I don’t like dark. Or storms. Or night. Our house is rarely ever completely dark. It has TV light ALL the time and a hundred night lights that switch on automatically as soon as night tries to sneak in.
Day is my favorite time. I’m all about sunshine and sparkle and bright and light.
Mom’s favorite time is morning. She is always up and att’em early. That’s her best time to write and her best time to do most everything – clean, swim, get ideas, take me for a walk, meditate, and cook.
Ugh… Not yet!
Her stories usually take place during the daytime. That is part of what is called setting. It sounds like sitting,
but apparently it’s not. When Mom said she was working on setting, I said, “…so am I!”
Nope.
Anyway, dark is scary and Mom doesn’t usually write scary things. But she has a challenging plan for herself. The next story she writes will take place at night or in a dark place.
*gulp*
Mom doesn’t have her next story idea, yet, but she will check her lists and choose an idea or two that she can mix together and take to the night. I typically like helping Mom work,
Helping.
but if there’s anything dark involved…
Nope.
She’s on her own.
Cupcake Speaks 
Comments on: "Setting" (64)
I think it is impawtant to pick the right time for a story… if it starts with a stormy night, nothing good or funny will happen…only ghosts and scary noises enter our minds… but if it starts at a sunny day, the butterflies, the flowers and sun rays come automatically to be a part of our story ….or to become the main character ;o)
I’m with you, P. At least the story should START in the daytime. Otherwise…. Ugh… *shiver*
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, I’m generally with you … but there is one AMAZING thing that you can’t see if it’s dark: the night sky! Think about all that twinkling you’re missing out on. xx
Now that you mention it, night skies are kind of sparkly and magical, MJ. I have seen stars now and then when Mom and I ventured out.
Love and licks,
C
I think she could use your support, Cupcake. I know it’s scary, but you could just reassure her now and then.
I guess I can try to sit nearby and stare for a few minutes, C. But if things get too scary, I’m OUT!
Love and licks,
C
I can understand you not liking dark…..my Angel brother Sammy used to love to go for walks in the dark (eeeek) and Mom hasn’t taken me out in the dark even once. I think I might like it but then again there are snakes and foxes and other animals out there that might GET ME (and Mom) so maybe staying IN is better. Your Mom could write a night story – nights are kind of magical in a way with the starry skies and stuff!
Hugs, Teddy
Good point, Little T. Critters are one more things to worry about out there. Mom will flip out if there’s so much as a moth or a mosquito. If we ever saw a fox or a snake, there’d be a total melt down.
Love and licks,
C
My Mom and snakes are NOT a good combination……she’s so used to foxes and we rarely see them these days but snakes???? YUCKO!
Cupcake, I gotta tell you… I love the dark. Our house is dark all the time. I can hardly wait until fall comes and the clocks fall back and it gets dark earlier. We have the TV on at night and TV light is okay… it’s comforting. But I am always happy when the TV is turned off. When CH goes to bed, I grab my pillow and my beach towel and lie down on the glider that is on the four seasons porch and I just stare at the sky and the trees and listen to the whippoorwill and the owl. I can see bats flying around… I love bats. It’s a whole other world out there at night. I do love those night lights you have that turn on automatically. I think I will have to buy three of them today! I DON’T like storms though and I run to the basement when it gets stormy while CH just stands and looks out a window. I don’t like night storms at all. Love the pictures today with the narrative. Especially the empty bed with “nope”… 🙂
I am awake early in the morning, 5 or 6, but not up. I am on the couch commenting on blogs. I am not a morning person, I like late afternoon and night. It would be interesting to see how your Mom does with her dark setting in her story.
So Cupcake, could you ask your Mom if it is lie down up there in my sentence. I googled and I am still befuddled. Lie down on the glider… lay down? I actually excelled in English when I was in school but the lie, lay, laid thing always got me. Sorry I wrote my own short story here but I had a lot to say I guess… 🙂 You know, because I love the dark.
We LOVE your whole short story, Pix! Especially your appreciation of the creatures of the night. We do not love owls or bats at all. Although, Mom did enjoy making paper plate bats at Halloween when she was a teacher. There are bat houses near the woods by our new apartment. Mom is happy they’re not too close. Plus we hope those guys eat plenty of mosquitos and that the owls eat plenty of mice.
Lie down is definitely correct up there. Lie is for when you hit the deck and get into a prone position. Lay is for when you put something else down (not your body). or for when you lay an egg, of course.
I love eggs. I wish Mom would cook me one right now!
Love and licks,
C
It’s been a puzzle to me as well…though as the commenter said, I excelled inn English through school and college. Except my runaway commas.
We like daytime best too, although lately our day time has been rather gloomy and almost like night. Although night time can be fun too all sorts of bugs arrive at night to fly around our lights.
Gloomy days are rotten. Mom and I don’t like to see bugs flying around. We may have issues…
Love and licks,
C
Now here’s the thing. You need to write about stuff you know about soooooo, you and mom – mostly mom – will need to turn off those lights and the tv and close the refrigerator door, and see what ideas go bump in the night. Like that idea? 😬
Good luck. Of course keep me 🌀🌀🌀❤
GAH! Wrong answer, G. “Turn off the TV” is not even a word that we understand at all. Sometimes Mom will mute the TV, but turning it off is flat out terrifying! We love TV way too much. We can manage with the closed fridge and SOME lights off, but *gulp* not our beloved TV. Please!
Love and licks,
C
Just being there will be a big help for Mom, Cupcake, as you’ll be able to point out the light to overcome the scary in her night-time story.
Thanks, PT. If Mom shuts any lights off, maybe my white furs can light the way for her if I stay nearby.
Love and licks,
C
My humans are not morning people. That’s because ghostwriter works evening shift until 11:30pm. They’re the most busy in the late afternoon, and so am I. We all love to sleep in the morning.
Wow, C. I’m a little envious… Sleeping in the morning is something I TRY to do sometimes, but Mom starts chasing me off the bed so she can fix it all up with the bedspread. Then I’m banned because of shedding all over the place.
Love and licks,
C
Oh mom’s story can get you over the fear of dark! Charley says, not to worry, dark means more opportunity to sneak around for food left out and sleeping on beds and sofa’s…love your new place!!! Xoxo Johanna
Thanks, J. Charley is a smart girl. Stealing food is definitely worth taking a chance in the dark! I love food. And sneaking.
Love and licks,
C
Good luck with the dark! Hopefully there’s a sunny day outside in it for putting up with mom’s literary stretching. 🌞
Thanks, M. I am ALWAYS hoping for a sunny day to counteract the darkness. Paws crossed that that works out.
Love and licks,
C
You certainly have a lot of bed sheets to hide beneath. Love the dog sheets and your front yard, Or is that a dog park? Glad to hear your mom is trying something different (darkish).
Thanks, P. That’s our dog park. I am never off my leash unless I’m in there. Apparently, I am not reliable enough. Mom loves change, so this idea might be a lucky switcheroo.
Love and licks,
C
But you know what comes out at night….stars! And they are pretty and sparkle! Never forget the stars are only visible at night! So the dark isn’t all bad! 🙂
Good point, C. I think I would like seeing the stars and the moon and all the fun stuff up there. It does seem kind of magical. Mom usually brings me out to see the Perseid Meteor Shower in August. But mostly, I’m a sunshine doggie and suspicious of the night.
Love and licks,
C
We’re with you C. We like the day better or just when the day breaks…we can play and see stuff again. No dark stormy night here.
Shoko and Kali
Thanks, S and K. Daybreak is a GREAT time! The sun is my best friend. When it pops up, it makes me happy!
Love and licks,
C
You have a GREAT yard to play in, Cupcake! Full of sunshine and GREEN! Boomer
Thanks, B. That’s my dog park. I’m pretty much the only dog that plays in there. It’s green all year round because of turf instead of grass – so no mud.
Love and licks,
C
adore you Cupcake and all the words and photos. A golden thanks for your post.
Thanks, B. If you adore me, then I must be adorable. Always my goal in life!
Love and licks,
C
Sometimes when I am outside in my driveway at night, with the house at my back and woods on two sides, I start to think about werewolves and vampires and such. Then I tell myself there are no such things…or are there?
*gulp* ARE THERE!!??!!?? I was worried about creepy people and bugs and critters. I never thought to worry about Werewolves and Vampires. Yikes! *shiver*
Love and licks,
C
Yep. I can deal with the creepy people and critters, bug, werewolves and vampires, not so much. But I do eat a lot of garlic!
Oh, Cupcake, tell your mom that this is a purrfect story to start with, maybe you can stand me in for the dark parts 😀 Light Pawkisses for the subject and a wonderful day 🙂 ❤
Thanks for the offer, Little B. I think you are very courageous to step in for the dark times. #toughkitty
Love and licks,
C
Sometimes good things come in the dark. Like babies. Sometimes babies are born at night, when it’s dark, and babies are a good thing. You can also have Smores at dark, and trust me Cupcake, they are super tasty and you would risk the dark for them.
Very encouraging, J. Thanks. I do love babies. They’re delicious. Sometimes they taste like lollipops. And I don’t know about s’mores, but once I had a piece of graham cracker as big as Mom’s pinky nail. Ugh. She’s obsessed with my weight.
Love and licks,
C
I hope your mom can come up with a great story idea.
Me too, C. Thanks. Paws crossed!
Love and licks,
C
We are morning critters here too Cupcake. We have lots of nightlights too since the Girls don’t like the dark either. Maybe something written about dusk and fireflies……ohhhhh that sounds nice….some fireflies to chase…..oh! sorry, lost my train of thought MOL! Have a fabulous week sweetness.
Luvs
Marty
Thanks, M. I like fireflies, too. But Mom is anti-bug, so I am not sure she will buy into that amazing idea.
Love and licks,
C
We don’t mind the dark but we do have a couple of nightlights so nobody trips over us.
When you’re short, like we are, that is a VERY good idea, kids. Humans can be SO clumsy sometimes, and then they blame us for being “underfoot.”
Love and licks,
C
Hurray for your mom challenging herself to write something new that takes place at night or in the dark! And don’t worry, Cupcake, you are far too sweet to be threatened by anything that goes bump in the night, and besides, I know your mom will protect you! 🙂
Thanks, S. Wait. What? The dark creatures will go b-b-b-bump?? Whoa. I don’t like the sound of that. I will stay close to Mom, just in case. *gulp*
Love and licks,
C
Do not worry about the dark, Cupcake. Your beauty will shine a light in any situation. The Fairy said that she loves the dark because she can get away with having a bad hair day! 😂😂😂
Monty and Chicken 🐾
Thanks, M and C. The Fairy has a good idea to hide her bad hair days in the dark. Maybe if it stayed dark, Mom could stop combing my furs, brushing my teeth, and cleaning my ears. Hmmm…
Love and licks,
C
Maybe the story can be at night but have a night light in it. ~ nose nudges Bonnie Pup
Pretty cool idea, B. Mom could surely write fifty books about nightlights!
Love and licks,
C
Cupcake, if you were a little braver in the dark, perhaps you could sneak out and find some goose treats…perhaps you shouldn’t discount all the fun things that could happen at night when no one can see you!
Sounds like a plan, S. But my white furs glow like Casper the Friendly Ghost. Plus NO GEESE in our new neighborhood. I saw a couple of deer the other day. Hmmmm. I wonder if they left me anything…..
Love and licks,
C
You’ll have to check it out. They’re like little bite size goodies.
Oh Cupcake I do not like the dark either! Great pics of you. I hope your mom enjoys the challenge of a new story. 😊
Thanks, P. Challenges are always fun. Even if they’re not met, there’s usually something to learn in the effort.
Love and licks,
C
I agree! Thank you! 🙂 Love and hugs back to you.
hello cupcake its dennis the vizsla dog hay i am with yoo dark is bad and stormy is wurse put the too together and yoo hav got a gud reezun to hide under the bed!!! it mite be dark under their too but it is not stormy!!! ok bye
You got it right, D the V. Dark and stormy are doubly thumbs down. …if I had thumbs.
Love and licks,
C
I love day. Mom is a day person for certain and gets the bulk of her to-do’s done in the morn ing. We dont like afternoons much. But mom is good with nights. She had to work them for years. She had a short rotation for 30 years.
GAH! 30 years of nights! Whoa! brave mama. Whenever Mom and I are out at night, one of us is skittish and jumpy and nervous and barks at nothing. The other says the word, “Hurry up” a lot.
Love and licks,
C
[…] like they take care of the neighborhood flowers. Then Mom would have more time to play at the park with […]