Tuesday, April 12, 2016

A-Z Challenge Day 11

Posted Wednesday April 13

Today's old K words are:- 
Killock n. an anchor
Kopje n. a hillock
Kitchin n. a small child

... and in case you are unsure, a ketch is a small two-masted  sailing vessel.




The ketch Sea Urchin was prepared and ready to head across the waves to the port of Rotterdam. A seaman weighed the killock one last time.


Atop a kopje overlooking the ocean a mother sits with her boychild. They stare toward the horizon. Most mornings they come here. Month in, month out. Some evenings too.

‘When is he coming home?’ asks the kitchin‘Soon my child, soon' she replies.... 

....just as her mother said to her when she was a child, whilst awaiting the Sea Urchin's return.








*Congrats' to all who spotted that the 'star' of my tale yesterday was based on actor Joey from Friends! 

You can check out my A-Z posts thus far  by clicking  on a highlighted letter!
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W X Y Z


32 comments:

  1. LOL, I obviously didn't catch it about Joey and went back to try to figure it out and still couldn't figure it out :)

    I hope the kitchin doesn't have to wait too long for the ship to arrive home.

    betty

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    1. Well, Joey was a pretty poor actor and food-mad in Friends! As the Kitchin's mother also waited as I child I fear it never will.

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  2. We use kopje in Afrikaans (spelled koppie) with the same meaning :-)

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    1. I immediately thought of the Dutch language when I found it which I understand to be similar in parts to Afrikaans

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  3. Well, who knew that 'kitchin' was a small child! Well researched, Keith. :)

    Susan A Eames from
    Travel, Fiction and Photos

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    1. It is one old word I nay well use in the future Susan

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    1. Who knows? But after a generation missing I fear it will not.

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  5. Soon is a long time when you're a child!

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  6. great story and new words for me to learn(?)

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  7. Very nice!!! And I learned some new words!!!

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    1. Will you remember them tomorrow though? I'm not even I shall!

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  8. This was a sweet story with words well used. You are putting a lot of work into these and that makes them fun to read!
    Josie Two Shoes
    from Josie's Journal

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    1. Tell me about it Josie! A lot of work but enormous fun to do.

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  9. Poignant. Nice symmetry with the mother being in the same position as her own mum all those years ago.

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  10. I'm so glad Darla recommended your blog! I love learning new words, and having them inside a story is so much more helpful than staring at the definition, hoping I'll remember the meaning. And you've got serious flash fiction talent! I never manage to get my point across like that. It usually takes lots of ramblings. :) What's your flash fiction secret?

    Grace
    Visiting from the a-z challenge
    http://writerzengarden.com/2016/04/13/k-is-for-using-krav-maga-to-kick-the-inner-evil-critique-away/

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    1. Good to see you here Grace and thanks for your generous words. Secret? None! Little stories just pop into mind when I least expect them, which is why a carry a note book everywhere I go

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    2. lol. I suppose it was an annoying question, but I had to ask. I suck at flash fiction. Better get back to my WIP, then. :) Have fun writing!

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    3. I'll pop over to yours very soon.

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  11. I love this. It's wonderful to explore language beyond its common vernacular.

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    1. Certainly is. I'm having enormous fun doing it. Thanks so much for your comment.

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  12. Hi Keith - I saw kopje (that's the way I'd have spelt it) and immediately thought of South Africa and my time there and the kopjes I'd looked out from ... then since I've been back - the (Dutch) ketch was the flat bottomed boat that could sail in the North Sea and particularly the Dogger Bank area - which only has a sea level depth of about 15m - they were used back in the 17th and 18th centuries ...

    Your A-Z is certainly educating us .. cheers Hilary

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  13. So happy you visited my blog because that's how I found you. This is another beautiful short piece. Very descriptive. I'll be back to read more.

    Shalom,
    Patricia @ EverythingMustChange

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  14. This is lovely. I'm going to have to come back and go through all of the words. I love collecting unique words and adding them to my word hoard.

    Well done.

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