Kate & Kylie - Part 1

 Good morning,

Welcome to summer. Oh, wait. I guess it has been summer for a while now, hasn't it? I suppose I could say welcome to the 100º+ temperatures. Last Saturday we had a lovely day! It was so nice out in the morning and it never got beyond the low 90ºs. And my sis and I have gotten to walk 4 mornings this week before it got really hot. Yesterday was 102º. The next five days or so are supposed to be really hot with one day being 106º and that doesn't count the heat index. And things are dry. We got a very little bit of rain Tuesday morning. Very light so that if there were trees it didn't reach the ground. The grass is turning brown. Plants need watering daily, our lilac bush had to be watered because the leaves were starting to curl. We went from a very, very wet spring with so much rain we longed for sunshine, to a very, very hot summer with not much rain at all.

But this week has been good on other fronts. I got some words written on Monday's Mystery, and I was able to format Don Wood so that when I get a synopsis, I can upload it all and order my proof copy. I also reread and edited and fixed and wrote a new part that hopefully ends Lawrence & Lenexa! That was exciting! Many thanks to the girls in my tent who joined me for Motivation Pushes that helped me finish it. I also brain stormed with another friend for ideas for the Christmas Play for church. Now I need to write it.

Today my grandpa and aunt are coming down to visit.

 I decided to give you the first part of Kate & Kylie again. I know you probably read it last year, but since it's been a while and I have more of it written, I decided I'd started over and let you read it all together. Enjoy!

 

Kate & Kylie

Part 1

    Kylie settled herself in a lawn chair beside her sister. “Are you sure you should be out here in this crowd watching fireworks this late in your pregnancy? We could have watched the neighborhood ones and stayed home. Or–”
Mitch    “Oh, Kylie, stop being a spoilsport,” Kate scolded. “I’m not due for three weeks, and the neighborhood fireworks will be lousy compared to this display. You’ve never seen our fireworks.” Kate spoke of “our fireworks” as though she had had a personal hand in the selection and arrangement of them.
    “Well, I did promise Joe I’d take care of you while he was away,” Kylie began. “And this just seems like a crazy idea.”
    Kate laughed. “I’m fine. Even if my water breaks and I go into labor here, we’re closer to the hospital than we would be at home.”
    “Fine. You win. We’ll stay here.” Kylie pushed a few pieces of hair off her face and looked back in the direction their car was parked. The grassy field was filling up quickly, and she couldn’t help wonder how hard it would be to get to the hospital, after they got through the crowd.
    “Ky,” Kate scolded, “stop worrying and enjoy the evening.”
    “I’ll try.” And Kylie smiled at her twin. “We still have half an hour to wait before the fireworks start. We should have brought something to do.”
    “We can talk. Tell me about Mitch.” Leaning back against the back of her chair Kate looked expectantly toward her sister.
    “Mitch? What made you bring him up? I haven’t heard from him in two years.”
    “Has it really been that long?” Kate looked confused. “I thought you sent me a picture of him not long ago.”
    Kylie shook her head. “Couldn’t have. I haven’t seen him or talked with him.”
    With a thoughtful look, Kate began tapping her upper lip, a habit she had when trying to remember something. “I know I saw his picture and not long ago. Where was it? Joe didn’t send it. Are you sure–”
    “Miss Kylie!” A shrill voice made every head in the area turn as a young child raced across the grass and flung herself against Kylie.
    “Hi, Lilly.” Kylie hugged the small girl and looked up for the rest of her family.
    “I love you!” Lilly exclaimed, her arms still around her friend.
    Kylie laughed. “I love you too.”
    “Kylie, I’m so sorry,” Mrs. Matthews said, hurrying over.
    Kylie quickly assured Mrs. Matthews that she loved getting hugs from her exuberant daughter.
    “Are you looking for a place to settle down and watch the fireworks?” Kate asked. “There’s some space right here if you want to join us.”
    “We don’t want to be a bother,” Mrs. Matthews began, but her words were quickly brushed aside by both sisters. And so, in a few minutes, the Matthews family settled themselves beside Kate and Kylie.
    The fireworks began with a glittering display of lights. The crowd exclaimed over the colors and loud explosions.
    Kylie’s attention was often distracted by Lilly’s antics, for the young girl couldn’t sit still. She danced and jumped, tried to turn somersaults, and often tripped over legs.
    During the lull before the grand finale, Kate leaned over and asked softly, “Are you sure you didn’t send me an old picture of Mitch?”
    Kylie nodded. “Positive.”
    “That’s so strange. I know I saw his picture not that long ago.”
    “Maybe it was just someone who looked like Mitch,” Kylie suggested.
    But Kate shook her head. “No, it was Mitch Standish. Either the picture said his name or someone told me who it was. Now it’s going to bug me.”
    Kylie laughed merrily. “Are you sure you didn’t just dream it?”
    There was no time for Kate to reply before the sky was again filled with lights and colors. Red fountains, gold stars, silver, green, blue, and purple exploding one on top of another.
    The crowd was cheering when a sudden, shrill scream of pain pulled everyone’s attention from the fireworks to Lilly. She lay on the ground, crying and holding her arm.
    Instantly forgetting the display above them, Kylie joined Mr. and Mrs. Matthews beside the little girl. “Her arm is hurt.”
    “We need a doctor,” Mrs. Matthews exclaimed.
    “We’ll have to take her to the hospital, but–”
    “Is there something I can do to help?” a new voice asked.
    Kylie looked up. A man stood beside her, his visage hard to distinguish in the kaleidoscope of colors, but the voice. Had she just imagined it?
    Mr. Matthews answered, “I think her arm might be broken.”
    “I’m a doctor, can I check?”
    This time Kylie was sure, but she couldn’t speak. Not then. She doubted he would even know her now.
    “Does anyone have something we can use for a sling?” the man asked after a quick examination. “I don’t think it’s broken, just sprained.
    Kylie pulled off her bandana headband and held it out.
    “Thanks, Kys.” The man smiled at her as he took the offered cloth.
    Only one person had ever called her that.
    After the Matthews family disappeared into the crowd, Kylie looked up to see Mitch watching her.
    “I thought I heard your laugh earlier, Kys,” he said quietly, “but I thought I was mistaken. I’m glad I wasn’t.”
    “Me too.”
    “Do you live here in town?”
    “With my sister for now.” She nodded back to Kate. “Until her husband returns from deployment. You?”
    “Yep. I just got a job at the hospital.”
    Kate’s voice broke in. “That’s where I saw his picture! It was in the paper from the hospital!”
    Kylie had to laugh, and Mitch joined in.
    “Can we have lunch together sometime soon?” Mitch asked, acting ready to give Kate a hand if she needed it as she stiffly rose to her feet, but glancing at Kylie.
    “I’d like that.”
    “Tomorrow?”
    Kylie nodded. This was a fireworks display she wouldn’t soon forget.

 

Have you ever run into someone from your past?

Which story that I mentioned today are you most eager for?

Have you gotten to walk this week?

Cally's Adventure

 Good morning,

Do you ever have a week where you feel like you are starting out the week behind and you never quite seem to catch up? That's sort of how I've felt this week. We had a lot of fun on Saturday at our church picnic for the 4th of July. (I even joined in the adults' baseball game.) And Sunday was busy with orchestra practice then playing and then I taught children's church. On Monday I was tired. I went to a parade with my best friend, and took a nap in the afternoon. Wednesday night I worked nursery at church, last night I attended a political meeting and found out who I was NOT going to vote for. (Hint: If you want my vote, don't spend most of your speech criticizing and tearing down your opponent and the shaking your head and rolling your eyes when he's telling the truth about your accusations.)

Anyway, writing has been slow. I have only gotten just over 3k written all month! Am I going to have to lower my goal? I hope not, but we'll see. I've also been busy with some other needed things for my website or blog, and preparing a cover of that "secret project" I've mentioned here before. Not to mention Camp is going on.

We haven't been walking because it's so hot! When you are under heat warnings and it's 103ºF with a heat index of 107º or more, you don't feel like walking. At least I don't.

Today's story is one I wrote several years ago for some young friends. I changed the names and decided to let you all read it. Just remember, it was written for little children.

 

Cally’s Adventure

    It was a beautiful summer morning. All the birds were awake and singing. The flowers nodded their heads to a small brown, yellow, and white kitten as it slowly walked down the sidewalk. A yellow butterfly flitted in front of the kitten and, Cally, for that was the kitten’s name, scampered after it down the sidewalk until the butterfly floated up into the blue sky. Then Cally sat down and began to wash her face, for she had forgotten to do it before leaving the house.
    It didn’t take Cally long to finish washing, and she once more started off. She was going exploring all by herself. Usually her owners, Emmy, April, and Joel were outside with her, but they had been busy when Cally had slipped out the door that hadn’t been latched.
    Quickly Cally darted across the street and into an empty field. There were so many flowers to stop and sniff, bugs to look at, and butterflies to follow, that Cally didn’t pay any attention to where she was or to where she was going.
    When a sudden movement in the grass near a tiny stream caught her attention, Cally crouched down, hoping it was a mouse and she could catch it. But instead of a mouse, a strange creature that Cally had never seen before jumped out from behind the rock.
    Cally tipped her head and stared at him, and the creature stared back. Slowly she stretched out her head to sniff the small thing, but when her nose came close, the creature jumped away.
    This so startled Cally that she gave a jump backwards. She didn’t know it, but the little creature was a frog.
    Both the kitten and the frog stared at each other again. Then Cally stepped forward cautiously. She didn’t want to frighten her new playmate. “Meow,” she said softly.
    The frog jumped away again and waited.
    Cally followed.
    Again the frog jumped.
    And again Cally followed.
    It became a little game, and Cally never once thought of how late it was getting or where she was. All she was interested in was getting close to that jumping creature.
    Then suddenly, the little frog jumped onto a large rock in the middle of the stream.
    Cally stopped at the edge of the water. “Meow!” she complained to the frog. “Meow!” Cally didn’t think it was very nice for the frog to jump onto a rock in the stream, for Cally, like most cats, didn’t like water. “Meow, meow,” Cally called, trying to coax the frog back to dry land where any sensible creature would want to be.

*

    Back at the house, Emmy, April, and Joel were looking all over for Cally. They called and called, but there was no small kitten anywhere.
    “Perhaps she went outside,” April said.
    “May we go look for her, Mom,” Emmy asked.
    “Me too!” Joel put in quickly.
    Mom looked at the children. “Yes, you may go look in the yard, but if she’s not there, you will need to get someone big to go with you.”
    “Okay.” Quickly the three children ran outside.
    “Cally! Cally!” They called and called, but Cally didn’t answer.
    “I’m hot,” Emmy said, sinking down to rest on one of the swings.
    “Me too,” April agreed. She sat down on the other swing.
    “Not me,” Joel called, running to look under another bush. He didn’t find Cally, but he did find a stick, which he kept, knowing it could be very useful.
    “Meow.” It was a very faint call, but all three children heard it.
    “That’s Cally!” April exclaimed!
    “But she’s not in the yard. Quick!” Emmy jumped from her swing and ran to the house. “Cally’s not in the yard, but we can hear her!” she called.
    Mom sent one of their big sisters to go with them.
    The children followed the sound of Cally’s cries until they came to a street. After looking carefully in both directions, and with Joel holding their sister’s hand, they crossed it. A large and lovely field stretched before them, but April didn’t stop to pick any flowers, and Emmy didn’t try to catch any butterflies. Even Joel forgot to look for bugs.

*

    “Meow!” Cally called to the frog again. But the frog wouldn’t jump back. So Cally decided to be brave and attempt to jump across the nasty water and join the frog. Crouching low, she made a valiant attempt and actually made it to the rock!
    But where had the frog gone? Carefully she sniffed all around the rock. He was nowhere to be found. As she moved to the farthest edge of the rock, it tipped, and Cally’s back feet fell into the water.
    “Meow!” Frantically she tried to scramble back, but the rock wobbled unsteadily. “Meow!” she cried. “Meow. Meow!”
    “There she is!” Emmy and April shouted at once.
    Cally heard the voices and meowed again. A moment later she felt herself lifted up and handed to the safety of Emmy’s arms. Cally gave one more pitiful, “Meow,” and then settled down.
    April stroked the kitten’s head and crooned over her. “You poor kitty. You shouldn’t go out and get lost. What were you doing in the water?”
    “A frog!” Joel, as soon as he had seen the kitten was safe, had begun exploring the water’s edge and poking his stick into the small current. “Look, look! A froggy!” Joel abandoned his stick and started after the frog. Twice he almost had it, but each time the creature hopped just out of his reach.
    “Let’s go home now,” Emmy suggested. “We found Cally.”
    “I want to catch a frog,” Joel said, still chasing the frog. “See, I found a frog!”
    “Yes,” Big Sister said, “but we can’t keep a frog, Joel. He wouldn’t like it at our house. And we need to take Cally home for her breakfast.”
    Cally began to purr. She didn’t know what a frog was, but going home sounded good, and breakfast sounded even better.

How was your week?

Do you like the heat or the cooler weather better?

Did you enjoy this story?

Liberty & Mr. Pickup's Problem

 Good morning!

I'm going to keep this short as I have a lot of things to do today. For one, it's the first official day of camp. That means it's July! Wait, what? I need to clean the house, and send emails, and write, and prepare to teach Children's Church on Sunday since we're heading to a church family picnic tomorrow and I'll be too busy to prepare then.

This week has been good. We had lovely weather at least in the morning since Monday! So nice that we had the windows open and went and walked. Not much writing at all done, but I did reach the end of Don Wood and got it sent off for a synopsis. Yay! One step closer to publishing this story.

I searched and searched for some patriotic story to post, but I had either posted it only a few years ago, or had published it. So I'm giving you a patriotic poem and a short story. Enjoy!

 

 

Liberty

In this great land where Old Glory does fly
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why?
Not even a thought to why we are free
In this great land with all our liberty?

Go ask your neighbors, the man on the street,
Ask your relations, whoever you meet,
Over our heads where Old Glory does wave,
Why does it fly o’re the land of the brave?
Does it display with its red, blue and white,
True freedom and liberty, honor and right?

Watch as our flag bravely snaps in the breeze,
Its colors show best when its not at its ease.
Even in this we can learn a great thing,
From the midst of our struggles bright freedom will ring.


True liberty comes, the price we must pay,
Say thanks to the soldier who fought in the fray.
Remember this price, blood won’t pay it all
For to you and me sweet Liberty calls.
“Unto you I’ve given a charge don’t forget,
You’ll lose all your freedom unless you repent.
Stand on your honor, remember to pray,
God heard us before, He’ll hear us today.
Turn to righteousness, dishonor defy,
And with God’s Liberty, Old Glory shall fly!” 

Mr. Pickup’s Problem

Once upon a time, in a small town somewhere in the world, lived a man. His name was Mr. Pickup. Now Mr. Pickup owned a small store in the center of town where he sold many useful and some not so useful things.

One morning as Mr. Pickup walked to his store, he stopped to look at someone moving into the the shop next door. He paused for a few minutes to watch the men working.
“Hmm,” he said to himself, “they seem to have the same things that I sell.”

All during that day, Mr. Pickup wondered about the store next door.

The next morning as Mr. Pickup walked to his store, he stopped and his eyes opened wide as he looked at the shop next to his. It had a large sign over the door which read: “Best Buy.”
“Oh no,” Mr. Pickup thought, “what can I do?”

All that day he thought about that store beside his and wondered what to do.

The next morning as Mr. Pickup walked to his store, he stopped, his eyes opened wide, and he whistled as he looked at someone else moving into the shop on the other side of his store. On looking closely, he realized that they too had the same things he sold in his store.
“Oh no! What am I going to do now? Mr. Pickup thought.
All that day he thought about the new store and wondered what to do about the sign on the first store.

The next morning as Mr. Pickup walked to his store, he stopped, his eyes opened wide, he whistled and shook his head as he looked at the new store. The new store had an even larger sign over it’s door which read: “Lowest Prices.”

All that day Mr. Pickup sat alone in his store and wondered what he could do about the first store. And he wondered what he could do about the second store. And he wondered what he could do about their signs. He thought and thought.

He was still thinking as he walked home to his house. He thought as he ate his dinner. He thought as he got into bed and turned out the light.
Suddenly, a wonderful idea came to him, and he bounced out of bed. Not waiting to get dressed, he ran out to his garage and started working. He worked hard.

In the morning Mr. Pickup walked to his store. He was earlier than he had ever been. He didn’t stop, his eyes didn’t open wide, he didn’t whistle and he didn’t shake his head, but he got out his ladder and put up his own sign. In letters larger than the other signs were the words: “Main Entrance.”
All that day Mr. Pickup didn’t have time to wonder and think about the two other stores. He was very busy all day long. Mr. Pickup had solved his problem.

The End

 

Do you have plans to celebrate the 4th?

Have you read any stories on here from 2019?

Have you had nice weather this week?

The Old Porch Swing

 Good morning!

I wasn't going to give you anything besides a life update today. I hadn't even really thought about trying to find something to post until last night. And then I only had a short time. So you get a short poem.

This week has been hot. We did get clouds on Wednesday and some yesterday. But they weren't thick, heavy clouds except some yesterday. But no rain. I'm glad I don't have to mow this week. The heat is supposed to break on Sunday and at least the beginning of next week is supposed to be in the 80ºs instead of 90ºs+. I'll go for that.

I have been writing pretty steadily this week on Don Wood. I jotted down the last scenes I needed and last night I started on what might be the final scene. So exciting to be almost done!!! Then it will have to be edited, formatted, cover designed, proof copy ordered, read and edited again all before it gets into your hands. But at least you shouldn't have to wait months for it. That's one thing I like about indie publishing instead of traditional. I can finish a story and don't have to wait a year before it becomes available.

Let's see, what else has happened this week? I've worked on getting girls registered for camp, and have gotten some other behind the scenes stuff done. Hard to believe the gates open on Monday! And I can't believe a week from today is July! Wow!

Well, I need to work on other things, so enjoy this short poem and I hope to see you next week.

 

 

The Old Porch Swing

Fondly I gaze
As I swing to and fro,
At the beauty before me
On the flowers that grow.

The warm summer breezes
How gently they blow,
And they sway the old porch swing
As if they did know,

That the memories they bring,
And that over me flow
Are the sweet days of childhood
I spent swinging to and fro.

So I sit here and dream
Of the times long ago
On the dear old porch swing
As I sway to and fro. 

 

Do you have a porch swing?

Have you had a hot week?

What do you enjoy doing on summer days?

Climbing with the Medfords - Part 2

 Good morning!

Did anyone else have mixed up days this week? I sure did! My Wednesday felt like a Tuesday or Thursday, and yesterday was a Friday–except I didn't post–and today is a Saturday. Not sure what tomorrow will be. Another Saturday maybe?

You see, I mowed the yard on Wednesday. It was the only day this week that was not in the mid to upper 90s with a heat index of 100º+. I have been so glad I finished my 100 miles of walking last week as there were heat advisories this week and I would not have wanted to go walk.

I'm still writing, but some days have just been slow this week. Not sure if it's partly because of the heat, partly just me, and maybe partly because I'm focusing a lot of energies and brain power into getting ready for camp and that is distracting me from my story. But I plan to keep working on it.

Today is my 3rd nephew's birthday. In some ways it's hard to believe Doodle Bug is turning 11, but at the same time, it seems that he already is that old. I remember when he was just a little guy. My grandpa and aunt are coming down this morning, and we are all going to head over to my brother's to celebrate Doodle Bug's birthday. (And if you are wondering, no, his parents did NOT name him Doodle Bug. His aunt BehBeh–that's me–gave him that nickname.)

Anyway, that's that. If you haven't seen my KDWC Journals, head over to Read Another Page and check them out. I have mine ordered. I can't wait to see it in print!

I hope you enjoy the rest of this short story.

 

Climbing with the Medfords

Part - 2

    The others were so busy looking at different points of the city and pointing out interesting things to the others, that only Lillian noticed an old lady looking out her window at the children on the billboard. Lillian thought she was talking on the telephone, but it was hard to tell. Feeling friendly, she waved at the lady, but received no response. “Oh well,” Lillian thought with a shrug. “Perhaps she didn’t see us after all. We are pretty high up.”
    It was Alice who, turning around several minutes later and looking down at the street, noticed the police car coming towards them and stopping under the billboard. “Hey everyone,” she said. “Look.”
    The others looked down in time to see two uniformed officers climb out of the car and look up at them before walking over to the base of the pole. One of the officers looked like a friend of theirs who directed traffic near the childrens’ neighborhood. When he spoke, they knew it was Officer Hitt.
    “What are you all doing up there?” Officer Hitt asked.
    “Catching a bird’s eye view of the city, sir,” Walter replied, glancing quickly at Frank and wondering what was going to happen.
    “And what are you going to do when one of you falls?” the other officer asked.
    “Oh, we won’t fall,” Frank answered quickly. “We’re being careful. And we’re used to climbing things.”
    The officers held a low toned conversation while the children waited uneasily. At last Officer Hitt called up, “Why don’t all of you come down now so we can talk without attracting the attention of the entire neighborhood.”
    The children exchanged disappointed glances but knew better than to disobey. Lillian, the closest to the ladder, went down first followed by Ester. Katie and Alice followed. Since Alice was small, she had to drop a little ways from the last rung of the ladder and while she hung there waiting for Katie to get out of the way, her left hand slipped. Right at that moment Walter, who was climbing down quickly and didn’t realize his sister wasn’t already on the ground, stepped on her hand.
    “Ouch!” Alice exclaimed, and Walter quickly moved his foot, but only to put it on the next rung of the ladder which in reality was Alice’s shoulder. As he shifted his weight, Alice fell onto the pile of books, catching herself with her left hand.
    With an exclamation of surprise, Walter, having lost his balance when what he thought was the bottom of the ladder disappeared from under him, fell with a thud onto his sister and the scattered pile of schoolbooks.
    To add to the confusion, Frank dropped from the ladder after Walter without looking and landed right on top of his friend!
    “Walter, get off of me,” Alice cried, hugging her left arm and trying to get to her feet.
    “Sorry,” Walter apologized, “I can’t move until Frank gets up.” But even when Frank was helped up by Officer Hitt, Walter had to be helped up too.
    “What hurts?” Officer Shepherd asked him when he saw Walter wasn’t putting any weight on his right leg.
    “I think I must have pulled something in my leg,” Walter groaned, cautiously bending his knee and then gingerly putting weight on his foot.
    “Sorry about that,” Frank told him with concern. “I should have looked before dropping. Are you all right?”
    “Yeah, I’ll be okay, but next time I’ll go last,” and Walter managed to grin at his friend before turning to the girls who were gathered around Alice.
    “Is it just your arm?” Office Shepherd asked, kneeling beside Alice.
    “My left wrist and my right fingers,” she sniffed, trying not to cry though the pain was pretty bad.
    Gently the officer checked her fingers. “I think they’ll be okay. They’ll probably be rather sore for a few days, but it doesn’t look like any of them are broken. They’re probably just bruised.”
    “That’s good!” Lillian exclaimed, “You’d never be able to write to Natalie.”
    “Or do your homework,” Katie added. Ester didn't say a thing but was quietly gathering up the scattered books and papers.
    After carefully checking Alice’s wrist, Officer Shepherd said, “I’m not a doctor, but I think your wrist is lightly sprained.”
    A collective sigh of relief came from the gathered children at that, but their relief was short lived. Officer Hitt, with a series face, gave them a stern lecture about the dangers of climbing billboards and told them never to do it again if their fathers weren’t there.
    “Do you understand?” the officer asked the sober children.
    “Yes, sir,” they replied.
    “All right then,” he said in a more cheerful voice, “let’s get you all home.
    “I think Alice should get a doctor to take a look at her wrist.” Officer Shepherd said. During the lecture he had improvised a sling for the injured arm from Lillian’s scarf, and Alice was grateful to be able to rest her arm in it.
    Never again did any of those girls climb a billboard. As for Walter and Frank, I can’t say for certain that they never did, but, if they did, they never told.

 

 Do you think Frank and Walter climbed billboards again?

Would you like to climb one? (If you had permission.)

Did you have mixed up days this week or were they normal?

Climbing with the Medfords - Part 1

 Good morning!

Are you sure it's Friday? Isn't it Wednesday or something? No? Maybe Thursday? Well, I suppose if you and the calendars insist that it is Friday, I should post.

This week has been busy. Not a lot of extra things at the beginning, but it was still busy. Between trying to get some blog posts done for Read Another Page, and editing and publishing Lessons from Liberty (yes, it's published now), and writing, and really starting prep for KDWC, and normal life, I guess it was a bit busy. Yesterday my mom, sis, and I went up to help my aunt clean out some things. Then this evening I'm heading over to a friend's house to help her try out her new ice cream maker. :) She invited the other single gals at church too. Maybe I should start calling us the "Unmarrieds". Oh, and my best friends are back in town, and I'm hoping to get together with just them (no kids for one time) to talk and celebrate their birthday that is coming up. And I need to get my final 2 miles for the Spring 100 challenge walked. I don't think I'll have any trouble doing that. I also need to finish getting ready to teach Children's Church on Sunday. I taught a last minute review last Sunday because there was a mix-up in schedule. And we have music practice after church again.

Anyway, I have a 2 part story for you this time. Well, you can have the first part this week. I first posted this back in 2016. I have a whole lot about the Medford family written, but it's all in letter form. I hope you enjoy this! And if you've subscribed to my newsletter and have read "The Medford's 4th of July" this is the same family.

 

Climbing with the Medfords

Part 1

    It was a beautiful October day. The sun was shining in a cloudless sky and the air was brisk as the Medford children of school age climbed onto the school’s bus. It was time to head home and the bus was full of chattering children.
    “What are you going to do when you get home?” Alice asked her best friend Katie.
    “I’ll probably have to help with some chores or start on my homework. I wish we could do something fun.”
    “Me too.”
    “Maybe we could go roller skating later.”
    “Oh, that would be fun. I’ll check with my mom after we get home.”
    The two friends continued to talk as the bus stopped here and there to let children off. They were discussing their teacher’s upcoming wedding when a sudden noise and the jerking of the bus interrupted them.
    “What’s happening?”
    “Did something break?”
    “Why did we stop?”
    The questions were asked so quickly that Mr. Benton, the driver, held up his hands. “I don’t know. You kids just sit there a minute and let me take a look.”
    After waiting a few minutes Mr. Benton climbed back into the bus. “I don’t know what we’ll do. There’s something wrong with the engine. Don’t know how long it will take and I’ve got to get you kids home.”
    “Oh, we can walk home,” Walter Medford spoke up.
    “Yeah,” Frank Burton put in. “We all live near each other. Why can’t we walk home?”
    “Please,” the rest of the children begged, eager to be out in the sunshine and fresh air.
    For a moment Mr. Benton looked at the excited, pleading faces of the school children. “All right,” he began. “But,” he raised his voice to be heard above the sudden clamor of tongues, “you must all promise to stick together!”
    A loud chorus of “We promise!” filled the air as the children eagerly grabbed their books and climbed down off the bus. With many shouts and waves, the children set off down the street in a happy bunch, jackets open or slung over shoulders. It was glorious to be outside at last with a tramp through the town ahead of them.
    They had walked a few blocks when suddenly Frank exclaimed, “Walter, look!” He pointed to a very large billboard. It was the largest one the children had seen and it excited their interest. “Let’s climb it!”
    “Yeah, let’s!” Walter shouted eagerly, running towards it with Frank on his heels and the rest of the children tagging along. Climbing billboards was a favorite activity for Walter and Frank as well as several others in the group, though no one had climbed one that high before.
    Reaching the bottom of the billboard pole, the schoolbooks were quickly dumped on the ground and the girls waited eagerly for Walter and Frank to tell them it was all right to climb. The two boys, feeling responsible for the welfare of the rest of the children, wanted to make sure the billboard was safe.
    “I think they just wanted a chance to enjoy it by themselves,” Alice whispered to Katie.
    Katie nodded.
    After what seemed like hours to those waiting below, Walter called down, “Okay, come on up!”
    There was a scramble for the ladder and before long Lillian and Alice Medford, Katie Burton and Ester Hershal were standing with the boys at the top of the billboard taking in the amazing bird’s eye view of Boonsville.
    “It feels like we’re birds in a nest,” Ester laughed. “But I don’t see any mother bird coming with a bug to feed us.”
    The girls laughed at that thought and Katie added, “Good, because I’d hate to have to eat a bug!”
    “Look!” Walter pointed, “there’s our house!” Sure enough the Medford house could be seen among the trees many blocks away.
    Turning to look in another direction, Frank pointed out the large church on Clark street.
    “Why, I think I can see the school,” and Alice pointed in the direction where a building of some sort could be partially seen that might indeed be the school.
    “I don’t know if it is,” Frank said.
    “It rather looks like it though,” Walter added, not wanting to sound too critical of his younger sister’s idea.
    “And see there,” Katie pointed near the Medford’s house. “Is that Rob and Sara?”
    “Where?” Ester and Alice asked at once.
    “There, at the corner grocery. Don’t you see them?”
    Frank and Walter turned. “Wouldn’t that be funny if it was? We ought to ask them if they were at the grocery at this time,” and Walter looked down at his watch. “Too bad we didn’t bring any binoculars with us. Then we really could have seen things.”
    “Walt, you and I should come back some time with a pair.” Frank grinned at the idea.

 

 Did you have a busy week?

Have you ever climbed a billboard?

Do you think you'd like to?

A Writer's Regret

 Good morning and happy Friday!

    Today is my sister's birthday and my parents' anniversary. (Yep, they share the same day just like I share a birthday with my Mom.) It's a beautiful morning. The sun is shining and the birds are singing and chirping. It's in the 50s right now, but is supposed to warm up to the 70s today. Not sure if my sis and I will walk before breakfast or afterwards. We do need to clean the house.

We've had rain, and humidity and warmth, and are now enjoying the cooler temperatures. Lovely walking weather.

This week has been pretty normal. I taught my final writing class for the school year. I mowed the yard. I've been writing. I think I have at least 5k already this week. And I know what comes next, so I'm eager to write it. This version of "Don Wood" is so much better than the last one. Don actually cares about this mystery instead of not being interested.

I've been practicing the violin this week as we have ensemble practice right after church on Sunday. And the children are playing bells for church, so we'll have to run over our song between Sunday school and church. They love playing bells!

I really had no idea what to post this week. So I looked at some of my old poems I've posted and this one just seemed to fit. Enjoy! :D

 

 

A Writer’s Regret

Dear readers and critics, family and friend,
I jot these regrets on paper with pen.
I fear I am ailing, I must have a disease.
It comes suddenly upon me like some giant sneeze!
There’s nothing to do, I can’t stop it you know
For if I should try to a gasket might blow.
Perhaps it is useless to try and explain
I have some strange symptoms, but no fever or pain.
My brain races on full of stories and words
It won’t stop its spinning, it’s growing absurd!
My mind moves much faster than hand with a pen
Perhaps I’ll get NEO and try him instead.
It still doesn’t help much, oh what can I say
It’s no use, I’ve failed to write them today.
The words keep on coming, I’m trying to sleep
Forget what they said, it’s no use to count sheep.
The stories are waiting, piling up with great speed
I know you are longing, your story to read.
But alas I can’t help it, I’m very perplexed
What thing should I write first, and what should be next?
Confused and bewildered, I’m sure you can see
The serious trouble that now faces me.
So accept my apology, understand my regret
If your story is not written, don’t go off and fret.
Some day it will happen, I think, I believe,
But now it seems something hard to achieve.

 

Was your week normal or different?

Do you ever have more than one story wanting to be written at once?

Should I post another short scene next week or a poem or nothing?