was impressed. Everyone was aghast.
You made What?!
Oh well ~ No imagination. Their loss. My win.
Well, until I climbed on my scale!
I didn't write much in the past two or three weeks.
Cataract surgery slowed me down.
But I have my last post-surgery appointment this morning,
and I can't wait to get back to my regular schedule!
Happy writing in November!
Chilling After My Surgery
Aurora, Colorado, USA
October 21, 2019
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue
All Rights Reserved
Hopefully the last visit goes well.
ReplyDeletehaha never know what you can find on the internet. Nothing wrong with channeling your inner Newfie and not letting things go to waste. Well unless you keep doing it and gain 500 pounds, then you may need an intervention lol
Hey, Pat! All went well! Since we likely won't have hotdogs and buns until next July 4th, I won't gain 500 pounds! Take care, my friend!
DeleteEnjoyed the read Louise, my writing in October went downhill I'm afraid not a good month. Hope you're feeling better. Take care.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Thanks, Yvonne! I hope that November is going better for you. I had a good report from the eye surgeon today, but drops for another week required. I left this morning in warm, sweater weather and returned in a mix of snow and freezing rain. Such is Colorado! Hugs to you, my friend!
DeleteThat is an unusual concoction! Your family's loss if it was tasty.
ReplyDeleteWhat does happen besides bleeding and death when someone is cut by a chainsaw?
Basically you summed death by chainsaw pretty well, Alex! It was interesting to learn that it's sometimes hard to tell a chainsaw homicide from a chainsaw suicide, but if you observe footprints in the blood and the chainsaw some feet away from the victim, it is likely homicide. What can I say, I want the accurate and precise details. After this cheery response ~ have a good one!
DeleteWe have some strange things in our freezer. I need to do a similar Google search, too.
ReplyDeleteI'll best nearly everyone has something strange in his or her freezer. I hope that you are having great IWSG Day!
DeleteI think that bread pudding sounds yummy! And much more appetizing than the whole thing about the body and the chainsaw. :o
ReplyDeleteLOL ~ You never know where writing is going to take you! Thanks for visiting, Madeline! Happy IWG Day!
DeleteI never thought of using buns for bread pudding. I'll have to remember that when cleaning out my own food in the freezer. Hope you're able to get back to your writing soon.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie! I'm convinced you can find a recipe for anything now. My eye doctor is very pleased with how my eye is healing, so I can start ramping up to normal. I am very happy about that. All the best to you!
DeleteHot Dog bun - bread pudding. Who knew?
ReplyDeleteYou "look" like you're on the mend.
Teresa
I'm pretty much there, Teresa! I don't like moving at half speed. Enjoy your visiting around today!
DeleteOh, how I love a good, tasty bread pudding too! But soooooooo fattening, so many carbs! Life is unfair that way.
ReplyDeleteBread pudding is the best, Debra! Life is unfair in so many tasty ways. Sending you a big hug and wishing you a great evening, my friend!
DeleteNow that I think about it, there might be things in my freeze that no online recipe can save! Hope you're feeling better. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, David! I'm feeling much better now that I've gotten the go-ahead for normal. I don't do well with restrictions. Good luck with your freezer ~ LOL!
DeleteThanks, Agnes, for your well wishes and visiting! Have a good one!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patricia! Have a great IWSG Day!
ReplyDeleteI love checking out recipes online. Sometimes I put a few together just for the excitement of it all. hehehe
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
Your comment made me laugh, Anna! I like experimenting too. Lots of times, I just make things up, depending upon what needs to be used up in the fridge or freezer. Sometimes this yields great results and occasionally to disasters. Fortunately, my husband is open-minded about food and appreciates my efforts. Have a good one!
DeleteI can't recall my strangest thing.
ReplyDeleteYou find the most amazing things, Adam! It's always fun to see what you come up with. I know I'm behind again on reading your posts, but I also know I'll enjoy catching up! Have a good one!
DeleteOh thank you for this delightful image of your's dear Louise :)))
ReplyDeletei hope wish and pray that may your recovery be fastest ever ,amen
i have learnt finally to search for recipe lol and for the sake of my kids specially younger one who is demanding and likes spicy food with variety
i am glad your left over turned so well as buns :) as it looks great in image :)
wishing you all the comforts and peace in days ahead my friend !
hugs!
Thank you for your kind words, Baili! And the hug! It's been a day!
DeleteI was totally freaked when told I needed cataract surgery several years ago. What if the doc makes a mistake? What if I lose my sight? Yikes! Once it was over with, I was thrilled with the results. So glad I got both eyes done. I hope you feel the same way, too. Best wishes for a great writing month.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane! I was absolutely freaked the first time for the exact reason you were. I was much more relaxed when my second eye was done. And yes, I am thrilled with the result! Wishing you all the best this month!
DeleteI'm just like you Louise! I just can't throw things out unless they are really REALLY gnarly lol...good job with the newfie pudding! ;) Hope the appointment goes well!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rain! It went well, although I have to go back in two weeks and have a laser touchup on the eye I had done two years ago. My vision beyond two feet is awesome, and I am thrilled!!! But I've been having trouble up close: reading, writing, editing photos, and cooking, especially chopping with a knife ~ watch out world! LOL I have new glasses arriving the day of my zap, zap, zap with a laser. Which is great because it's a fifty minute drive each way, and I'll be most happy if I don't have to make two trips. Terry made it back today, and I am a happy camper. Hugs to you, my friend!
DeleteOh that's great Louise. I have to wear (what I call) granny glasses to see close up lol...all I'm missing is the funky chain around my neck ha ha! I wish I had the guts to think about laser surgery...I hate wearing glasses! I tried contact lenses but they never felt right. I hope all goes well with the zapping! :)
DeleteI am sure your frugal aunts would have been impressed with your bread pudding. I know I am! Growing up dirt poor, I often try to salvage food too instead of tossing it out. I honestly can't think of anything weird that's popped up on a Google search for me, but I have found some weird stuff on YouTube before.
ReplyDelete