The Mudslide and the Hemingway App

I used the Hemingway App to proof this piece for passive voice and clarity. Great tool now that Microsoft removed their passive voice feature from Word 2016.

The Mudslide

I was sick last year with the flu. I ran a fever which I can’t tell you how high because I’d given up on looking for a thermometer. I slept on the sofa the evening my fever broke, and I dreamed something frightening. I experienced a mudslide.

This was no ordinary mudslide like the countless ones you might see on the evening news. It did not contain debris like collapsed houses, uprooted trees and power lines. It was smooth and dark, like a giant Tootsie roll. Don’t laugh, because that’s not what I would call frightening.

It all started while I was at some resort, by myself. It was a couples resort and I was there alone and something did not feel right. The ambiance was off. The aftermath of a disaster appeared before me and it was calm, like the eye of a storm. Everybody stood around and looked relieved as if they’d just escaped death!

People smiled at me, their eyes lit up as if giving thanks for my presence. And then this man motioned for me to climb out of this pit. He lifted the net which covered the opening of the pit. I reached for his hand and tried to climb out, but my shoe lace got tangled up in the net. At this point, the net came alive and climbed up my leg to snatch me away.

Terrifying screams sprang from all directions as the man pulled me from the pit. He grabbed a knife from a sleeve on his hip and sliced the net away from my laces. With a violent hiss, the pit sucked the net in like a vacuum cleaner consuming a hair ball.


Leave a comment and let me know what you think of this piece and if you believe the Hemingway App would be useful to you. Try it here.

I won't show you the original, it was horrendous. :) I changed my mind. Look at the photo just above.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to receive future articles in your inbox --- Subscribe to our free newsletter

The Ernest Hemingway Home

I'm surprised my husband even knew of Ernest Hemingway, so when he scheduled this trip as part of our anniversary agenda this year, it was a major shock for me! Really...Key West?! Key West was beautiful. Plus, he agreed to watch Key Largo, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, as we enjoyed our accommodations in Key Largo!

What I enjoyed most was Hemingway's work place. This is where he wrote 90% of his masterpieces...according to our guide. I would love to have this as my working environment.

This picture of the pool below is the one his second wife put in while he was on a nine month tour in Europe if I recall correctly (and if I didn't, who cares). The relevant part is that his wife had this pool installed at the expense of removing his beloved sparring grounds.

His second wife was also a fashionista! She removed all the ceiling fans in the entire house and replaced them with chandeliers like this one. It's made from blown glass.

I used to oil paint years ago, so this was a photo I had to capture. :)  

Sorry I didn't get a closer photo of Hemingway's bookshelf. It was in the stairwell and I was holding up the line of folks behind me! But it was still an awesome collection.

The chandelier over the master bedroom. Sexy! Actually, he was a big guy, so he invented the first king sized bed by placing two twin beds together and framing them up. His wife found the headboard in Europe. It's a gate piece.

The bathroom adjoining the master bedroom is gorgeous! This is a view of the vanity. I love this type of stuff. How inspiring!

It makes me feel good to know that Hemingway was an avid fisherman and hunter. I love it that writers are inspired, but I love it more to know they lived on the land and enjoyed nature as well.

Young Hemingway! How cute was he? It's hard to believe he suffered from bi polar disorder. Who would think such a talent could commit suicide. His entire family was stricken with depression. It's sad to me. He was such a great talent.

I remembered his granddaughter when she played in the movie "Lipstick". Her and her baby sister starred in it. I never knew they were related to Ernest Hemingway until years later. Posing with some of the descendants of Snowball!

I enjoyed my stay in this fabulous home. The 44 cats are all hand bred and descendants of Snowball, the first inhabitant feline of the family. I learned so much about this man, I have a better appreciation for my love of writing. I will never give up the art of making my thoughts visible, no matter what form. 

Thanks for reading what I share and I'm so happy to return home to my family and friends!

On Vacation in the Keys

We will soon be returning from our vacation in the Keys. It was in celebration of our 26th wedding anniversary. A great time it was too, and I’ll have pictures to share this weekend. Miss you all out there in the Blog-o-sphere!

See you real soon. A teaser for all my writer friends out there: we visited Ernest Hemingway’s home.