Friday, October 11, 2019

Date Night Dilemma: Use Your Words

Today’s post is a monthly writing challenge. If you’re new here, this is how it works: participating bloggers picked 4 – 6 words or short phrases for someone else to craft into a post. All words must be used at least once. All of the posts will be unique as each writer has received their own set of words. That’s the challenge, here’s a fun twist; no one who’s participating knows who got their words and in what direction the recipient will take them. Until now.


Use Your Words, a multiblogger writing challenge | developed and run by www.BakingInATornado.com | #MyGraphics


At the end of this post you’ll find links to the other blogs featuring this challenge. Check them all out, see what words they got and how they used them.
I'm using: phone ~ neighbourhood ~ falling ~ official ~ beetle
They were submitted by Diane of On the Border.

                          
"I love you", she looked him straight in the eye, "and I will leave him if that's the only way to keep you".

It was a difficult thing to say but the truth is, she was finally addressing out loud what she'd known in her head for weeks. It was such an emotional step to take, but she had to take it, it was time. Or she would lose him.

"We cannot have an entire relationship within the walls of this house", he continued to make his case despite the fact that she had already capitulated. "We need to be able to go out, be together somewhere else, and around other people, in public. Drink, laugh, talk, even if it's just to a neighbourhood (no, I didn't spell this wrong, Diane, who gave me these words, is Canadian and I defer to her spelling in this post) restaurant or that little dessert bar down the street".




Mint Chocolate Cheesecake features a favorite flavor pairing in a delicious creamy cheesecake baked in a crunchy mint chocolate cookie crust. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake
Mint Chocolate Cheesecake features a favorite flavor pairing in a delicious creamy cheesecake baked in a crunchy mint chocolate cookie crust. | Recipe developed by www.BakingInATornado.com | #recipe #dessert


She could have maintained the status quo, would have preferred it really, maybe not forever but at least for now. It wasn't fair to him, though, and she knew it. He was putting his foot down, and she really couldn't blame him, he was not just doing it for himself, she had to admit that it was for them both.

There was, of course, something she had to do first. One of the hardest things she'd had to do in a very long time. Tomorrow. She'd do it tomorrow.

That night in bed, both emotionally drained and deeply exhausted, despite being as snug as a beetle in a rug (yes, I know the saying is "bug in a rug" but I gotta work with what I've been given here), sleep evaded her. The task ahead of her weighed heavily. Really, this should not be so difficult to do, she should actually be excited, looking forward to it.

But so much was running through her mind: she remembered the day she had met her husband, how much she enjoyed dating him, just being with him. She recalled the slow realization that she was falling for him, relived the day he proposed. Her wedding day was the most perfect day of her life, or so she had thought until just a month ago, when she met the person on whom she was now fully focused.

The next day, she set out to do what she needed to do. She turned to a few trusted friends for advice. Besides giving her valuable direction, they all assured her she would be OK. Better than OK, they all agreed, she'd be happier than she realizes in this moment. Words she later came to acknowledge were, of course, true.

And then, taking a deep breath, she picked up her phone. And put it down again. In the end, though, she did it. She said the words she needed to say, made the required arrangements.

You'd think she'd be relieved, once it was set in stone, but not so much. She questioned herself non-stop, all day long. "Is it too late? Can I undo this? What if I'm not ready?". The thoughts were relentless, even all the way into that evening as she dressed and prepared to leave her home.

An hour later she sat in his car. "I love you", she looked him straight in the eye, "I told you I would leave him and I did".

She actually did it. Left her one month old son with a babysitter and went out with her husband on her official first "date night" as a new mom.


Here are links to all the other Use Your Words posts:





Mint Chocolate Cheesecake
                                               ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Ingredients:
11.5 oz package Keebler Fudge Stripe Mint cookies
4 TBSP butter, melted

2 1/2 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup Andes baking chips
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

Directions:
*Wrap a sheet of tin foil around the bottom and partially up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Lightly grease the inside of the pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
*In a food processor, crush the cookies to fine crumbs, it should make about 2 3/4 cups of crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumbs and mix the other 2 1/4 cups with the melted butter. Press into and partially up the sides of the prepared pan.
*Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream and heavy cream, then the eggs, one at a time. Gently fold in the baking chips and the remaining cookie crumbs.
*Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared crust. Seal the chocolate into a sandwich bag. Snip a corner of the bag and drizzle half of the syrup over the batter and swirl into the batter, using a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining batter and chocolate syrup.
*Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until the center is just set.
*Remove from oven and allow to cool. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
*Gently run a knife around the cheesecake before removing the side of the pan.
*Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator.

18 comments:

  1. Hahahaha! I was thinking this is a different twist for you! I remember leaving each one and it was terrifying! (Rena)

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    Replies
    1. Sometimes those word prompts just send you down a different path, that's kinda what I love about this challenge.

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  2. Oh, those first "dates" are so hard! Love that surprise ending. Thinking about you today and hope you're starting to feel like yourself again. Now, I'm off to find Fudge Stripe Mint Cookies. Your recipe sounds delicious!

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  3. That's what I love about you, I knew this would have a twist. I knew it was not what it seemed. I kept thinking maybe it was a pet. Great job and fun!
    Now let's talk cheesecake. OMGosh I hope you enjoyed a slice for me.

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    Replies
    1. I am so glad you enjoyed the story. And you must try this cheesecake for the mint and chocolate lovers in your life.

      Delete
  4. Oh, this is so good! Loved that twist; never saw it coming! I waited a little longer for my first post baby 'date'....and made the mistake of hiring a co worker as my sitter. After the fact I discovered everyone at work was taking bets on how long after the date started I would be calling coworker/sitter to make sure my baby son was OK.

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  5. You had me also but have to say I liked this and the ending

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  6. After I read the ending I had to go back and re-read the rest of the story!

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  7. Good for her! How i remember those days, when you barely saw the sun for being so caught up taking care of the little lives totally dependent upon you.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, they seemed to last forever but now I feel like they were gone too fast.

      Delete

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