Yes, we're moving......again.

Kansas

You may not believe me
when I tell you this tale,
But today I got ruby slippers
in a package in the mail.

There was no return address,
just a postmark at the top,
From a little town in Kansas,
not even a whistle stop.

A town I’d never heard of,
in the middle of the state,
Halstead, north of Wichita
on the map at any rate.

Situated along the 

 Little Arkansas River bank.
I wondered who had sent the shoes,   

wondered who to thank.

I took them from the package,
watched them sparkle in the sun.
I slipped on the right shoe.
It fit like a holster fits a gun.

I pointed my toe and
swung the heel from left to right.
It glimmered and it gleamed,
it was such a pretty sight.

In the second shoe
I found something kind of odd.
A little note all crumpled up
in a small tight wad.

It wasn’t something cryptic,
not words to make you roam.
Just these five simple words,
“There’s no place like home.”

I probably should not
have said the words aloud,
As I clicked my heels together,
so smartly and so proud.

For suddenly the rolling hills
of Tennessee were replaced
With the flat plains of Kansas
and wide open space.

So if you want to visit me,
I’m in the Sunflower State.
If you’re thinking about a visit
please do not hesitate.

I can’t promise that I’ll be here
when you come, because . . .
A tornado may come along
and carry me off to OZ.

August 31, 2015

Books I Read in 2014

Eggs by Jerry Spinelli. David is not dealing with the loss of his mother very well. She slipped on a wet floor and fell down some stairs breaking her neck. Now if can only obey the rules perfectly she may return and they will see that sunset together. He hasn’t seen a sunset since her death.

 Primrose lives in an abandoned car out in her front yard. Her mother tells fortunes always the same one. You will have a long and happy life. Primrose moved out to have her own space.  The two meet and help each other heal. It was delightful. 

As You Are by Sarah M Eden.  A lovely Regency Romance by an LDS author.

Servant: The Dark God, Book One by John Brown. I have enjoyed John Brown’s writing advice on his web page. I bought this book when it first came out through TOR. I only read a couple of chapter and then put it down. He has since decided to publish his own book. So edits and rewrites later and “Servant of a Dark God” becomes “Servant: The Dark God, Book One”

I think I’m getting too old for High Fantasy. It just seemed to stress me out. The writing is good and the world building is solid. I just felt like even though good triumphed over evil in the end that all the problems that were facing them before  were mostly still there at the end.

I really wanted to like it because he is and LDS author and a student of Orson Scott Card’s writer’s workshop. 

Ruins by Orson Scott Card. The story continues in the second installment of the Pathfinders series. Rig, Umbo, Param, Olivenco and Loaf (I love those names by the way) have made it through the wallfold. The ships are coming from earth to destroy Garden and they have to determine why so they can stop it.

I’m not in love with this series there is a lot of explaining about the repercussion of time travel and the ethics of it…a lot of explaining. I find myself oddly anxious to know when the third and final installment will come out. I am listening to the audio version and love the narrators. 

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman. Very short novel less than a 180 pages.  A man comes home for his father’s funeral and goes back to the place he grew up. He goes down to the end of the land and remembers.

A YA Fantasy with some major adult themes; suicide, child abuse, infidelity.

Lettie, her mother and grandmother are the funnest part of this book. 

The Adventures of Sir Lancelot the Great by Gerald Morris. I have all his King Arthur and his round table tales.  This one was full of laughs. I recommend them all for King Arthur fan.  Written for ages 8-12. 

Spellbound compiled by Diana Wynn Jones. A complication of Fantasy stories by the literary greats such as Eva Ibbotson, L. Frank Baum, E. Nesbit, Andrew Lang, Andre Norton, Joan Aiken, CS Lewis, Rudyard Kipling and Patricia C Wrede. Experpts from some novels and others as standalone stories. Wrapped up with a story called “What the Cat Told Me” by Diane Wynn Jones. Very Fun read. 

Autobiography of Parley P Pratt One of the greatest later day missionaries, tells his story and we see the early days of the restoration through his experiences. His life is full of service, trials and tribulation. He was also a journalist and a poet. Many of our later day hymns have him as their author. Through all his trials he had an unwavering testimony of the restoration of Christ’s true Church on the earth for the final time.

He sealed his testimony with his blood. He was a martyr for the cause.

A very powerful read and testimony builder. Loved it. Was a book club pick. 

Sarah by Orson Scott Card. This is the wonderful story of Sarai and Abram fleshed out for us by OSC. He weaves together all the stories from the Bible and gives us a look into the heart of this remarkable woman.

We watch her change and grow into the wonderful matriarch of Abram’s Kingdom. We feel her softening as she see’s the promises made to Abraham go unfulfilled because of her barreness. Beautifully written. I am reading the OT so want to read this trilogy along with it. 

Mazerunner by James Dashner. Sorry I hated it. All the characters have amnesia. The characters are not very well realized the premise wears very thin. I stuck it out because he is an LDS author and they are making a movie from it. I may stand alone in my opinion and it is just my opinion but I will not read the rest of the series. 

Gossamer by Lois Lowry. I love, love, loved this book. Littlest One is the newest dream giver and she is in training. She is very curious, loves to dance about, wonders what exactly they are and sucks her thumb.

It’s the Littlest’s story but also the story of the 70-yr-old woman who takes in a young angry boy as a foster parent.

It was wonderfu to watch Littlest grow and learn and to watch the old woman and the boy heal.

Lois Lowry is a wonderful writer. 

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. Very sweet story of a minister and his family in small town (Imperial) Nebraska. After many personal adversities; broken leg, kidney stones, lumpectomy the final straw was their nearly four-year-old almost dying from a bust appendix.

Then the story unfolds as they have those childhood talks with their son and he begins to reveal his near death experience of going to Heaven. Wonderful book. Very life affirming and a great faith builder. 

More Adventures of the Great Brain by John D Fitzgerald. TD and JD are up to more adventure. TD or Tom has the mind of a con artist though he is only eleven years old. His parents take away the new bicycle he just got for Christmas until he uses his great brain to turn an illiterate tomboy into an educated young lady. As always these stories are so fun to read. 

Far World – Water Keep by J. Scott Savage. Another LDS writer. This was good enough that I look forward to the sequels (3 more).

Marcus has been handicapped from birth and wheelchair bound. Found abandoned as a baby a Priest saved him but now he goes from one school to the next.

But somehow he has skills he doesn’t understand. He can make himself seem invisible to others and get hints of danger.

Kyja lives on a world where everyone has magic but her until because of some bond between them she pulls Marcus to her world. So the adventure begins. I liked it. 

Rebekah by Orson Scott Card. The telling of the story of Rebekah and Isaac. OSC is a wonderful story teller. I often wondered how the real Rebekah and Isaac felt about OSC depiction of them. Rebekah is strong willed but beautiful and Isaac never feels like he measures up to Ishmael. Stayed up most of the night reading it. 

Bear in the Back Seat I & II Adventures of a Wildlife Ranger in the Great Smokey Mountains by Carolyn Jordan and Kim Delozier. These are the real experiences of Kim Delozier who was a park ranger in the Great Smokey Mountains for 32 years. It was a wonderful read. 

Wonder by RJ Palacio. August Pullman is a 10-yr-old boy with a severe facial deformity. He has been homeschooled until now. He is entering a school for the fifth grade. This story is told in several people's POV as we watch Auggie struggle with prejudice of people put off by his face and watch how being his friend changes those around him. It was a wonderful read. 

Fair Weather by Richard Peck. Another gem by Mr. Peck. Lottie, Rosie and Buster get to leave the farm to go visit their Aunt in Chicago to see the World’s Fair. Grandpa tags along with Tip his dog. This trip will change all their lives in unexpected ways. I love Richard Peck’s stories. 

Homeland & Exile by RA Salvator. I got these two books on Audio and listened to them while I worked on my quilt. Jeanie Phillips and Tracy Blankenship both highly recommended this whole series. They were both right Driz D’Urden is wonderful protagonist. A moral man living in an amoral society. A dark elf with ebony skin and snow white hair. The underdark was a great world with so many amazing creatures. This is a great High Fantasy. 

Once We were Kings by Ian Alexander. Nice read, not perfectly crafted but kept my interest. Sometimes if felt like the pace was a little break neck. 

The Longest Tunnel by Alan Burgess. The True story of the Great Escape from Stalag Liff III of RAF, USAF, Canadian AF and other countries pilot and plane crew that were shot down over enemy territory and sent to POW camps. Their main job was to try to escape and cause resources to be used to find them or to escape. This is the story of the longest Tunnel that was dug and the 76 men that escaped. It even takes you to post war Germany and the rounding up of the members of Gestapo who murdered 50 of those officers who escaped. Very well written, truly fascinating. I gave this to Joe and Ryan for our Christmas book exchange along with the movie, “The Great Escape.” 

East by Edith Pattou. Retelling of the fairy tale, “East of the Sun, West of the Moon.” Easy read, she adds a lot of flavor with the strong superstitions of the MC’s mother. Also instead of the four winds carrying Rose on her journey, we have actual people who help her who represent the four winds. Nicely done! Great research so story is well fleshed out. 

Royal Airs by Sharon Shinn. Once again Sharon Shinn creates a wonderful world peopled by people with elemental magic. Josetta is a princess of one of the five families but is far enough from the throne that she works in the slums to bring relief to the poor. Her sister ends up in the slums rescued by Rafe a professional card player. He is different than anyone Josetta has met. He does not seem to have any elemental blessings. When Rafe is attacked they soon realize the past he has forgotten may not only endanger their budding relationship but their very lives. Wonderful.

about 25 books read this year.

Ski Date

It was a date, not our first one though,

He thought it would be fun in the ice and snow.

I’d never skied, never put on a ski boot,

Never rode the tram, never skied down a chute.

He would show me how, it would be such fun.

I turned and asked, “Is there a bunny run?”

“You will be okay I’ll stay by your side.”

My first heart attack came on the tram ride.

“Keep your toes pointed in, it’s called a snow plow

Just lift off the seat, oh, wait, steady now!”

Yes, of course I biffed it right off the tram

And my falling caused a big traffic jam.

He helped me get up and brushed off the snow.

I felt like a two-year-old as he took me in tow.

He checked my bindings, my ski poles and boot.

He led me over to the easiest downhill route.

The first run I wrapped my arms around his waist.

We were going to go slow no need for haste.

His skiis on the outside mine in the middle

We looked like the punch line from some silly riddle.

Snow plowing as we traveled at a turtle’s pace,

We’d have come in dead last if it were a race.

I felt a great triumph as we slid to a stop,

Then I remembered the tram ride back up to the top.

This time my exit was one filled with grace.

Well actually, I was glad I didn’t land on my face.

The second run, I was the one that led

His hands on my waist, my cheeks blazing red.

The pace picked up but not by a lot.

I was keeping my skis in the position I aught

He had words of encouragement as I zigged down the hill

His quick reaction saved me from a fall or a spill.

The triumph I felt as I finished the run

The snow and the ice could actually be fun.

Back to top for a third go around

I jumped off the lift my skis hit the ground

It was time for this little bird to finally leave the nest

I was going to ski solo just like all the rest

I felt my legs get that deep muscle burn

The edge of my skis made the fresh white snow churn

My confidence grew and I looked all around.

My date was skiing backwards and then turned with a bound,

He pivoted and swerved on one ski then both.

I plowed along at the pace of a sloth.

Then a five-year-old schussed passed me in a blur

Next came a one-legged skier in a jacket of fur

 My date’s movements as he skied by my side

Was freaking ballet, I don’t mean to deride,

I pick up the pace the humiliation growing.

I’m pushing my skills so I’ll make a good showing.

I hit a mogul and I’m catching air

My arms are pin wheeling I look everywhere

I land, then I tumble my ski poles take flight

My glove has come off, my hat lost to sight,

My one ski proceeded me down the snow trail,

In kind skiing terms it’s called a yard sale.

I hobbled my way down the rest of the slope

I felt like an idiot, I looked like a dope.

Can you have fun in the ice and the snow?

Don’t ask me right now I really don’t know.

(Written for the Short Shots Contest on Writing.com. Write a poem inspired by the above picture. 80 lines or less. No I didn't win but I got some good reviews.)

Books I read for 2013

The Great Brain by John D Fitzgerald. This was my son-in-laws Christmas book for me. It is the story of a boy growing up in a small town in Utah, Adenville by Cedar City and the antics his older brother Tom, "the Great Brain".As a mother I would like to spank him as a young boy I would have wanted to emulate him. It's amazing how great minds work alike, I gave my son-in-law 'Dandelion Wine' and 'Farewell to Summer' by Ray Bradbury for Christmas.

Gathering Blue and The Son by Lois Lowry. She wrote the Classic Dystopia novel 'The Giver' her followup novels were 'Gathering Blue' and 'The Messenger'. In 'Gathering Blue' Kiri has learned the art of needle work and weaving from her mother but her talent is beyond her mother's. Sometime the needle and thread take control and she creates bits of wonder. So when her mother dies and the village would have her killed because of a deformed leg, she is brought to the administrative building to work on the great ceremonial cloak. My explanation can't do the book justice. It is a nice followup. Lois Lowry's fans have clamored all these years to know what became of the baby from 'the Giver'. Here at last is the answer to that question. Lovely book, well worth the wait!

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver. Set in the Stone Age. A Demonic Bear kills Turak's father and with his dying breath the father makes Turak promise to go to the Mountain of the World Spirit. A young wolf pup becomes his spirit guide. They are making a movie. The audio book is narrated by Ian McKellan (Gandolf) Dallin says it's magical to listen to.

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. Very quick read. A lot sadder than I expected but it ended well. Happy endings for all.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon. Told in the voice of Christopher John Francis Boone. Who is a 15 yr old autistic boy. He find the neighbor's dog dead with a pitchfork stuck in him. Christopher loves Sherlock Holmes and decides to investigate. He uncovers more than he could have ever expected. His world is made up of absolutes and math. The chapter headings are all prime numbers. I devoured this in one sitting.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. He was a contemporary of Lewis Carrol who encouraged him to publish his stories, he was influenced by JRR Tolkein. Princess Ivey lives in a castle next to a mountain that gives work to the miners and is the home to the goblins. The Goblin Queen wants her son (Hairlip) to marry the human princess. Curdie, a young miner, knows the Goblins are up to evil deeds and wants to serve the princess. Cute and sweet with a little magic.

Reached by Allie Condie. Final installment in the Dystopia series. Not as tension driven as the Hunger Games but still a nice read. We grow to love Cassia, Ky and Xander as they try to figure out what side they are on and to find a cure for the plague.

Prayers for Sale, Whiter than Snow and The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas. I highly recommend any of these books. Prayer and Whiter are set in the mining community up in the mountains of Colorado. It's a hard life but these people are so real. The Persian Pickle Club is set in Dust Bowl Kansas. All her books have references to quilting. I loved all of these.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman. Lia Lee is brought to the hospital after having experienced a seizure. She is misdiagnosed as having pneumonia. Thus begins the long miscommunication and cultural clash between Lia's Hmong parents and family and American medicine. I like to read a little non-fiction. Ryan recommended this to me several years ago. The author made all the information easily accessible to the lay reader.

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale. Sequel to Princess Academy. Mira must make her way in a strange new world. Started slow, ended nicely. Shannon Hale writes lovely strong young women. I'm a huge fan of all her books.

The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson. Young adult fiction from the master of Fantasy. Rithmatists are magicians that use chalk drawing to preform magic. Joel is a non Rithmatist in a Rithmatist school because his dad used to work at the school before he died. Joel is fascinated by everything Rithmatists do. Then students start coming up missing. It is up to Joel with the help of a rather inept Rithmatist, Melody and a Professor Fitch to battle "the Forgotten". I look forward to the sequel.

The Silver Bowl and The Cup and the Crown by Diane Stanley. I love these kind of Fairy Tale stories. Molly sees visions like her mother who had to be locked away because people thought she was mad. But Molly's special power may be the only thing that can save the royal family from annihilation. In the sequel Molly and her friends set off on another adventure to find the Loving Cup for the new young king.

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. An amazing story teller and his characters, world building and magic are very well defined. It's about 1007 pages but read very fast. A little violent for this old girl but of course I preordered the sequel.

Camille by Alexander Dumas. Margarette is a kept woman, beautiful and mysterious; her protectors are Dukes and Counts. But she is living her life so hard and fast that she is becoming ill. Then she meets Armand and falls hopelessly in love. He can not support her as she is accustomed but they decide for one summer to just run away together and live in the country. Though a man may have a mistress in that day and age he can not live with her and his family intercede. Very tragic.

The Keeper of the Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter. This was my favorite book I read this year. Jamie is in a convalescent hospital trying to recover from a wound he got in the war. It is not healing as it should. Jamie overhears his doctors deciding to send him to the tuberculosis  hospital to die since he will eventually get TB anyway. Jamie decides if he is going to die anyway he might as well do it his own way. He wants to see the ocean so he sets out, weak and ill as he is, to try to get to the ocean or die trying. He has many adventures along the way and ends up in the home of a Bee Keeper. There he meets the precocious 'Scout'. I loved this book.

The Last Unicorn by Peter Beagle. Peter was also a play writer so the animated movie that was made of this book is very true to the original. His writing is so beautiful and the story is delightful. This would make a great read aloud book for children.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis. Quick read. Sunday is the youngest daughter of the King. This was kind of a mish mash of all the fairy tales you have ever read. I looked at it as kind of a treasure hunt because the fairy tale references sometimes were vague and other times they were pretty blatant.

Autumn Winifred Oliver does things different by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb. Autumn hears the church bells ring eleven times as she runs down her mountain. Someone has played a dirty trick on her and now the whole cove thinks she's dead. This is the story of Cades Cove and how the Great Smokey Mountain State park came into being and drove all the people out. It's a fun romp with Autumn as you get to see the events from a  eleven year old POV and boy does Autumn do things different. Written in the style of Richard Peck's 'A Year Down Yonder'. Lots of adventure and laughs.

Farenheight 451 by Ray Bradbury. This is a Science Fiction classic that Ray Bradbury wrote in the early days of his career. The world is very different. A fireman's job is to answer alarms and burn any books that are found in the homes. Farenheight 451 is the temperature at which books burn. One of the firemen starts to question the why. Hailed as the great book on censorship.

Visions of Glory by John Pontius. A rich telling of life on the other side of the veil. The world all around us we can't see and what could happen in the future. This was a book John and I read aloud together.

Learning to Swim by Sara J. Henry. Troy is riding on a ferry when she sees across the water a small boy plunge into the water from the opposite traveling ferry. She doesn't even think. She just dives in. Now that she has rescued the French speaking 6-year-old Paul she must determine who would want to drown a little boy. Moves along at a gentle pace until the end and bang it hits you between the eyes.

Dealing with Dragons, Searching for Dragons, Calling on Dragons, Talking to Dragons and Book of Enchantments by Patricia Wrede. Cimorene does not enjoy being a princess. All the protocol, ettiquette etc. She enjoys learning latin and magic. She finally runs away to become a dragon's princess and the job fits her to a tee. These books are so funny. They whole series is great.

Nation by Terry Pratchett. Mau is paddling back to his village to celebrate becoming a man after building his own canoe. A tidal wave comes while he is in the water and when he gets home every one is gone, no one survived the tidal wave but him. Daphne has been ship wrecked on Mau's island. It is the story of how two people who are so different come together and make a community from the survivors that trickle in from surrounding islands. Really nice read.

Seedfolk by Paul Fleishman. An inner city neighborhood is changed when one little girl plants some beans in a vacant lot to honor her father. This closed off community starts to come together as they turn a vacant lot into a neighborhood garden. Told from 16 viewpoints. Loved this book.

Magic Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Maniac Magee's parents die when he is only five so he goes to live with his aunt and uncle who don't even talk to each other. He finally runs away. After living on his own he finds a neighborhood divided by race and effecst all their lives in amazing and surprising ways. Beautifully written.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor. Paul Fisher's brother is a football superstar. He is a field goal kicker. Their parents live and breathe for his football career they hope will lead to something great after High School. Paul loves to play soccer. His parents barely notice. When Paul's school drops into a sink hole Paul transfers to another school and plays soccer there. But there is a secret he can't quite remember, something about why he is legally blind.

Deathwatch by Robb White. A suspense thriller. A college kid, Ben, takes a big game hunter out into the New Mexico desert to hunt  big horned sheep. When the hunter, Madok, kills an old prospector it becomes a test of wits and wills as Madok strips Ben down to nothing and then leaves him in the desert to die so he won't report the death to the police. Really good, very suspenseful. My son-in-law gave this to me for Christmas this year.

Pathfinders by Orson Scott Card. I love OSC's storytelling. I love the world building that he is so good at. His characters are so much fun. This story is about a world where some of the people can manipulate time. The world is divided into sections and separated by wallfolds that are force fields that are impossible to cross. Rig can see the paths of anyone except his own dad. After his father dies he must figure out what all the things his father taught him are for. This is the first in a trilogy.

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. This was on the NPR 100 best SF/Fantasy list. Kvothe is a legendary figure at the age of 23. He is telling his story to a scribe so he can set the record straight and show the difference between fact and the myths that have grown up around him. This first book is day one of the story telling. It follows him from his early days as a traveling performer with his family to seeing his family slaughtered, living on the streets and then going to magic school. His own brilliance is often his own worst enemy. Wonderful storytelling, compelling character, and great world building.

Churchyard Gate

The music floated through Daisy’s open window and called to her like a siren song. She pulled her best Sunday dress of navy dotted Swiss over her shapeless body and put her white pill box hat over brittle mousy brown hair. She carefully put on little dabs of makeup to brighten her plain face. Like a wraith she slipped into the back of the Chapel to watch the nuptials. Tears stained her cheeks as she heard the “I dos” and watched the couple share their first matrimonial kiss. She silently stole away before anyone could ask her if she was friend to the bride or to the groom. She stood in the shadows as well wishers threw rice and rose petals at the happy couple escaping to the black limousine.

Daisy watched from the Churchyard gate as the last of the wedding guests drifted away. She pulled off her much darned white gloves as she bent to pick up a handful of rose petals and a few grains of rice. The rose petals smelled sweet and fresh as she cupped them in her hand and brought them to her nose. She had always wanted pink roses at her wedding and white sprays of baby’s breath.  Lace, lots of lace on a snow white dress and a gossamer veil edged in lace roses and little seed pearls. The dream carried her home where she carefully added the rose petals to a bowl of potpourri on her dresser and eased the few grains of rice into a small jar in her drawer.  

Father Michael carefully hung his vestments in the closet as he took off each layer. He donned his old jacket and found the broom and dust pan behind the vestry door. He brushed his silvered hair off his brow and felt the ache in his bones from too many years. He pushed the broom across the front porch.  He was never able to get all the rice from the cracks on the stairs leading from the chapel. The wedding party had gathered up all the flowers that had lined the aisle. Father Michael smiled. The bride had been beautiful and the groom smitten. It was a good day. The last traces of the wedding taken care of, Father Michael retired to his small study to prepare for the evening services. His congregation was small. He would only have a hand full of worshipers, mostly widowed old women. This was a beautiful old church and thus a favorite for couples getting married but his congregation had shrunk steadily over the last few years. People no longer feared God, had reverence for anything or felt any link to the divine.

Mrs. Burrows, a gaunt stooped woman in her seventies came to play the organ for his services. Her husband had died when she was in her early fifties and her children lived across the country. They rarely visited anymore. Mrs. Sanchez always sat on the second pew in her woolen coat, scarf and hat. Winter or summer she dressed the same. Sometimes the mousy girl who lived next to the church would come and sit in the back. But today he had seen her slip into the wedding so he doubted she would come back for the service. She never missed a wedding.

Father Michael struggled up to the lectern and looked out at the empty pews. He had given a sermon to one parishioner before but suddenly felt at a loss as to what to do.

“Perhaps they’ll be here in the morning,” Mrs. Burrows said as she slid off the organ bench to gather up her coat and purse draped across one of the choir chairs.

“Yes, yes,” he responded making his way back down from the lectern. “Thank you for coming Mrs. Burrows.”

“I’ll be here in the morning.”

He put away the sacramental wine and placed the wafers back in their box. Back in the vestry he stored his robes. In the kitchen he placed the kettle on the stove to heat the water for his tea. He unwrapped the other half of the sandwich he had eaten at lunch and placed it on a plate with a pickle spear. Later he would finish darning the socks in the mending basket. He sighed as he sat down to his meager dinner.

Daisy heard the surprise in her boss’s voice when she called in sick. She had never missed a day of work at the local library. The surprise wasn’t that she was calling in sick it was because he couldn’t quite remember who she was. She re-shelved the books in non-fiction she reminded him.

Her hand shook as she sipped the hot chicken broth. Chills had been wracking her body all morning and she knew she had a fever. She only had one packet of headache powder and was saving it to use tonight before she went to bed.

On the third day she was almost too weak to get up and get a drink of water for her parched throat. But Friday she rallied because she could hear the church organ playing the wedding march. The zipper on her dress was being uncooperative so she was only able to pull it up half way. Brushing her hair only seemed to make it more unwieldy so she screwed the pillbox hat over the top of it hoping no one would notice. When she pulled on her white gloves one finger broke through the seam. She was already crying when she made her way to the pew in the back of the sanctuary. She was having trouble keeping her head up as the couple made their way down the aisle heading toward the shouts and cheers of well wishers on the church steps.

She felt like if she just lay down for a few minutes on this pew she would have the strength to make it back home. She would be okay if only someone would come and help her but in the mean time she would just lie here and wait.

Father Michael stood on the steps of the church the bitter wind whipping his vestments against his legs. There would be no need to sweep today the wind was doing his job for him. He walked to the side of the church to checked to see if the Churchyard Gate was secure and then returned to his own apartment through the back door. He hung up his vestments and then looked over his papers from the last few sermons he had prepared. There was really no need to write a new one no one came to the last few services except Mrs. Burrows.

He called her and told her not to come out in this cold weather for the evening service. She had clucked at him but finally agreed. A cup of tea and some scripture reading would finish his night.

The morning brought the conviction; Father Michael knew it was time to write to the Bishop. His little parish was failing; his church had turned into a wedding chapel. Perhaps they would find him another post, somewhere in the country.

He was sweeping the sanctuary when he found her. Her cold body slumped across the last pew. He shook her shoulder but even before he touched her he knew she was dead. His little wedding mouse, she looked so forlorn. He realized he didn’t know her name but he knew where she lived. The funeral home laid her out and found a simple coffin for her. Daisy Lane, a bright sweet name for such a weigh-faced spinster.

Mrs. Burrows played to an empty chapel and tsked all the way home after Father Michael gave the funeral service to empty pews. He dug the grave himself and filled it after they had put her coffin in it. He brushed off the dirt from his hands and rearranged the daisies he had placed on her grave. He would write the Bishop today.

All the lonely people 
Where do they all come from? 
All the lonely people 
Where do they all belong? 

(Written for a Writing.com contest called Short Shots. The picture prompt is at the beginning of the story. Must be story less than 2500 words. I based it on the song by the Beatles 'Eleanor Rigby'. When I researched it I found out the original name of the girl was Daisy.)

Train

Writer’s Cramp—November 5, 2013  You or your character are taking the subway home. The passenger next to you (who is a stranger) gets off at the stop before yours, and without saying a word, leaves an envelope with your name on it on his seat. Write the STORY or POEM from there.

Train

I couldn’t call him back to say he had left something behind in his hurry to get off the subway train. The action had been too deliberate. I had seen him pull the envelope out of the inside pocket of his jacket, stand and place it on his seat. He tapped it twice as if to indicate that it needed to stay there. He stepped off the train without a backward glance. I watched him walk away until he was just another business suit amid a crowd of commuters. I looked around the train car to see if anyone else had witnessed his strange behavior. The teen slumped in the seat across from me was picking the black polish off his finger nails and bobbing his head to whatever music was being piped through his earphones. An elder lady reached down to pull her shopping bags closer to her. A middle aged man popped his newspaper after turning a page.

                I jumped when someone tapped my arm. A young woman stood in front of the seat the man had just vacated. She held the envelope in her hand as if to offer it to me. I started to raise my hand palm out to let her know, no it did not belong to me, when I saw it. My name was written in bold letters across the front of the envelope.  I noticed a tremble in my hand as I took it from her.

                “Thank you,” slipped off my lips.

                She took the seat next to me.

                “Why is the envelope outlined in black?” she asked.

                “It used to indicate a death notice in the old days,” I answered. The significance of my response struck me. But it made no sense. I cudgeled my brain to try and find one familiar thing about the man who had just gotten off the train but I knew he was a complete stranger.

                “Oh, I’m so sorry,” the girl said.

                Her words seeped into my bones. I wanted to fling the offending envelope away. Angry words echoed through my head, slammed doors, hateful-mean-cruel words to wound, a hastily packed bag. I was stroking the face of the envelope as the memories flooded back. Nights spent on the street, a determination to never look back and then a lifetime of unspeakable things; hunger, desperation, humiliation.

                I was all ready to tell the woman next to me it was a mistake. An envelope left by another commuter. It was pure coincidence that it carried my name, Jane Porter, a name from another time. I screwed up my courage and tore open the envelope. I unfolded the letter.

                “Janie,” it said at the top of the letter. My eyes filled with tears. It was like a soft caress that pet name from so long ago. I brushed my sleeve across my wet cheeks and read on. “I hired a private detective to find you. I instructed him to get this letter to you. We didn’t know it but your mother was sick when you left. Cancer. She fought hard hoping against hope that you would come home. Her last words were ‘tell Janie I’m so sorry and make sure she knows how much I love her. Tell her it doesn’t matter what she has done she will always be welcome home. Find her, oh please dear God, find her.’ There are train tickets and a credit card. Come home Janie. I need you. Love your Dad.”

                I looked in the envelope and found the tickets and the credit card. A shudder passed through me as I suppressed the desire to sob. It felt like a physical weight had been lifted from my shoulders. A small mewling sound interrupted my thoughts. I bent my head and brushed my lips against the tiny head nestled against my chest. I gently adjusted my son in the carrier harnessed to me.

                “We are going home little man. Yes, you and I are going home.”

Two Halves Meet

      I am singing the Hallelujah chorus in my head. No my dears I have not finished the novel but I have joined the two halves. I started writing Heir and after a few chapters (Chapters 1-12) I decided to skip ahead to somewhere near the end of the book and write six chapters (Chapters 23-28). Then I went back and worked on getting the two halves to meet up. Today is the red letter day when I made that happen. I finished Chapter 22. Now I only have Chapters 29-31 to complete and the epilogue and I'll be done. It now has approximately 124,000 words, 460 pages. The finished product should have about 140,000, 500+ pages. I am almost giddy.
      John just asked me after this one is finished how many other books am I working on. I sheepishly told him 9. There are two more books that go along with Heir. Yes that makes it a trilogy. It will be called the Worlds without End series. Then three fairy tale rewrites all with Bear themes. Three Jane Austen era books and one Contemporary Romance. They are all in various stages of progress. From just idea stage to several hundred pages written.

     I just wanted to celebrate!!!!