Life in Murkland - Week 6

Dear diary,

Well, I went to visit my friend today! When I woke up, I headed directly to the showers. On the way there I spotted a couple of types of bugs that I just couldn't resist catching. I've got quite a collection going, and these two weren't in it. Got some stink bugs and Manti! Very neat bugs. Anyway, as soon as I caught them and stowed them away, I got in the shower. It was so icky! There was some gooey stuff everywhere, and so many bugs. Mosquitoes mainly. Eh well, the water was warm enough and I'm mostly clean now. Mostly.

So all clean I headed back to the little briar patch brambles and tried to pick my way through them without pain. Not to mention trying to remember the path I took to get there last time. I do miss my friend and I can't wait to see him.

When I finally broke through to the other side, I saw him walking by and gave a shout. He turned and gave me the biggest grin. I'm glad he was happy to see me, I didn't want to intrude. I jogged up to him and he wrapped me in a warm hug. I asked him how he was and we chatted for just a moment before he said he was actually busy with something, to give him a little while and he could come talk and spend time with me. Of course, I gave him that space, and went of to fish while he did his thing.

He sought me out when he was done with his chore, and we hung out. After a lot of catching up, we did some cloud gazing. As it started to get dark, I started to sigh often. I was going to have to leave soon, my trip time was ending. I had only paid for a 2 day stay. I stood to leave and embraced him. I let him know that he was, and would always be, my best friend. I smiled when he told me the feeling was mutual. I wish he could come stay with me, but I'd never ask him to leave this paradise for my little ol' campsite. I waved to him repeatedly as I left his little patch of heaven.

Dear diary,

Well, I've been back home for a couple days, and it's been good. I apparently left a lot of clothes piles laying around when I left, and when I went through the pockets I found about §150! I was amazed. I'll have to remember to check my pockets all the time.

So the night I got back I was just sitting outside my campsite and some weird raccoon came up to me. I was a little weirded out, but I responded in kind when she (I think it was a she) started to talk to me. She sounded real funny. We were just starting to talk about where she came from when someone else came up to me and gave me a dirty look. "Why are you talking to this monster?" She had asked me. I was just gonna tell her to bugger off when the raccoon dropped her head and sulked away. Oh well. A couple more girls came up and chatted with me a bit after that rude lady left. They were kind of cool, but I can't remember their names for the life of me. Also, it seems like many people around here have adopted a nudist lifestyle. I just don't think I could do it!

Before bed I took care of my plants. They're doing really well. I can't wait to give my progress to the Mayor.

Dear diary,

I paid my bills late. Ooops, but at least they were paid! I was in Granite Falls when they came, and just forgot to pay them until Thursday. Well, the rest of the week went by fast. I busied myself with chores. Did my laundry Wednesday, paid the bills and did my garden all day Thursday. Boy my plants are growing strong. There were quite a few that went up in their quality that day! I am so excited.

One of these past few days, I was just practicing my violin when some creepy guy just came up and stared yelling at me and complaining about my noise. I didn't know what to tell him. I asked him why he couldn't just mind his business, since I was on my property. He huffed a few times and told me the sound wasn't staying on my property, and that he had a right to complain about it. After that he just stomped away. Oh well. I'm not gonna let that guys bad day stop me from doing my thing. I kept playing. Got bored of it after a while though and switched to yoga. One day I'll get this stuff perfected.

Compared to last week, this one has gone pretty well. I'm glad I went to Granite Falls at the beginning, maybe that - having a change of scenery - helped to get me out of my slump. I wonder what next week will bring. I need to make some more friends, perhaps I'll get off my property and try to do that.

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Thanks for joining us this week! Atom actually had a great time. She kept her mood up and tried not to let anything bring her down.

Stop by in a few days to see how her adventures in socializing turn out!

Life in Murkland - Week 5

Dear diary,

So I got off my campsite today, wandering around Murkland, found a little space where someone had left some food. It still looked super good, so I ate some. Hope the people don't mind, I didn't see anyone around though. To be honest I was getting quite lonely. It felt like I hadn't talked to anyone in a long time. I don't know if that's actually true, but that's what it felt like. Perhaps it was just a mood swing. I was quite down in the dumps this particular day. Matter of fact, I do that a lot on Sundays. Anyway, I'm gloomy, that's me. Oh, and peeing in the bushes is getting super old. I try and wear my bathing suit a lot, so it's easier to just go where I want. Doesn't matter though, I still feel filthy every time.

 I've been playing my violin a lot lately. Sunday's tunes were rather melancholy. Mood reflector. Also, while I was standing there, minding my own business, playing my strings, some flames lept out and caught me on fire! I was so shocked, but acted fast. No lasting damage, but I'll have to fix my bathing suit. I tried to do some yoga after that. Maybe that could help me relax, or change my mood at least. Two poses in, I feel flat on my back. It wasn't comfortable and didn't help me do anything but get more depressed. Moving on, I went back to my violin, but playing on the side of the road instead of by the fire.

It was a beautiful sunset Sunday. Breathtaking. Even if it's hard to appreciate your surroundings when you feel down in the dumps, I can tell you that it truly was lovely. The roads of Murkland seemed awful quiet too. Normally bustling with residents going places - it was eerily empty.

Oh, I nearly forgot to mention! My plants are doing really really well. I evolve a few of them every day. I can't wait until I can give the mayor those perfect plants.

 Dear diary,

Monday morning was lovely. The dawning of a beautiful and busy day. Not much happened of note though. I woke super early, ate some breakfast, used the bushes, and headed off to the hot springs. They weren't very hot though, pretty chilled actually. I did meet Mad Mud there! We sat in the water talking for a while, he even came back to the campsite with me. We played some cards and just got to know each other a bit. He seems like an interesting fellow, multiple mood swings though, kind of like me. When he left, I took care of my plants and then poked at the fire. Nothing special.

Dear diary,

I hate waking up super early. I did Wednesday. The only thing I did was laundry. It's getting piled up actually, since I only do laundry on Wednesdays, I think I make more than I clean. Perhaps I'll change less often. Probably a good choice.

This morning was nuts. That's actually what has driven me to leave Murkland for a bit. I woke up to the earth shaking! I'll never get used to this, it scared the crap out of me! SO right then I decided to make plans to visit Granite Falls again, just to get away. I shouldn't be spending my money like this, but I just can't handle another quake. At least Granite Falls has some semblance of a bathroom, even if it is disgusting.

I've spent a lot of today fishing here. I caught a voodoo doll!! I can't imagine what I'll do with it, but I'm going to hang onto it for now. If I catch any more I'll probably sell them. I understand they are worth a lot. On the way back to my campsite I found some strange bugs. They were so super cute, I had to collect them. I think they are called Dust Sprites, don't know if they are worth anything but they are too cute to sell anyway. I'll keep them. I played horse-shoes for a while before wandering off to find a bench to sleep on. It was morning before I fell asleep. I slept most of the day, now here I am writing in my journal. Tomorrow, I think I'll go see my Hermit friend. I miss him, and since I'm in the area, I'll definitely visit. After I shower. I can't go see him all stinky like this!

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Thanks for joining me on these fun, and sometimes sad, days! Atom has had a rough week but perhaps seeing her friend will pull her out of her current depression. I do hope so, for her sake. 

Tune in next week to see how everything plays out!

Life in Murkland - Week 4

Dear diary,

Monday and Tuesday were pretty uneventful. I was doing so much digging, collecting, and fishing that I didn't even bother with hot springs visit on Monday. I think by Wednesday morning, my stench was pretty much gag worthy. So, I did head to the hot springs for a clean up. There was no one there, and I didn't bring anyone along with me because I really needed to get done fast and get back to work on my garden and laundry. Usually I don't even go bathe on Wednesday, but since I skipped Monday - I figured I'd be okay.












My garden is doing super well! I now have a full set of 16 plants, like the Mayor requested. I'm so excited about them. Now I just need to get their quality up and up until they are perfect. Soon enough I'll learn how to apply fertilizer at the right times and in the right doses. I still eat trash fruit for breakfast every morning, get me moving. Now I can eat from my own plants, since they are bearing fruits!

Doing the laundry takes a lot of arm muscle, and boy does it tire me out. Once I get it all hung out on the lines I'm just exhausted and hungry. Normally I'd cook up some trash fruit on the grill, but this day I had enough potatoes to make a big batch of them. They were super delish and I think I might have to start saving up my potatoes more often to eat.

After I finished my dinner, I stood by the fire and played some violin. I happened to find one of these in a nearby trash bin! I was happy about it, I'll learn a new skill and have something else to do. Of course, I'm completely terrible at this, since I've never played before. It's funny, while I was playing someone came over just to tell me what a horrible violinist I was! That's okay though, I know full and well. The guy that came over seemed pretty rude actually, but we chatted for a bit before I went to bed.

Dear Diary

So, Thursday kicked off bright and early with a small earthquake! I've never experienced one and I was scared out of my wits! Dragged me right out of bed it did, and I wasn't even fully rested. I needed to calm my nerves somehow, and was not in the mood for gardening. So I lit my campfire and played my new violin for a little while. That had me concentrating too hard on what to do with my bow and strings to think about the earth falling out from under my feet. After that I spent almost all of the rest of the day in my garden. 16 plants take up a lot of time. I'm really surprised at how much time I spend tending to my little ones. It's all worth it though, when I taste a fruit and it's better than it was when they first sprouted.

So for dinner, I threw some logs on my fire and got it going strong. Turned around to get some of those yummy hotdogs out of the cooler, but when I turned back, things were not as I left them! My chair was engulfed in flames! I was so shocked... mostly because the chair is metal, and I'm not sure how it was alight. I guess there are some parts on there that are flammable though. I whipped out the fire extinguisher that's on the lot and put those flames out. I felt so proud of such a show of heroism!

After that fiasco I decided not to make hotdogs and pulled out some of my potatoes. After changing clothes, I grilled them up and sat on the cooler to have some. What's super crazy, is that as I was eating this (fabulous) grilled potato, the earth decided to move again! Startling the crap out of me, and made me drop my food.

Well, when that shock was over, and I finished my meal, I decided that I was done for the day. I re-lit my fire, yeah I know - but hey, gotta keep warm, and just sat there. It was nice, sitting there. Even if I was just waiting for something else bad to happen. But, after all that had happened, I guess I just was emotionally exhausted, and fell asleep in my chair. When I woke up, the fire had gone out and the sun was almost down. So I retired to my tent.

Dear diary,

I've spent all of Friday and today just fishing and collecting things... nothing exciting. Nothing noteworthy at all. I did happen to run across someone selling a yoga mat today. I bought it. I mean, why not? Something to do, and a new skill to learn! Perhaps I'll set it up tomorrow and begin my new week with some stretching. Maybe I'll even plan a trip to Granite Falls!

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Thanks for joining Atom this week with her crazy adventures! I hope you enjoyed catching up.

Tune in next week to see what she might be up to.

Feel free to join my Discord channel Here! I have a channel just for Murkland pictures, come and share yours!