Priscilla's Hot Air Balloon Ride - Part 1

Good Morning Friday Fiction Fans,
Right now I'm listening to the cute little voices of my two youngest nephews talk about the penguins they are watching with Aunt S on a live cam. (The other nephew is still sleeping.) Yesterday was sunny and the perfect day to go to the park. The little boys loved it! Then we went home to eat lunch and then we went out and got ice cream. :) Sometimes you just have to do fun things when you only have three of the grandkids staying at the house.

I really didn't think I'd get 5k written this week as I only had Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to write. But I did. I don't know if I'll be able to get anything else written this week as we'll have the little boys until after lunch on Sunday. But who knows, maybe during some nap time I can get a little more written. I only have about 10-12 more parts to write of TCR-5. :)

This story is a re-write of one of the adventures of Priscilla de Silvosa. If you followed her travels partway across the U.S. you might remember this story. But it has been several years, so I hope you enjoy it anyway. It's only two parts.

Priscilla's Hot Air Balloon Ride

Part 1

    It was a lovely October morning in southern Alabama. Miss Priscilla de Silvosa hurried her traveling companions out of her friend’s house and over to their parked RV.
    “I believe it is your turn to drive, Amy,” she said, turning to the dark-haired girl beside her. Amy Lassiter, a younger friend from back home, had agreed to become Priscilla’s traveling companion as she spent a year visiting every state in the United States. Their “home away from home” was a red RV and Priscilla was quite proud of it.
    Susanna and Elizabeth, the two younger girls who were spending a week traveling through Alabama with Priscilla and Amy, quickly climbed into their seats, and, after a final wave to their friends who had been so gracious about opening their small home to them for the night, the RV pulled away from the house.
    It was still very early. The sun hadn’t risen yet and the air was a bit chilly, even for Alabama.
    “I can’t believe I’m going to ride in a real hot air balloon!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
    “Me either!” echoed Susanna.
    Miss Priscilla looked back with a smile. “I believe I’m just as excited as you are, girls. Only Amy here seems to take the idea as calmly as though she has ridden in a hot air balloon every week of her life. But then, she takes almost everything in a calm way.” She shook her head teasingly at the driver and her pearl necklaces clicked together.
    Still keeping her eyes on the road, Amy retorted, “Someone has to be calm and sensible on this trip. If I don’t, who would?”
    Now before my readers begin to wonder just who these four companions are, let me tell you a bit about them.
    Miss Priscilla de Silvosa was by far the oldest one of the party. Having spent many years abroad where she had helped track down the infamous “Marshmallow Thief" and enjoyed other delightful and thrilling adventures, Priscilla had returned to her native land where she settled down once more in her large mansion with her many dogs, two cats, and her wonderful secretary, Miss Smith. However, it wasn’t long before, realizing how little she had seen of her own country, Priscilla had the idea to travel across the good old USA by RV, spending about a week in each state, visiting places of interest, exploring state parks, and learning about the country along the way. Not wanting to go alone, Priscilla settled on Amy Lassiter as the perfect companion for her expedition.
    Amy was an only girl in a family with many boys. She had grown up on a farm outside of the town Miss Priscilla lived in. As her education had been finished, Amy’s parents thought this trip would be a good experience for her and, much to Amy’s delight, gave their consent. Both Priscilla and Amy brought along a dog. Amy’s dog, Timber, was a rather large German shepherd whose very presence added to the feeling of safety the travelers felt. After much consideration, Priscilla chose to bring her small, dog whose name was Penelope, though Amy quickly shortened it to “Nellie.” (Amy dearly loved nicknames.)
    As the trip grew closer and Priscilla noticed the extra beds, she had her secretary send out open invitations to all her friends and acquaintances stating that she and Amy would be happy to have two others join them in each state. There had been other companions joining them in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, but in Alabama, Susanna and her best friend, Elizabeth had joined them.
    “Sensible?” Miss Priscilla scoffed with a little laugh. “Who needs to be sensible when you are about to take your first trip in a hot air balloon?”
    Amy laughed too. She had told Miss Smith that her main objective in the trip was to keep ‘Cilla (as she quickly nicknamed Miss Priscilla) from doing too many crazy things. It was quite difficult at times, but Amy was enjoying herself.
    The drive to the launching site for the balloon ride was reached at last and everyone climbed eagerly from the RV. Priscilla was excited. She had climbed mountains and been out on boats, she had flown in airplanes and ridden on trains (her favorite mode of transportation), but never had she gone soaring up into the blue sky in a balloon. Quickly she shoved a hat pin into her hat called, “cream creation.” She didn’t want it falling off on their adventure.
    After some instructions, the owner of the balloon, Mr. Archer, helped everyone in and all ties with earth were taken up.
    There was much nervous laughter as the basket lifted off the ground.
    As they rose higher and higher, Priscilla peeked over the side. This was so different from a plane. When the noisy flames which heated the air in the balloon were turned off, everything was silent and they drifted along on the wind current.
    “I feel like I should whisper,” Elizabeth said softly.
    “Can anyone hear us from below?” asked Amy.
    Mr. Archer shook his head. “No, not really. I suppose if we were close and you shouted, they might, but you can hear people talking on the ground from one of these.”
    “Really?” Priscilla looked interested. “I wish we could go over some people. It would be quite an experience, I am sure. Oh, I wonder if the F.B.I. uses hot air balloons to find out what some criminals are saying. Imagine drifting along above them and listening to their conversation, all from the safety of the air.”
    “And what would happen if they shot a hole in your balloon?” Practical Amy looked up at the large bag filled with hot air.

Have you ever ridden in a hot air balloon?

Do you think a hot air balloon would be good to use for surveillance?

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 6

Greetings Faithful Friday Fiction Fans,
  Today is staring off chilly, but the sun is shining and it is supposed to warm up. :)

It's been a busy week and I really haven't gotten much writing done. Last week I ended up with 6k written, but, though that is not as good as 8k, it's still better than 5k. :) Since I spend a very long day at the polls on Tuesday and didn't get home until 9 pm (I got up about 4:10 am), I didn't get any writing done that day. And last night I attended, for the first time, the local writer's guild and ended up staying longer and talking with two very interested people about self-publishing using CreateSpace. :) That was fun.
I'm hoping to get more written tonight and tomorrow night and am going to try to reach 5 thousand words.

This is the last part of this story, so I hope you have enjoyed it. It's a good thing I have two other stories written to post because next week we'll have my two youngest nephews for three and a half days, and I won't have much time to write.

I don't seem to have much to tell you this week. I hope you won't mind just getting right to the last part of

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 6

    The rest of the days flew by. There were no more times of sitting around and wondering what to do. A trip to the farm occupied the whole of one day and Millie was introduced to the barn swing. Allie took one look and returned to the house.
    “She doesn’t like anything that is high up,” Millie informed Ria who was climbing the ladder to show her cousin how to properly swing off of it.
    “Do you like high places?”
    Millie shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never been on a swing like that before. How do you do it?”
    “Like this, watch.” And Ria, grasping the rope with both hands, suddenly jumped from the ladder and swung out across the barn floor. “Whee!” After several swings, Ria, with the agility of much practice, let go of the rope at just the right time to land in a soft pile of hay. Scrambling to her feet, she laughed. “That is so much fun. You try it now, Millie.”
    Slowly Millie climbed the ladder. “How do I get the rope?” she asked, looking down.
    “You were supposed to take it with you. But I’ll bring it to you.” Ria snatched the rope and mounted the ladder. “Here,” she said, handing the thick rope up. “Just hang on to it above the knot like I did.”
    Holding on to the rope with one hand the rung of the ladder with the other, Millie shook her head. “I don’t think I can do it. I . . . I can’t reach the knot.”
    Ria offered some advice. “Just grab it with your other hand.”
    “But I’ll fall!” Millie protested. “Maybe I should just not try it, Ria.”
    “But you have to!”
    “I can’t. You can do it and I’ll just climb down.” Millie tried to hand the rope back to her cousin but Ria was obstinate.
    “No, you have swing down, Millie. I’m not going to climb down this ladder. You’ll just have to swing off. Come on, you can do it!”
    “Ria,” Millie begged, “just let me climb down. I don’t think I can do it.”
    Not about to give up, Ria glanced around. “Jimmy! Johnny!” she shouted, spying her brothers outside.
    The twins looked around.
    “In the barn!” Ria shouted again, waving her hand.
    “Ria,” pleaded Millie, growing more nervous the longer she remained up on the ladder. “We don’t want them!”
    There was no direct reply from Ria, for her brothers stepped into the barn and looked up.
    “Trying out the swing, Millie?” Jimmy asked.
    Millie shook her head.
    “She would, but she’s afraid to hold on to the rope with both hands,” Ria put in.
    Jimmy motioned with his hand. “Climb down, Ria. I’ll go up and help her."
    “And I’ll be down here to catch you if you need it,” Johnny grinned up at his cousin though his arms remained folded.
    It was a matter of moments for Ria to drop to the barn floor and Jimmy to take her place on the ladder. Feeling more secure with her older cousin behind her, Millie, following Jimmy’s directions, soon took her first breathless ride on the barn swing. Loud were the cheers when she dropped safely into the hay.
    “You did it, Millie!” Ria pulled her cousin up. “Wasn’t it great fun? Don’t you want to do it again? Come on, we’ve got to get out of the way so Jimmy can swing.” Still chattering, Ria drew Millie over to the side where they watched the twins each take a turn.
    Before long Millie was enjoying herself as much as Ria. She was still slower and it always took her a moment to gather her courage before each jump.
    When at last both girls declared that they were tired, they sat in the hay and talked. They were still talking when the dinner bell rang.
    Hand in hand, Ria and Millie raced to the farm house. They were hungry.

    Monday afternoon came all too soon for Ria. She and Millie had been almost inseparable during the visit. With the entire family over to the farm after church, they had stuck close together. Not even the lure of playing baseball with the gang and uncle, or playing tag with the younger boys, had drawn Ria into activities she usually delighted in. “It wouldn’t let us be together as much,” Ria explained to her dad. “I only have Millie for a little bit longer and I don’t want to miss a minute with her.”
    Ria had taken Millie and Allie for one more visit with Mrs. Laningsburg on Monday morning.
    “I did so enjoy our tea party together,” that lady said, hugging each of the girls good bye. “I know Ria is going to miss her two cousins. But you girls come back and visit again.”
    “We will,” Millie promised. “I wish we could move here.”
    It was a hard parting. All the gang had gathered at the Mitchell home to say good bye, but only Uncle Mitch, Aunt Emma, and Ria had gone to the station to see them off.
    “Good bye, Millie!” Ria whispered, fighting to keep back her tears. “Write me as soon as you get home!”
    “I will,” promised Millie, holding her cousin close in a tight embrace. “Oh, Ria, I had so much fun. I don’t want to leave!”
    Ria couldn’t say anything. She knew she would cry if she did.
    “Come, Millie,” Aunt Carrie called. “You can wave to Ria from your seat.”
    Reluctantly Millie pulled away and, with many backward looks, hurried to the train.
    “Good bye, Millie!” Ria shouted, waving her hand when her cousin’s face appeared at a window. “Good bye!” She waved until the train was but a dark object in the distance.
    Mrs. Mitchell put an arm around her daughter. “Come, Ria, it’s time to go home.”
    Heaving a long sigh, Ria turned and trudged towards the waiting car. “Home to a house full of boys.”

Would you have tried the barn swing?

Is it hard for you to say good bye to cousins you hardly ever see?

I have a two part story starting next week.

Will you be here?

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 5

Good Morning Friday Fiction Fans,
It certainly is spring complete with spring storms and tornado warnings. I could do without the latter things, but since I live in "tornado alley" I've gotten rather used to them.

This week has been crazy! Starting with last Saturday late afternoon. The five kiddos came over and were here until 9:30 or after. We did have fun and roast marshmallows over a fire we had built and ate s'mores. :) Then we had Sunday. Followed by a crazy Monday with the kids coming back over about 8:30 in the morning. (Little Sis had her 6 week check-up) They didn't head home until about 2:00. Needless to say, I didn't get much done. Oh, and my brain was spinning with all the things I needed to work on and yet, when I went to write them down, I couldn't think of half of them. Tuesday had me going to the County Clerks Office and voting and picking up keys for the voting machine. (Yep, I'll be an election judge again on Tuesday.) Then getting ready and spending an hour after lunch working with someone on reading. Oh, and my list of things to do kept growing longer. Finally on Wednesday I was able to start crossing things off and getting things done.
Yesterday I went over to my brother's house and held Little Sis for at least 45 minutes! It was so much fun since I hadn't held her in about a month! She smiled and cooed and talked, and then cuddled down on my shoulder and went to sleep. :) Babies are so much fun!

Writing. Well, last week I got 8k written. But this week, I'm thinking I might get 5-6k. You see, the writing has been rather slow this week. I think it is partly because I've been so busy (tornado sirens last evening didn't help my writing), but the story is also a bit slower right here and it's taking more work to get it out. But I'm nearly 2/3 of the way done.

I talked with my producer of the audio for TCR-1 and she thinks she'll have it finished around the beginning of May!
And, I had an audition for "The Graham Quartet." This reader is perfect for the story! I listened to the audition and wanted him to keep reading. I wanted to know what happened next, even if I did write the story. :)

Oh, and one more thing, tomorrow I'll be joining other local authors for a "local author book signing" at our public library. It should be interesting as I'll have all my books there. It's from 1-3 and I just wish all of you could stop by and say hi. :)

Don't forget that "Gift from the Storm" is available on kindle for 99 cents only through tomorrow. But if you want a book form, you can contact me and get your special blog reader code to get a special discount.

And that's all. Here's the next to last part of 

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 5

    The girls begged to ride in the back with the others instead of in the cab with Pete. This was granted, and amid laughter and much shouting, the gang drove away in a cloud of dust with Ria and Millie waving to those remaining behind. One of the boys started singing a popular song and soon everyone had joined in.

    Fishing soon proved to be more of an excuse to enjoy the water than catch fish and only the few dedicated fishermen continued, though they had to move away a considerable distance where there might be a chance of the fish not being frightened. Ria and Millie fished for a while, but neither one could resist the lure of wading in the stream, for the sun was hot and the shade trees few.
    When at last Phil’s shrill whistle sounded, most of the gang and the girls were quite wet. “That was such fun,” Millie whispered to Ria as they were helped into the back of the truck.
    Ria nodded. “I’m glad we came. Even if no one caught any fish.” Both girls giggled.

    The next afternoon found Ria, Millie and Allie sitting listlessly on the porch swing at the Mitchell home. “What are we going to do?” Ria asked for the fifth time. They had spent the morning playing dolls and dressing up in some old clothes from the attic, but they had grown tired of it and were seeking a new diversion.
    “Where are the boys,” Allie asked.
    Ria shrugged. “I think Chris is out somewhere, and I know Ed is here somewhere but I don’t know what he’s doing. And who knows where the twins are.” She sighed.
    “Maybe we should have gone with Aunt Emma to the farm,” Millie remarked, thinking that at least they would have had little Dory and baby Paul to play with.
    “It’s too late now.” And Ria sighed and shoved the porch with her toe, setting the swing into motion.
    When Jimmy and Johnny strolled up the sidewalk a few minutes later, they saw the forlorn faces of the three girls. “What’s wrong?” Johnny inquired, pausing as they came up the steps.
    “We don’t know what to do,” Ria told him. “We’re tired of dressing up and playing dolls, and Mom is gone and there’s nothing else to do.”
    “Sounds pretty serious,” Jimmy agreed. “Why don’t you give us a few minutes to put on our thinking caps and see what we can come up with. Is Ed here?”
    Ria nodded, a faint hope that her brothers would think of something fun begining to glimmer in her mind. Maybe, just maybe, they could do something with them.
    “Do you think they’ll really think of something?” Allie whispered.
    “Maybe.”
    There was silence on the porch until the screen door was shoved open and Ed came out followed by the twins. “Would you ladies like to take a stroll with us?” Ed asked with a smile which told Ria they had though up something fun to do.
    “Yes!” the girls exclaimed in unison, springing from the swing, their eyes sparkling again.
    “Where are we going?” Allie asked, slipping her hand into Ed’s and giving a little bounce.
    “Down town,” was all the reply she received, but that was enough for her.
    Skipping down the sidewalk to keep up with the longer strides of the boys, Ria and Millie swung hands and chattered. It wasn’t often that Ria went somewhere with only her brothers and no other members of the gang tagging along. To her mind this was a treat, and she voiced her thoughts. “Ed, we should do this more often.”
    Glancing back over his shoulder, Ed looked at his sister. “Do what?”
    “Do something or go somewhere without others in the gang along.”
    Jimmy spoke up from behind. “You know, Ed, she may have something there.”
    Ed nodded. “We have been rather neglectful of you, haven’t we, Ria?”
    “Not really.” Ria didn’t want her brothers to feel like she didn’t enjoy the others. It was just—well, it was hard to explain. “I like doing things with all of you and everything, but sometimes it gets to be too much. Especially if Dave and Chris are together."
    “I’ll have to agree with you there, Sis. Those two are almost getting out of hand lately.”
    Johnny grunted to show his agreement with his twin’s statement.
    Turning down Main street, Ed and Allie led the way, stopping before the local drug store. “Would you ladies care for some ice cream?” Ed held open the door as his sister and cousins entered with eyes wide and shining. To be taken for ice cream, to the drug store where all the older kids hung out, was indeed a treat.
    Finding six empty seats at the counter, the boys helped the girls up on shiny red stools and took places beside them. Orders were placed and when the waitress behind the counter placed a sparkling glass dish filled with chocolate ice cream, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and topped with a real cherry before Allie, she drew a sharp breath.
    “Is this all for me?” Her eyes couldn’t open any wider as she watched the waitress stick a long silver spoon in the dish.
    With a wink at the girl behind the counter, a classmate from school, Ed leaned down and assured, “As much of it as you can eat.”
    “I don’t have to share it?”
    “Who would you share it with?” Johnny, who was seated on the other side of her, asked.
    After looking carefully down the counter and seeing that Millie and Ria had exactly what she had, she gave no reply but started eating.
    The girls had a lovely time, for the boys conversed with them as though they were “real almost grown up ladies,” as Ria told her mother that evening. The ice cream was enjoyed to the last bite and when it was gone and they were all out in the hot summer sun once more, Millie expressed herself.
    “Thank you!” she exclaimed looking up at her cousins. “I’ve never been to a drug store for ice cream before and gotten to sit on the stools like a lady! Why, I feel quite grown up now.”
    “Me too!” Ria echoed giving her nearest brother a hug.
    “It was our pleasure,” Ed assured them. “Now, would you like to go back home or pretend you have lots of money and do a little window shopping?”
    “Window shopping!” exclaimed all three girls in delight.

Would you have enjoyed ice cream at the local drug store?

Do you like window shopping?

Will you be back next week for the final part?

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 4

Hello Friday Fiction Fans,
Am I glad I have a story all ready to post! There is so much going on right now that I don't have time to come up with something new. So I hope you are enjoying this story. :)

This morning, just before I got on here to post this, I approved the final copy of "Gift from the Storm." That means that it will be on Amazon very soon! Also, if you want that special discount (only good if you order through my blog) send me a note and I'll get the special code to you. There will be a kindle version of this book for those of you who like to get that version, but the converting of this file didn't go as well, so I have to see if I can fix it. Hopefully it won't be too long. And once it is available on kindle, it will be $.99 for the first week before the price goes up. If you want me to let you know as soon as the kindle version comes out, send me a note.

Not only have I been working on correcting "Gift from the Storm" this week, I've also been writing TCR-5. Since I won't be writing tomorrow night (we'll have my brother's kids all evening and probably rather late), I've been trying to get as much done as I can. If I want to reach 8k words again this week, I'll have to write 31 words tonight. Think I can do it? :) And just so you know, I'm over half way done with this book! I still find that hard to believe. How can I be over half way done with the next Triple Creek Ranch book in less than a month?!

My other news is that I was accepted to a local author's book signing at our public library next Saturday. It should be fun as I'll be able to have at least 10 different book titles there. I'm hoping my new book will arrive before then and I can have 11 book titles. I wish you all could come and chat with me then.

And now enjoy the next part of:

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 4

    At last they rose from the table, for all parties, even the most enjoyable ones, must come to an end. The girls, after taking off their dresses and hats, helped Mrs. Laningsburg carry the dishes and the tablecloth back inside.
    “Thank you, Mrs. Ladybug, for the wonderful time!” Ria hugged her old friend before they left. Millie and Allie echoed Ria’s thanks.
    “You are most welcome, my dears. Do be sure you come again, girls.”
    After promising they would, the three cousins turned their steps back to the Mitchell home. Lunch was waiting for them and, as they ate, they told Mrs. Mitchell all about their tea party.
    “And Mom,” Ria added, “she wants us all to come over again. We can, can’t we?”
    Smiling fondly at her daughter, Emma replied, “I’m sure you can, Ria, but not this afternoon.”
    “Oh, no, of course not this afternoon. I meant some other day. What should we do this afternoon?” Ria turned to her cousins.
    “Aunt Emma,” Allie asked, “are we going to go to Grandma’s today?”
    “That wasn’t in the plan, but if you would like to go, I’m sure we can find one of your cousins to take you. Tomorrow we are all going to go spend the day out at the farm.”
    “Even all the boys?” Millie still felt rather shy of all the many boy cousins she had.
    Standing up to carry the dishes to the sink, Emma laughed. “Even all the boys. They wouldn’t miss a time like this for anything. But don’t worry, Millie,” she came back to the table and paused to say, “you girls don’t have to join in their games if you’d rather not.”
    “We may want to play some games with them,” Millie ventured. “If Ria wants to.”
    Ria shrugged. “I play with them all the time, so I don’t mind if I do or not. But come on, let’s wash these dishes and then we can go play house out in the back yard.”

    The following day was another bright and sunny one. The entire Foster clan gathered out at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm in time for a picnic lunch. The three girls sat near their grandparents and listened to the conversation going on around them
    “Dad, that barn looks like it could use a new coat of paint,” David remarked eyeing the old barn. “When was the last time it got painted?”
    Grandpa Foster looked thoughtful for a few minutes. “Well, I think it’s been painted once or twice since the time we had some Indians paint it for us.” His eyes twinkled and the corners of his mouth twitched.
    “You had real Indians paint it, Grandpa?” demanded Ria in an astonished voice.
    “No, Ria, they were much too red to be real Indians. You’ll have to ask your mom for the story.”
    Quickly Ria turned around. “Mom, what happened?”
    Emma Mitchell laughed, though her cheeks flushed. “Some of your uncles and I painted the barn one time many years ago, or we were supposed to paint it. If I remember right, we got a bit distracted and ended up putting some of the red paint on ourselves and playing Indians instead. Perhaps I’ll tell you the story later,” Emma half promised, exchanging amused glances with her twin brother, Edmund.
    “I wonder if Georgie and Vincent remember that at all,” Edmund wondered. “Weren’t they the ones who started it?”
    Ria exchanged glances with Millie. That would have been something to see.

    After lunch the three girls wandered over to where the boys were gathered.
    “What are you all doing?” Ria asked.
    “Trying to decided what to do,” Jack told her. “Some want to play baseball, others want to walk to Codell, and another group wants to laze around and do nothing.”
    “Did you girls have something in mind?” Albert smiled at his three cousins.
    “No, but can’t you think of something we could all do?”
    “We could climb trees,” Chris suggested, but his older cousins and brothers shook their heads.
    “Let’s go fishing,” Walter purposed.
    This suggestion was met with approval by the others, provided they could borrow a truck.
    “Do you girls want to go with us?” Ed asked.
    Normally Ria enjoyed excursions with the gang, but this time she hesitated and looked at Millie and Allie, waiting for them to speak.
    “Do I have to put a worm on a hook?” Millie asked.
    “Not unless you want to.” Ed, Al and Jack had remained behind while the others went to see about the use of a truck.
    Millie hesitated and looked at her little sister. “Do you want to go fishing with the boys, Allie?”
    “No.” Allie shook her head, sending her braids flipping across her shoulders. “I don’t like fish. I’m going to go play with the babies.” With that she skipped away back to the house.
    “I guess the thought of fishing might not be too appealing to a six-year-old,” Al chuckled softly, watching the small figure. “But,” he turned to the two girls remaining, “what do you want to do?”
    “I’ll go if Ria will,” Millie answered.
    “Sure. It’s fun to go fishing with the gang. As long as Chris and Dave behave themselves.” She frowned darkly.
    “They’ll behave,” promised Ed.
    “Or else . . .” Jack’s brows drew together and he tried to look stern, but his merry eyes couldn’t fool Ria, and she knew it would have to be Pete who kept their younger brother in line. Of all her cousins, Dave was the torment. Not only did he love to tease Ria, but there was no one in the gang safe from his pranks. Most of them were harmless and no one minded, but now and then Dave would come up with something which brought on his head the wrath of the entire gang.
    All this Ria explained to her cousin as they walked hand in hand and followed the boys to the truck Uncle Edmund had said they could use.

Do you like fishing?

Do you like paper or kindle copies of books?

 

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 3

Happy First Day of Spring, FFFs!

Can you believe it is spring already? On Monday it was in the 80s and wonderful outside! We got ice cream with my brother and his family in the afternoon. And I spend nearly all morning and part of the afternoon outside playing with the kiddos. I even got my first sunburn of the year! It must be spring. :) Our flowers are shooting up and blooming and I love seeing everything starting to turn so green. The past three days it has been dreary and rainy. But I hear we are supposed to get sun again later today and tomorrow! And the Cardinals are singing and singing. There are Robins are everywhere pulling worms from the moist ground like they were noodles and snapping up bugs.

All these spring things and I'm writing about the coming of fall. :P I just can't seem to get TCR to match with the season I'm writing it in. Oh well. You won't mind, will you? I'm now over a third of the way done with this book. I've greatly enjoyed being able to write so quickly and I figured out something rather shocking. Don't expect it to happen, but . . . I figured out that if I were to write 8k words a week for 45 weeks this year, I'd have written enough for 6 TCR books!!!!! Yeah, that's kind of what I did. :) I think if I tried that my illustrator would resign. :) And I'd run out of things to post on here.

I am waiting for my proof copy of "Gift from the Storm" to arrive! I am very much looking forward to getting it completed and into your hands.

I hope you are enjoying this story because there is still more of it. And yes, the "gang" does come in on another part.

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 3

    After breakfast had been eaten, Mrs. Mitchell waved off the offer to wash the dishes. “Not this morning, Millie. But I do thank you for the offer. I know Ria is longing to go do some girl thing with you and Allie, so run along all of you.” Giving the girls each a kiss, she watched them skip outside to the porch.
    “What should we do first?” Millie asked, wiggling her bare toes in the warm summer sun.
    “Let’s take a walk and talk things over,” Ria suggested, jumping off the porch railing where she had been perched. “Maybe some of the neighbors will be out and—oh! I just had a lovely thought!”
    Two pairs of brown eyes looked expectantly at her, waiting for her next sentence.
    “We’ll visit Mrs. Ladybug.”
    “Mrs. Ladybug!” Allie giggled. “Who is that? Is she really a bug?”
    “No, she’s a sweet old lady who likes to play with little girls,” explained Ria. “She told me so many years ago when I was small and was tired of playing boy things.”
    Together the three girls started down the sidewalk, chattering, arms linked together in a friendly fashion. How Ria enjoyed having some girls to spend time with.
    Arriving at the small, yellow home of Mrs. Lainingsburg, Ria led her cousins up to the porch and knocked.
    “Why Ria, what a pleasant surprise,” a sweet voice exclaimed, and a moment later the screen door was opened and a small woman with silvery hair was motioning them to come inside. “Do come in, all of you.”
    “Mrs. Ladybug, these are my cousins, Millie and Allie.”
    “How do you do, girls? I’m delighted Ria brought you over this morning. But, Ria dear, I thought you didn’t have any girl cousins?”
    A bright laugh came from Ria before she replied, “I don’t around here. Millie and Allie are from Massachusetts and only arrived for a visit yesterday. We are going to do as many girl things as we can, and I thought the first thing we ought to do was visit you.” Her words ended with a little bounce that reminded Mrs. Laningsburg of the three-year-old sprite who had so suddenly appeared on her porch several years ago.
    “Well! I must say I feel quite honored by this call. Now, what shall we do?” She tipped her head to one side and looked at the girls a moment. “How would a tea party suit you, out in the back yard?”
    Ria’s face lit up. “Oh, Mrs. Ladybug!” She gave her old friend a warm hug. “That will be such fun, won’t it, girls?” She whirled around to see her cousins nodding eagerly.
    “Then it is settled, but my dears, some things must be done before the party can begin.”
    “Just tell us what to do and we’ll do it.” Ria gave another bounce and hugged herself.
    “I will take care of the tea and dishes, but you can’t come to a tea party in those clothes.” Mrs. Lainingsburg’s eyes twinkled. “I have two old trunks up in the attic with lots of old clothes and things. And Ria, you know where all my hats are, don’t you? I thought so. Now, you three go up and find the prettiest things to wear, and don’t forget your hats. And I’ll get everything else ready.”
    These instructions were received with squeals of delight from all three girls and moments later they were climbing the stairs to the attic. Ria had been up to dig in Mrs. Laningsburg’s chests before, but never had she been as interested as this time. There were dresses of almost every color. And the styles! Long trailing gowns, dresses with lace, and others with large puffed sleeves. There were also gloves, strings of beads, hand bags, and other items which would delight the heart of any girl. After the dresses had been examined and each girl had, with much difficulty and many changes of mind, had at last decided on the one they would wear, Ria led them downstairs and showed them the hats. These were numerous, and Mrs. Laningsburg came to help them try them on.
    “Since you have your dresses all picked out,” she said, “why don’t you put them on and then we’ll find each of you a hat to go with your outfit.”
    At last everyone was ready and, with the help of their hostess, each girl wore a hat at the correct angle. They surveyed each other proudly.
    “We are elegant ladies coming to take tea with the president’s mother,” Ria said primly, admiring herself in the long mirror.
    “Oh, that is a wonderful idea, Ria!” Millie beamed at her cousin before turning to Mrs. Laningsburg. “Mrs. Ladybug, would you like to pretend you are the president’s mother?”
    “Why, I would be delighted, Miss Mildred,” that lady replied, pinning on her own hat. “Now, if you ladies are ready, we will retire to the garden.”
    With many soft giggles, Ria, Millie and Allie lifted their skirts and swept down the hall and out the back door to the garden. There, in the shade of a large tree, stood the table covered with a white cloth. A cake stand held an assortment of cookies while real china tea cups sat waiting on saucers. A small bouquet of flowers rested before each place and the girls, after catching sight of the lovely things, gave one surprised, “Oh!”
    The tea party was a great success, for Mrs. Laningsburg served lemonade instead of tea and they sat and talked, pretending they were fine ladies. It was with difficulty at times that “the president’s mother” kept from smiling over the talk going on. Every topic of conversation they could invent was discussed, and even the subject of politics was introduced and many bits of advice were given “to be passed on to the president” about how to run the country. These were nearly all given by Ria who, having listened to the gang discuss such topics, had had her own opinions formed by the their talks.

Could you offer advice to our president?

Are you waiting patiently or impatiently for my new book?

What is your favorite of my published books?

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 2

Hello Friday Fiction Fans!
After an absolutely beautiful week with sunshine and temperatures in the 60s and 70s, we get a cloudy, rainy spring-like day. :) I don't know about you, but I like rainy spring days. They always remind me of my childhood when one of my favorite things to do was sit in a dim or dark room, listen to "Your Story Hour" or another audio, and play with silly puddy. The glow in the dark kind was the best for those dark rainy days. :)

Here's an update on TCR-5:
I wasn't able to write last night due to babysitting the kiddos until late, but I have started part 15 and hope to finish it today. That will mean I'm a quarter of the way done with this book!!!! How did that happen? It hasn't even been two weeks! Oh, and I talked with my illustrator and she's looking forward to working on the illustrations as soon as I'm ready. Here's a thought, if anyone of my TCR readers has a family member that you think fits one of my characters, and they are willing to be a model, send me a picture of them. I'm trying to find some models for the different characters so it's easier for my illustrator. (That would also mean she could work faster, which would mean the books would get published quicker, which would mean you could read them sooner! :) )

I'm hoping to order my proof copy of "Gift from the Storm" this weekend! :) I am looking forward to getting this book out for my faithful readers who are longing to know what happens.

But here is the next part of Ria and the Gang. Enjoy!

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 2

    When the train, its breaks hissing and whistle blowing, finally pulled to a stop before the little station, Ria was the first person every passenger saw. She stood by herself far in front on the platform, giving a skip now and then, her head turned quickly about, bright eyes scanning the windows and those climbing from the cars, until, at last, with a cry she rushed forward to throw her arms about a girl with chestnut hair. All was confusion after that. Emma and Carrie greeted each other with affection, for they had always been close. The men grabbed the luggage and then somehow everyone managed to leave the station platform.
    Ria’s exuberance was almost unmanageable and, but for the two girls who clung to her hands, she might have done anything. As it was she swung their hands and chattered like a magpie.
    “She’s liable to talk their ears off before we reach the house,” Mitch remarked as he swung two suitcases into the trunk of the car.
    His brother-in-law laughed. “If my girls don’t talk hers off first. All we’ve heard about the entire way out here is Ria and the gang. Speaking of the gang,” Roy looked about him, “where are they? I haven’t seen a single boy since I’ve arrived and I expected a whole troop of them.”
    “One of Ria’s plans,” Mitch grinned, “was the pleasure of girls, with no boys along for once.” Both fathers laughed.
    The girls chattered non stop all the short way to the Mitchell home where Ria, with excited bounces and skips, proudly led everyone on a grand tour of all the rooms, saving her own for the very end. At last her father interrupted her chatter.
    “All right, Ria, we have to head out to the farm now. You can talk later.”
    With a long sigh, Ria turned to her cousins, “The gang is at the farm. At least that is where they were going. When we get there it will all be boys, everywhere. More than you ever saw at one time before! And they’ll all be your cousins.”
    Millie was eager to meet all these cousins she had heard so much about, and her eyes sparkled though she clung to Ria’s hand. Allie, who was almost seven, asked, “Aren’t there any girls?”
    Ria shook her head. “Nope. Dory and Lily are the oldest girls after us and they are only three! We’ll have to stick together for protection.”
    All three girls giggled and then skipped down the stairs after their parents.

    Arriving at the farm later, Millie discovered that Ria was right. Never had she seen so many boys and young men. To her astonished eyes they seemed everywhere and, after having been introduced by Ria to half a dozen and seeing more approaching, she whispered, “Ria, how many more are there?”
    Ria shrugged. “I didn’t keep count.”
    “I’ll never be able to keep them straight,” Millie despaired, “and I’m afraid to go anywhere because there are boys every place I look.”
    At that Ria laughed. “I told you there were a lot. But tonight it will only be Ed, Jimmy, Johnny, and Chris. And they aren’t allowed in my room, so it will be only girls!” She gave a bounce of excitement and tugged at her cousin’s hand. “Come on,” she urged, “let’s go meet the rest of the gang and be done with it. Where’s Allie?”
    “With Mama, I think.” Millie looked around but saw no sign of her younger sister.

    The only light in the room was from the nearly full moon which cast a soft glow across the bed where the three girls lay whispering.
    “I thought surely there were hundreds of boys out at Grandma and Grandpa’s farm this afternoon,” Millie whispered. “They seemed to be everywhere!”
    “If you thought they were everywhere at the farm, you ought to see this house when the gang meets here!” Ria exclaimed!
    “Do they really all come here, Ria?” Millie whispered.
    “Uh huh.”
    For a moment the two cousins fell as silent as Alice who had already fallen asleep. Then, with a yawn, Millie whispered once more, “I’m glad I’m finally here, Ria.”
    “Me too,” Ria agreed. “At last I have a girl to do girl things with. What should we do first, tomorrow?”
    There was no answer. Millie, tired out from the excitement of the trip and meeting all her cousins, had fallen fast asleep.

    When Ria awoke, the morning light filtering in through her curtains fell on the brown heads beside her. In a rush, the excited delight of at last having two girl cousins to play with returned and woke her quickly. Slipping from her bed, she tiptoed over and opened the curtains to look at the sky. The light clouds scattered across the sky seemed to promise a lovely day and Ria could hardly wait to get started.
    “Millie,” she whispered. She didn’t want to wake Allie, but if only Millie would wake up, they could plan what they were going to do. “Millie!” This time she shook her cousin gently. “Wake up!”
    The brown head moved and Ria heard a sigh.
    “Millie! Come on, wake up!” she pleaded, giving another shake to the arm flung up on the pillow.
    With a yawn, Millie opened her eyes a little. “Hmm,” she mumbled. “What time is it?”
    “Almost seven,” Ria whispered. “Let’s get dressed.”
    It took Millie a little longer to wake up than it had Ria, but at last she was up, and the two girls hurried into their clothes, trying to be quiet so Allie could sleep. But before they could slip from the room, a sleepy voice asked, “What are you doing?”
    Millie turned. “Good morning, Allie. We didn’t mean to wake you. Ria and I are going to go downstairs. You don’t have to get up if you don’t want to.”
    “But I do!” And Allie bounced out of bed. “Wait for me, please.”

Have you ever experienced a cousin visiting?

Were you as eager for them to wake up?

Will you be back?

Do you know anyone who might be a TCR character?

Millie Comes to Visit - Part 1

Hello FFFs,
The last bit of snow should be melting today as it's supposed to be in the upper 40s. It snowed all of Saturday and then melted by Monday. Then it snowed again most of the day Wednesday, but we only ended up with about an inch that time. It was pretty though. It looks like spring weather is coming back. Is it here to stay? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

This has been a busy week. I got my new computer and am trying to get everything switched over from the old one. (I know, I had just gotten a new computer last summer, but this one actually has the programs I need to do all the layout for my books! And there were some things I didn't like with my other one.) I'm also working on the layout for "Gift from the Storm." And, like I said, I'm going to let you all see the cover for this book!

Otherwise known as "Dr. Morgan"

 

 What do you think? Does it make you want to get the book? I will let you know as soon as it comes out.

The exciting news of this week is that I've started writing TCR-5! I haven't gotten very far into the story yet, so if any of you have ideas, or think you might know what it will be about, please, send me a note through the "Contact Author" on the sidebar and I'll add them to my list of ideas. And who knows, it might be the perfect idea to add to this book. :) So, send your thoughts my way! You can also be praying as I write.

This story that you get to read now is another from the "Ria and the Gang" collection. Who knows, maybe if I write enough of these stories, I'll finally put them all into a book and you will have a sequel to "Home Fires of the Great War." I hope you enjoy!

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 1

    “Mama!” ten-year-old Ria shouted, jerking open the screen door and dashing into the house. When no answering voice came to her, she raced into the kitchen and, seeing her mother out in the garden, flew out the back door, jumped over the steps and bounded across the yard calling, “Mama! Guess what! Guess what!”
    Mrs. Mitchell looked up from the weeds she was pulling at her excited daughter. “I don’t know—“ she began, but Ria interrupted.
    “The train comes on Tuesday! And she can stay here, can’t she? Both of them? Oh, do say they can. In my room. Finally, she is coming, and they’ll stay at Grandma’s, but they want to stay here!” Ria was skipping around waving something white, her dark hair bouncing up and down with each exuberant hop. “And, Mama, can’t I go meet her? Please? And don’t let the gang go. There’s too many of them right at first. Oh, she’s coming, they’re coming!” Giving a scream of joy, Ria hugged herself and whirled around.
    “Who are you talking about, Dear?” Emma Mitchell wiped her dirt covered hands on her apron, brushed back a piece of hair with the back of her hand, and sat back on her heels. The August sun was warm, and she was grateful for the shade of the tree. “Suppose you settle down a little and tell me all about it,” she offered, smiling but looking confused.
    But Ria was much too elated to settle down to anything. Her news was the best she had ever had and her excitement knew no bounds. “Oh,” she exclaimed, “I have to tell Daddy! I can’t wait until he gets home! It won’t take long, Please, Mama, say I can go!” the flushed faced girl begged, wild to be off.
    “I suppose—,” Mrs. Mitchell began but never finished her sentence for Ria was off like the wind. Shaking her head, Emma returned to her weeds. “I suppose I’ll find out what it is all about sometime. Ria is more puzzling and exciting than all the gang put together.” She forgot that at one time she had told her twin brother, “I want lots of girls because boys are so hard to understand.”

    It wasn’t until they were all sitting around the supper table that evening that any of the Mitchell family learned the cause of Ria’s great excitement.
    “Millie wrote and said they were all coming for a visit!” she bubbled between bites of her supper. “They are coming on Tuesday, and Millie wants to come here, and you will let her won’t you, Mama, Daddy? And Allie too. Just think, girls to share my room at last!” She uttered a half suppressed squeal. “And no boys!”
    “So, you’re kicking us out?” Jimmy teased.
    Ria wrinkled her nose at him. “No extra boys.”
    “Carrie and Roy coming here!” Emma’s face lit up. It had been eight years since she had seen her sister, and she shared her daughter’s delight over the news. Carrie was the only one of the Foster family who had a daughter close to Ria in age and her family lived far away in Massachusetts. Now they were really coming.
    “What else did Millie say?”
    Millie and Ria, though they had only met once when they were quite small, had begun writing to each other almost as soon as they could print their names on pieces of paper to be enclosed with their mothers’ letters.
    “That she wants to stay here and she can hardly wait! I can’t wait either! There’s so much to plan!” And Ria gave a bounce in her seat, bumping Johnny’s arm and nearly causing him to spill his water.
    “Settle down, Ria,” Mr. Mitchell admonished with a smile. “Tuesday isn’t very far away, thankfully, but you’ll have plenty of time to plan everything after you’ve eaten.”
    Ria grinned at her father and began to eat, though sitting still right then was an impossibility. How she wished it were Tuesday already!

    To Ria, the days dragged by, even though her mother tried to keep her busy cleaning the house, and her brothers took her with them when the gang met. Even her father drove her out to the farm on Saturday to help Grandma with the extra baking and cleaning. At last Tuesday arrived and Ria was out of bed before the sun had fully risen.
    Dashing across the hall, she pounded on her brothers’ doors. “Hurry and get dressed and straighten your rooms ‘cause Millie is coming today!”
    There was the sound of some grumbled moans, but no answering voices.
    “Ed, Chris!” Ria knocked on their door again before trying her success on the twins’ door.
    Farther down the hall a door opened and her father looked out. “Ria, what are you doing?” he questioned gently. “It’s barely five o’clock. I know you’re excited, but it’s still rather early in the morning, and the train won’t get here until after lunch. Why don’t you go back to bed for a while and try to get some more sleep.”
    “I can’t sleep, Daddy. I’m much too wide awake!” Ria gave a skip in her bare feet and her father could see she spoke truly.
    With a sigh, he instructed softly, “Then go back to your room and do something quietly until everyone else gets up.” Pulling his head back, he muttered, “It’s going to be a long morning.”

    How the Mitchells managed to live through that morning was a puzzle to everyone, but at last it was time to leave for the station. The boys were dropped off at the park where some of them had a ROTC meeting and Ria, full of excitement, bounced in the backseat of the car. All she could think of was, “Millie is coming! Millie is coming! Millie is coming!”
    When the train, its breaks hissing and whistle blowing, finally pulled to a stop before the little station, Ria was the first person every passenger saw.

Are you anything like Ria?

Will you be back for Part 2?

What would you do if you were Ria or one of her brothers?