The Halloween King & A Few Halloween Fun Facts

Life is in constant motion. Sometimes it pushes us forward, and we're filled with encouragement. Other times it assaults us, forcing us backwards and stripping us of our confidence. Either way, there is growth to be had. 
One lesson I've learned over and over again through both the above types of life elements is that humor and letting go can be therapeutic. Here's some Halloween therapy to lighten your day and feed you a bit of useless knowledge - you know, in case you end up on Family Feud or something.

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Did you know that the turnip can claim victory as the first official Jack-O-Lantern?      - Yup. Weird, and I bet it stunk, too.
In the olden days (apply phrase to self as it applies), owls were thought to be witches. Guess what it meant when they hooted?       - Someone was going to die. Mmwwhaaaa...
Any idea what Souling means?       - Poor people would visit homes and instead of receiving treats they offered prayers for the household's dead in exchange for a soul cake.
Yeah. So what's a soul cake?      - Soul cakes are small round cakes that kind of     look like biscuits. 
What's the deal with all the orange and black for the Halloween season?       - Orange was always thought to represent the harvest during the Fall season, where the gruesome side to the holiday is felt through the color black representing death. 
Other titles for Halloween have been...?      - Witches Night, All Hallows Eve, Samhain Eve, Summer's End, All Saints Eve, Snap Apple Night, to name a few.

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Have you ever heard of Samhain Eve? (I've heard of Samhain, but not with the eve.) Want to know why the eve is added here?       - Samhain is the Irish word for November, so technically adding Eve makes the phrase say October 31st. 
And why Snap Apple Night? Kind of a weird way to refer to Halloween, right?       - Snap Apple Night is the title of a painting (1833) by Daniel Maclise depicting a Halloween party. No, really. It is. Google it. 
Now, for my personal fun fact....
We live in a fairly large neighborhood of cul-du-secs and horseshoe streets. It would be safe to say that this area is one of the busiest on Halloween night. Families come by the van-full and park their vehicles along the streets. Kids pile out and are allowed to roam freely, usually in groups or bunches. Most adults walk the streets, too, carrying flashlights. And yes, we as the adults who resided in the neighborhood would have fun too.
When my four children where younger, they'd come home at the night's end with enough candy to literally fill a kitchen garbage bag if not half another one, too. It was crazy. Of course, my mother's radar would go off, thinking their teeth would be rotten within a few weeks if I let them eat all that. 
This is where the Halloween King came into existence, at least in our home anyway. I'd collect all my kids' candy, allowing them each to choose a few favorite pieces to set aside. They'd stack their individual stashes of Halloween pride near the fireplace and head off to bed. Once they were asleep, I'd collect all the candy and replace it with a wrapped present for each child. And just like Christmas morning, the kids would rush downstairs to see what special new gadget, toy, book, or whatever they'd received. Not once did they rush downstairs in the morning and complain about having to give up their candy. 
But the REAL winner was my husband. He got to take all the candy to work with him and become the hero to all his employees - The REAL Halloween King. 
It worked for our family. Maybe it could work for yours. AND btw - this is one of the picture books I'm writing. 
Do you have any Halloween traditions in your family?

Pinterest Reflection

Yesterday I was up over on Oasis for YA. Mind taking a gander over there and sharing your thoughts about the latest, greatest social media time-sucker??

No. Serious. I think I made a few good points on how a writer can use Pinterest to reflect and find inspiration.

AND for all of you who are or know a woman like this ... 

... raise your hand and leave a comment, sharing something silly, funny, or downright weird about motherhood that you've experienced. 

~Happy Mother's Day!!~

In Honor Of The Hunger Games

I'm a geek. Not surprising, huh?

Well, I'm about to show you a bit more of my geekdom, right now.

The other day, I heard about this site called Hunger Names. So like the precarious little thing I am, I scampered over for a visit. But I couldn't just visit once. I did it again and again and again...

In honor of The Hunger Games Movie fantabulastic release, I'm listing the top five names, my ranking, and supposed demise computed from that website.

1. Cray Biggentall - a District 4 tribute in the 43rd Hunger Games. DEMISE: decapitation. 
2. Trexler Nibblehatch - a District 7th tribute in the 9th Hunger Games. DEMISE: killed by thinking it was okay to drive water from the lake.
3. Billee Thistledeen - a District 6th tribute in the 45th Hunger Games. DEMISE: poison kiss.
4. Skitter Hugglewood - a District 10 tribute in the 24th Hunger Games. DEMISE: defenestration.
5. Jinstance Hogsbriar - a District 2 tribute in the 2nd Hunger Games. DEMISE: being so annoying that all the other tributes killed me right away.

I'm liking the name Cray, but not so much Hogsbriar. Why don't you take a traipse over and see what your name is. Come back and tell me your DEMISE. 

Here are some other Hunger Games images you might enjoy.

Doesn't her expression say it all?

I can't believe I'm excited for
another game, but I am.

Potter vs. The Games
Poster available HERE

Ooh, and I didn't tell you the best news!! My thirteen-year-old daughter and I are taking in the show!! The hubs and I are those people who usually wait for the DVD to be released. With four kids, we're assured to flip at lease $100. Going with my daugther will be such a treat. EEEK!!

Have a HUNGER weekend!!

Princess & Fairy Godmothers???

According to my new blogging lineup, this is the day I'll explore world issues & headlines, humor, and all that encompasses Sheri--yup, that's what the 'S' in SA Larsen stands for.

For those of you who are unaware, I'm a contestant vying for the Mrs. Maine America 2012 title, which will be passed to the winner on February 5th. Eek!! That's just around the corner. I've been lax in sharing my pageant experience with you, but I'm about to change that.

Last weekend, I took part in what we called a Princess Ice Cream & Teas Social. The reigning Mrs. Maine was conducting a fundraiser to support a Habitat Humanity site. She invited this year's contestants to join her.

It was amazing!! Children from all over arrived to meet, and share ice cream and tea with their favorite princess. We even had story time. I played the role of Princess Ariel from The Little Mermaid. To my shock, Ariel was a huge hit. I must have taken 600+ photos with the sweetest little ones and signed autographs. Boy, do I have a new appreciation for celebrities. Stand up. Bend down. Up. Down. (Little kids are short, eh.) But taking those photos with them and making them smile was worth it! Plus, my thighs got a heck of a workout.

There weren't just little girls in attendance, either. Some of the little boys came to see their favorite girl--I mean princess. A few times the mothers would mouth to me, "He has such a crush on Ariel." It was the cutest thing ever!! (I feel a picture book story coming on...)

I'll let these photos tell the rest of the story.

Sleeping Beauty's Fairy Godmothers
Jasmine (my niece), Kate (my daugther), & Maddy (Kate's Bff)

2012 Contestants, Mrs. Maine 2011 in pink in the middle, & the Fairy Godmothers.

Princess Ariel - ME

Fairy Godmothers, Princess Ariel, & two beautiful princesses!

A little princess(one of my friend's daugthers) & my daugther.

Fairy Godmothers, Princess Ariel &
Princess Rapunzel

One of Princess Ariel's crushers.
He's so cute!!

Princess Ariel
with a little Cinderella

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!! Ooh, I'll be blogging a bit later today. I have another TV interview for the pageant. ALERT UPDATED! Bummer, it's 4:30 a.m. and I'm staring out my bedroom window, while watching the weather channel. Looks like I won't be able to make the one hour and a half trek to the Television studio. The roads are too icy and it's still snowing. Kiddos probably won't have school, either. Boo....

WELL, I Never....

Normally, I don't blog on Thursdays, but I could not resist playing this little game. And with Vicki Rocho, no doubt. My measly brain is supposed to come up with a few lines about something I'd never do, never think of doing, and/or do not understand. Now, I could chatter on about some of the ideas the crept into my mind like sky diving, using mousse instead of hair gel, or becoming a contestant on X-Factor--the one where the players eat really gross stuff.

But I won't. To scary, and I haven't had breakfast yet.

But there is one thing, and it's a beauty aid mind you, that I simply DO NOT understand, would never do or think of doing.

Body Piercing.

I'm not talking about your average ear, navel, or wherever (slamming eyelids shut) piercing. I'm referring to those native traditions we've all seen on the Discovery or the History Channel. Use your imagination. You know what I'm talking about: 

• a plate in the bottom lip
• a rock or some cylindrical object in the earlobe
• a stick you-know-where with twine folding the little sucker up toward the torso.

Yeah. I'm shivering, too.

There have it. My WELL, I NEVER.... For more, check out the other participants HERE!!

Dressin' Up Halloween Style

Being Friday, I felt a little silly was in order and decided to follow in the footsteps of some pretty special sisters - Lisa and Laura Roecker. Can anyone else say TGIF?? I've loved what Matt over on QQQE has been doing with exploring all that goes creepy and slimy, bullish and ornery in the night. So I figured why not take a peek at playing dress-up with some of our favorite Halloween creatures. Or even better. Why not highlight a few costume ideas?

I found most of these on the internet so credit goes to those brave souls who uploaded their ideas to a few different websites.

First off, I'm going with Jail-Bait Lindsey Lohan - all you need is an orange jumpsuit which can be made out of a sheet, a long blond wig, lots of cheap spray tan, massive freckles, eyeliner from HELL, and browliner gone wrong. Feel free to carry a ziplock baggie with aspirin and a half-empty bottle of JD.

You could be Charlie Sheen - khaki shorts, a two-toned bowling shirt from your local salvage mart, high socks (just because), and loafers. Grooming is the key, here. A shaggy head of hair and bushy eyebrows - don't forget to glue some fake fur to your chest and have it creeping up your neck. Carry a half-full glass of gin and yell "Winning" all night long.

Then there's Lorena Bobbitt. *sniggers* Picture this: white nightie dripping in fake blood and streaks of blood coating both hands and face, hair all disheveled. In one hand, you carry a clear glass jar with...you figure out what to use inside. Hee.... and label the jar: "Bobbitt, John." 


It's All Hollow's Eve, right??


Have a fab weekend, Alleywalkers. Hope this helped you better prepare yourself for the Halloween parties this weekend and Halloween itself on Monday!!


Maawwhhhhhahhaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Featherbrained Friday: Toilet Paper

Ready for another edition of Featherbrained Friday? Well, I have a humorous story for you, one that is very close to my home.

Jake twirls the football in the air over his head and catches it in his fourteen-year-old hands.

"Pass it here. Pass it here," cries CJ, Jake's little brother.

Jake hauls his arm backward, the ball in his grip, his shoulder tensing. CJ's eyes widen and he crouches. A smile lifts his tiny cheeks.

Thrusting his arm forward, Jake throws the football. CJ raises his lanky arms, fingers long and stretching towards the ceiling. Big sister Kate cups her hands around her mouth, giving the whoosh of their make believe crowd life.

The ball spirals and flies over the coffee table. CJ reaches a bit more. A small moan vibrates up his throat. Tiny lines crease his forehead. Then the ball thuds him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"Nice one, moron," Kate says to Jake as she ambles over to CJ to give him a comforting hug.

Jake chuckles. "It's not my fault he missed."

"He's seven." Kate beams the ball at Jake's face. He dodges its path and sticks out his tongue.

"Real mature."

CJ pinches his nose between his fingers, as Kate walks out of the living room. "Hey, who cut one?"

"If you smelt it then you dealt it." Jake bends over to pick up the ball.

"I did not," CJ screams. "You're always blaming me for stuff!"

"Augh,"--Jake points at the ball on the carpet--"maybe you didn't do it, little bro."

CJ leans forward. "Ooh, the dog pooped in the house. Mom's goin'a be mad."

"Yeah," Jake answers. "So why don't you make like a good little brother. Get some toilet paper and get rid of it. We can finish playing pass outside." Jake jogs toward the mudroom.

"'K," little CJ says, really excited to play football with his big brother outside.

#

An hour later, Mom and Dad arrive home from an open house at the local high school. Dad shuts the driver's side door to his car, as Mom leans by his side.

"You want to guess who did that?" Mom asks. They both laugh.

"Hey, since when do the trees need toilet paper?" Dad nonchalantly asks.

...toilet paper & doggy @#$% dangling from the hedges in the yard...

NICE. The neighbors just love us. Got to love the care of an older sibling.

Have a fabulous weekend, Alleywalkers!!

Worst Movies Ev'ah Blogfest!!

As I've stated in the past, I'm a blogger who tends to shy away from blogfests. But every-so-often, I'll come across one that I just have to partake in. So this post must be credited to the genius that is Alex Cavanaugh and his gathering of the Worst Movies Ever!!

My stab at this list will incorporate reasons the movie didn't work, in my opinion, and how writers can utilize these lessons to improve their writing.

1. Showgirls - Question: was there even a plot??
Writers - Make sure you have a plot.

2. Year One - I'm all for a laugh, or two, or three. But you have to actually be funny.
Writers - If you plan on using humor throughout a storyline or to develop a character, please be funny.

3. The American - this story went on and on and on about absolutely nothing. I just didn't get it. He's making a gun. Who gives a rat's ars! What else do you have?
Writers - Have a point.

4. Max Payne - everything seemed to take forever in this film. I think I nodded off, too.
Writers - Pace is very important. If you slow the pace down, have a vital reason.

5. White Chicks - I just couldn't get past the makeup!! Sorry. I didn't seem plausible to me.
Writers - if you have an idea that is unique but a bit out there, make sure you can make it work before wasting your time writing it. IMHO, an idea--no matter how farfetched--can be made to work with enough thought, preparation, and care.

6. The Happening - flat and pointless, almost generic.
Writers - If you want to take an old, bland idea and write about it, toss in something new to spice it up or it will fall flat.

7. April Fool's Day ('80s) - At the end of the movie, the viewers realize it's all been a joke.
Writers - Know that you have an intelligent audience. Don't treat them like idiots. 

8. Garbage Pail Kids - Yeah, some movies just should never have been made.
Writers - Think if it's a story worth telling.

9. Vanilla Ice/Cool as Ice - Can you say lame characters? (Along with plot, theme, scenes, etc...)
Writers - The success to a great story is characters who are developed deeply and in an interesting way.

10. Couples Retreat - Now this one is a bit more personal. Being the parents of four children lends my hubby and me little time to ourselves. This movie gave me hope--a lingering Ahh... of expectation and led me to believe that the story-line(s) would relate to me and my life. A good laugh... It failed.
Writers - if you write a killer blurb for your book and market the @#%^& out of it, making promises of awesomeness, then you'd better come through.

So there you have my summary. For more Worst Movies featured today, go HERE!! I'm sure you'll recognize a few.

Featherbrained Friday!!

I decided that it was time to dip into my silly side, show you that I can be the life of the party. It's been long enough--almost a year and a half of blogging our courtship. So I've come up with a new regular post, where I'll highlight anything silly, outrageous, or just plain stupid that I come across~~yes, probably exposing my deep, dark, family secrets; but it's all in fun, right? Might find some silly in my town, on television, or floating within the blogosphere--can't imagine that one. ;D

I'm sure most of you guys won't give two chips about this, but ladies...really?

I wonder how many cotton balls it takes to fill up this suit?

Close your eyes....

I warned you....

(How stupid!)

And for my favorite one....

QUICK!! Someone run and get a True Blood vampire!

Looks like bambis' going to need some!

(Note to store clerks: change the display when you change the movie!!)

Any featherbrained events happen in your neck of the woods this week? Observe something really foolish? Share!!

It's All Fun & Games Until Someone Pokes Out An Eye!!

BLOGFEST LINK

Writing is all about FUN & GAMES today. Over 100 bloggers ~ including yours truly ~ are racking our brains, digging in our archived memories, and pulling out old ghosts all for the sake of FUN & GAMES. 

CAUTION: humor may abound.

Seeing how I write Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Picture Books, I'm going to highlight one game from each era of my life. (ERA ~ makes me sound old.)

I can't imagine my elementary school days without Pick Up Sticks. Anyone remember those? At age six, I was the champion. Well, at least I thought I was. My dad was really the deal, but he let me think I was. We'd play for hours. #simplegames But we had a ton of fun with it.

Now for my tween years, I could have chosen a ton of games. But I decided to share with you one of the dumbest games I ever played: Spin the Bottle. #hangsheadandslapsself Yes, I really did....and I HATED EVERY STINKING MINUTE OF IT. Boys were GUR-ROSS! I didn't find them the least bit interesting until later on in high school--like not until my senior year. At age 13, sitting in a circle with a bunch of other secretly terrified tweens, waiting for the bottle to stop its spin, hoping and praying that it did not stop on the dude across from me who picks his nose in art class. UGH!! Oh, the horror!

I'm a guy's girl, a sport's freak. So for my teen torture chamber years in high school, you name the sport and I liked it...except catch and release fly fishing. Sorry. I can not watch that. :D But if I was to give you my ultimate sport, the one that gets me all hot and bothered and contorts my face alien-like while I watch it, then I'd say ICE HOCKEY. Major fan here!! #pointingfingeratself The game is grit and spit and rough and tough. It's fast paced--which fits my ADHD persona to perfection. And it doesn't care if I yell and scream or accidentally spill my beer on the guy next to me because my team scored. #thatneverhappened

WANT to watch a hockey game with me now?? Come on. YOU know you do... #winkswithabitofgleam

Thanks, Alex, for hosting such a fun blogfest. Peek HERE at other participants.
What's your favorite game??

The FOLLIES of Writerhood

Link 2 Other participants

Over on Oasis for YA--the other place where I chew on words--Thursday is the day we celebrate our Thankful Meme. I'm posting today, instead of tomorrow so that I can participate. Feel free to snatch our badge, link to us, and play along, too. We'd love to have you.
So what to be thankful for? I'm grateful for what sets us writers apart--from relatives, closest friends, the butcher at the meat market... (Visuals are  great thing, eh?)


While sometimes misunderstood, we are a special group that holds strong convictions about who we are and our writing skills. Or when all else fails, we poke fun at ourselves.
For the sake of being thankful and the letter F, I'm creating a Folly-ship of Writerhood--become a member whenever in need of a laugh. Membership is easy. Think of some of the silly things you do as a writer.  


Folly: craziness, madness, vice, irrationality, lunacy. (Must I go on, really?) Every feel any of these while writing?

A few FOLLIES of Writerhood

1. You play Zumba music to give your fingers a workout.

2. You heat the same cup of coffee five times.

3. You still drink that cup of coffee despite the thin film that has formed on top. 

(yeah, just spoon it off.)

4. You chew on more words than food, forgetting to eat...often.......or feed the kids.

5. You begin speaking in hashtags. (...and your family looks at you like you need a straight jacket.)

6. Your kids aren't bothered that you're having a private conversation with your make believe friends.

7. Notebooks are strategically stashed all over your house, car, and office.

8. You're at a wedding ceremony and some lady with the ugliest hat sitting in front of you inspires a new character; you rush off to the bathroom with said secret notebook on your person.

9. You return from your bathroom tete-tete, and your spouse doesn't have to ask; just knows.

10. You tell your laptop that your sorry and beg forgiveness...and a bit of mercy.

BONUS: You find a story in this: 

Any follies you can think of?


Heck, we all could use a good laugh or cry after the submission process. It's as nerve-racking as dating--not that I really remember. (That process ended ages ago for me.)


SPLATTAGE: Don't forget to ENTER my giveaway to win the YA novel PRINCESS of Las PULGAS and/or a 1st Five Page Critique both offered by the fabulous C.Lee McKenzie!!


Happy Weekend, A-Z Challengers!! 

Mommy Slash Writer's X-Mas List

SPLATTER NOTICE:  For the first time since I began blogging almost eleven months ago, I have decided to unplug--no personal blogging or posts--from December 24th until January 3rd. I will miss you all terribly. My GUT tells me (& the awesomeest Shannon Whitney Messenger knows what I mean), that the new year will bring a new and busy adventure for me where I won't be able to spend as much time with my family. You'll probably get sick of me. LOL

My family and I celebrate Christmas in the true Reason for the Season. It's one of the most grounding times during our year. We come together, eat (& yes, drink), sit by the fire, share our thoughts of the past year and our hopes and dreams for new one before us. MERRY CHRISTMAS. Have a safe and joyous HOLIDAY with yours and yours alike. You are in my thoughts. I appreciate each one of you. Thank you for sharing yourselves with me.

I plan on sharing a post-Christmas story with you about our decorations, traditions, and of course tons of photos!

So in my true skin, I've chosen to share a bit of SherriE humor, from the motherly perspective. BY ALL MEANS, Moms out there, add to my declaration.

"All I want to Christmas is..."


I'm sure you have as many realistic ending phrases for that song as far fetched ones. I know I do. So in a Merry'ole gesture of Tis'the Season, I thought I'd share a few of my motherly desires to increase my writing time.

~ A Laundry Machine: you read that correctly. A laundry machine, not a washer and dryer. I want the whole kit-kat-and coboodle. I want a machine that sorts, washes--and softens, of course--dries, and folds. But not only that! I want it to walk each kid's piles of clothing into their rooms and put the stinking stuff away! In every draw, shelf, and on every hanger. (This would not only afford me an extra three hours a day for writing, but save on glasses of wine at the end of said day.) 


~ An Instant Snack Generator: sure, like the one the Jetsons had. Why not? Picture the little food gorgers piling off the bus, now. Sweet! No more handmade pb&j crackers (at least not by these hands), or cut up fresh fruit. No, their most coveted snacks to appease their grumbling bellies would be at the simple tip of their grubby fingers. 'Course, in my house, they'd break the off button on the machine which would create the never-ending food line, not to mention a sticky mess. But at least I wouldn't run out of food to supply the neighborhood kids who seem to think our kitchen is a grocery store.

~ eReader embedded in my head while I'm beta reading or critiquing others' work. Now there's a real reason for an eReader. Heck, yeah. My eyes tend to be crossing all the time, seeing how I read so much. This could come with an automatic backup, frequent word finder, and maybe even stimulate the coffee maker to perk on its own. (Side effects may include frequent eye blinking, nausea, piercing migraines, as well as forgetfulness when device is not in use. Due to the large amount of energy needed to run said device, all other aspects of your life may be inhibited to the point of death...but said device may be extracted and re-implanted in a family member with the same blood type.)

Psst...DON'T read the fine print. Really, who does that??

~ Self-gassed-up vehicle: no more stops at the gas station? This would eliminate the extra writing hour a week I waste listening to at least one of the kids hymn and haw how they 'Need a drink RIGHT NOW!' only because I don't have a water faucet with me. Grr...there goes MOM, into the store to buy water, Gatorade, soda, whatever it will take to keep that kid quiet.

~ Email comptroller: OMGosh...I am the worst at controlling my emails. I probably spend 4 to 6 hours weekly, answering or just reading emails filled with response-needs, articles (which I asked for), or messages from the kids teachers/coaches about scheduling, homework, etc... I want a little dude living in MY cyberspace who reads, collates, and answers emails for me but relays all info directly into my brain. There. An invisible personal assistance who doesn't get paid or fed, and mostly DOESN'T COMPLAIN!

Now please, my precious', can you add to my list?? Dad's are included, too!

Serial Killer ID vs. Daughter's Lesson

So much has been going on lately, I felt the need to write a RANDOM post. *ECHOes shriek over the hills and through the woods, taking a sharp jut toward the water.*


~ The other day, I'm standing in line at our local pharmacy, excited that my daughter and I are first in line. *Raspy cheers and climatic applause dote on me, as I do my private motionless happy dance.*


I then step forward and place my items on the counter. The clerk says to me, "Do you have our discount card."


I fiddle with the zipper on my Ed Hardy satchel and nodded, "Sure."


A voice drivels from the clerks lips, teasing, taunting me to misunderstand. I see his lips waving up and then down. Suddenly his tongue darts out of his mouth, sliding gently, moistening his mouth. His tone deepens to a manly baritone that catapults me back in time.


"But do you have our new and improved card that will get you better service?" His eyes pull me nearer. I buy into my make believe world for a moment, hoping I've lapsed back into that dream I had the other night: a guy wearing tight jeans, a white unbutton dress shirt hanging by his hips, his stomach muscles pulsating in the breeze... Yikes! Did this dude just ask if I have the NEW and IMPROVED card? Crud. 


His face and eyes revert back to average, his muscles...what muscles? "Here's an application form, Mame," he says. "Just fill this part out..."


Mame? Dude, you just went from hot-wannabe to clerk-who's-about-to-lose-his-job. His voice erased from my mind, drowned out by the damn, damn, damn running circles in my head. I fake a smile and move to a square of empty counterspace, giving up my place in line. 


Once I wrote down my name, rank, and serial number--more like serial killer ID, if I ever agree to do this again--I glance up fully intending to retake my place in front of the vacant cash register. To my amazement, eight people are now filed in line. EIGHT. WTgrr.....? 


For those who didn't read my issue with LINES,  go HERE. 


I stand there with my tween daughter who thinks she could have done better. Annoyance begins to suffocate me as I hear the first lady in line say, "I should have gotten the lighter hair  color box. Could you be a dear and get it for me," she says to the clerk.  


Really? Really lady? You need a different color. Than step out of line LIKE I DID and help yourself. 


No, the clerk goes and gets the new color for her, preserving her space in line. What? Do I have three heads? Yeah, he's definitely not the steamy studmuffin from my dream.


The next few peeps move along better. I start feeling better. 


Then this young father dressed in ragged jeans, a torn T-shirt, flip-flops that had seen better days starts rummaging around in his pockets. His little girl, no more than two years old, is pressed firmly against his chest. She peers at me from over his shoulder. A sweet smile brightens her face. The clerk tips his chin up; his eyes taking in the length of the line. He glares at the young father and mumbles a few words. Soon the slapping of flip-flops panders out the door, bare little feet dangling by the father's hips. The sliding door wooshes, air fading in, fading out.


Once I amble up to the register, my turn finally unveiled, I realize that the little girl must have had a cold. A box of children's medicine lay tipped to the back of the register. I frantically gawk outside, hoping to spot the father, the little girl. Both are gone.   


My shoulders sag. That poor guy only wanted to buy his child medicine, but obviously didn't have the money. I would have bought him a case if I could have found him.


I purchase my items.


My daughter and I wander aimlessly to the car, similar thoughts ransacking our heads. Finally she turns to me and says, "She's sick isn't she?"


"I think so, honey." I gulp the lump in my throat.


"You were going to buy that medicine for them, weren't you?"


I click the open lock button on my key remote. "Yes. But they're gone."


"I think I get it." My daughter elbows the roof of the car. "I mean, you and dad say no to us sometimes, but you're able to take care of us."


And just for laughs....

...morning 2 after school started this year. Yeah, I think they were tired.

Happy Weekend, Everyone!!

FRIDAY FUN with SPUDGY

My daugther and I watched this clip the other day and laughed our @$$3$ off. Seriously, we must have watched it fifty times and laughed each time. This dog is irristitable. Wanted to send you off on another weekend with happy thoughts. 


You Alleywalkers are the best!! I'm so thankful you've chosen to be a part of my writing journey.

Spudgy thinking, "I can still hear the TV. See. I'm not sleeping."

"Oops, almost nodded off there."

"Hey, what'choo talkin' 'bout? I'm not tired."

With sound hollowing to his ears, his gruff mumble succumbs to the inevitable. 

Plop!

A few labored breaths, a snort or two, and then...

"What?" Pushing his front paws into the matted carpet. "I didn't fall asleep." No, no...not me."

Sorry. You Tube disabled the embedding code. Grrr... You can watch this version, but for a better one, click on his name.
MEET SPUDGY

Courtesy TerritorioScuola

**~~WINNERS to my contest will be announced next week. i had more entries than i'd anticipated. need to be thorough. you are all awesome!!


One last important note: I've promised myself that I'd get a little more personal with y'all so...*big tear*...today, my baby--child #4, yes the fry kid from my contest photo--is officially a first grader. Today is the last day of school. No more kindergarten. I can't believe it. Summer begins...the rest TBA.