This week you are asked to weave a tale using the word
GREZZLE
in any of its forms be it verb, noun, adjective, adverb.
Grezzle, grezzling, grezzlfication, grezzliate, grezzliator,
Weave your story around what you perceive the meaning of the word to be.
‘To grezzle or not to grezzle that is the question.’ My father said this every morning before heading off to work.
Grezzling is what our family does, has done and I think will always do.
It’s in our blood and we are told stories around our kitchen of the glory of a good grezzilation, of coming home with your grezzling sack filled with the day’s labours.
In these days of shifting population and the growth of the city the need for our grezzling skills has become a burden in so many ways. We work sun up to sun down.
What with an influx of country folk it has meant more food for the little critters who must be celebrating the increase in people and places to nest.
But it is our job to curb their influence on people’s lives, to save babies from being bitten, food stocks being soiled and rendered useless. Ours is an important feature of life in the city.
Our business has prospered since dad wrote on the side of our grezzling cart:
F.H. Martin & Sons
Grezzlers to the Royal Household.
The truth of course is that Jack Royal had us do a job in his warehouse and dad always willing to see opportunity decided to have the sign made and placed for all to see. It has meant an increase in work and that’s a good thing as dad says a good grezzle any day makes everything worthwhile.
Mum loves it that we have a sign on the cart. Some people look down their noses at what we do but its meant we have food on the table each night and mum was even able to buy herself a new dress the other day and shoes for the little ones. We have a few kids in our family, they turn up on a regular basis, so the family grezzling business is safe for a generation or so at least.
Grezzling itself is a fine art. I am dad’s right hand man. I left school at twelve to help him out after Grandpa died. It took me weeks to master the art of the grezzle.
There’s never an issue knowing where the little buggers are. Basically they are everywhere. Knowing that and catching them is entirely different matter.
Dad says it’s all in the eye. You have to focus on them, let them know you are watching. They get mesmerised by your stare and all the while you are sneaking up to them holding them in your gaze.
Then the catch. Its all hand eye co-ordination. Never take your eye off them.
Then pounce. Grab. Shake. Twist. Bag.
Its over in seconds, one less blighter to bother anyone.
On a good day we catch over two hundred, which is, pretty good considering it’s all by hand.
I like our family business. We are a community service.
Look us up sometime.
F.H Martin & Sons – Grezzlers to the Royal Household.
Grezzle: The art of hand catching mice.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/tale-weaver-prompt-3-making-sense-of-the-nonsense/
Morpethroad 
I am so glad you explained what greezle was! I was thinking little gremlins of some sort. Another very imaginative story Michael, well done! 😊
Glad to have to comment Jenny and discover what I think a grezzle is. I am sure you have been tempted at some point in life to grab one??
Another masterpiece of imagination, Michael. I’ve never caught a mouse by hand, but I was watching the telly one night and looked down to see a mouse perched on my outstretched foot. I’m not sure who received the biggest shock; me when I saw him or him when I wriggled my foot 😀
A near grezzle moment Lyn. Thanks for stopping by, are you tempted to contribute?
I am, but sadly, my brain has been mush for a week or more.
Oh well maybe next time Lyn.
This is absolutely fabulous Michael this seems so authentic and so believable!
Thank you Yves, I look forward to reading your meaning of a grezzle.
OK so I didn’t wait…. Could have used F. H. Martin and Sons when we lived in Indiana. We had us a little grezzle problem. Now Hubby can catch flies with his hands… but I’m not sure about grezzles 😉
Thanks so much for stopping by. Now for some dinner and and early snooze. Though I am sure that even if they come through with the snow plow in the middle of the night there will be delays in openings of things because of freezing roadways. Just enough time to clear the drive way of the plow mound – tomorrow.
I knew FH would come in handy. Hope tomorrow is less shovelling for you.
Lol, this was much fun to read at the end of a long work day! At first I was intimidated, wondering if I should know what a grezzle is or if it is something only you have in your part of the world. I loved finding out they were mice. I went back and re-read and of course, it made perfect sense. Born in Anaconda, Montana–coal mining country, the grezzle were thick as thieves–and I mean that literally. They stole the silverware at night and whatever else had been left out. Wait a minute. I could be wrong. I think ours were rats. Pack rats. Is a rat in that grezzle family? Dang, Michael, I feel like one needs to be in the Mensa society to keep up with you. I know all you write is truth 😀
You better believe it Mandy. Yes rats are all part of a grezzlers day.
Very cool! But I had pictured something larger and more sinister than a mouse! A fine tale, Michael — 😀
Ha, got you on that one Jen. Thanks so much for stopping by.
Always a pleasure! 🙂
Working on my own grezzle as we “speak”. 😀
Looking forward to your meaning of grezzle….
Eeeeeeeek!
An obvious response from a grezzle loving person….or is that a grezzle abhorent person.
I suppose living trapping (when the same mice were trapped more that twice, we kept them in mouse adventure lands made of various things for the winter) isn’t a derivative of greezling
No I don’t think so. I think you are obviously alluding to groosling the art training mice as circus animals.
We groosled a lot in the winters, especially after the old barn was torn down.
What a fun story!! you have such an imagination, and believable too! I can see your little grands wide eye listening to your stories. Well done, as ususl, Michael.
Thank you Oliana you are welcome to join in each week as I know you weave a fair tale too.
I have been slow in many prompts of late…but when I read yours I am often inspired to give it a go, for which this one I did.