February 15th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning. Because Mother Nature is pms-ing again, I’ sitting here in my pajamas, listening to the snow plough making colossal potholes, drinking a mega mug, and writing this blog, instead of being on the road to Vermont. This is the second year in a row this has happened, and as you can probably guess, I’M NOT HAPPY. So I have to do this hear…

Happy Birthday Baby Girl! In just a few short hours (10:58) you will no longer be a teenager. I’m so sorry we couldn’t be with you on your birthday again, but at least this year you have Tori there to celebrate with you. We’ll see you as soon as we can. We love you, and hope you have a fun day!

We’re not getting any significant snow, and neither is Lys, but the path between the two of us is getting slammed. Now if the kids didn’t have school on Monday, like pretty much the rest of the country, then I may have attempted the trek. We could have got there whenever, gotten a hotel for the night, and taken our time for the ride home on Monday, but we couldn’t.

Our kids lost President’s Day to the last snowstorm – you remember the one - Juno – the snowpocalypse that only ended up dumping 3” of snow, but they closed the schools the day before because of the 24”-36” predicted snow. Yeah, that one. Sorry MA readers, I know you got hammered during Juno, so your school closings were justified, but ours really weren’t.

Not seeing my kids on their birthday, does not sit well with me. The first time my mother didn’t see me on my birthday was my 24^th, because I was leaving for my honeymoon; and the next time was for my 40^th when Paulie and I were in New Mexico for our “why the heck did we get married?” weekend. Only twice in 48 years. I have now missed two in 20 years for Lys, and I don’t like it. We still have a perfect record for PJ and Dani…

I got home from the B&C early yesterday, around 3:30. The snow started around 1:30 and things slowed down in the shop after that – which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. When I left we had three mixed flower basket arrangements, two - three red roses and mixed flowers in a vase arrangements, one - six red roses in a vase arrangement, one six red/six white rose in a vase being hugged by a teddy bear arrangement, and two red and white dozen carnation wrapped bouquets left – and that was it. So only nine last minute shoppers would be able to get something beautiful, everyone else would have to make do with grocery store flowers.

Can you believe it, my feet are still aching this morning? Yesterday my back was a little sore, and so were my legs, but my feet actually hurt. I think I stood more in the past three days then I have in the past month – over 18 hours of standing. Think about it, unless you’re a hairdresser or a cashier, you get to sit down for part of your work day, and hairdressers sometimes get breaks between clients where they can sit. Not so much in a flower shop. I truly love going in and working for B&C when they need a hand, but there is no way I would be able to do it all the time. I guess I’m just too old, too fat and too out of shape to handle it. Lol.

After things settle down a little, I’m going to pop back into the shop and snap some pictures. I’ve been talking about B&C and the folks who work there so much, I thought it would be appropriate for y’all to “meet” them. The only one who I won’t be able to get is Nick, because he’s headed back up to school.

As much as I love flowers, I don’t want them purchased for me. Other than my wedding ring, I don’t wear jewelry often, so that’s not a good gift. I love chocolate, but I’m trying to lose weight. I don’t wear perfume. So, as you can see, my hubby doesn’t have it easy for Valentine’s. This year, my Valentine’s gift from my hubby was a nice dinner. He made filet mignon wrapped in bacon, sautéed mushrooms and onions, baked potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, and candied carrots. It was very yummy, and the perfect gift.

Okay, off to tackle the 99+ Twitter notifications, then I think I might take a nap. I’m whooped. I hope you have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

Angry tears…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

February 4th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Wasn't she a cutie?

Good Morning! First things first, I want to wish my beautiful, amazing, crazy, fun-loving, witty, sarcastic, goofy baby girl a Happy 16^th Birthday. I love you to the moon and back Bananabeans, and I am so proud of the young woman you have become.

Thank you for letting me indulge in a proud Mama moment. It blows my mind that my youngest child is now 16 years old. In a few short days, she is also going to be the only teenager in the house, because her sister will be twenty on the 15^th.

UGH! I’m going to have two children in their twenties – when did I stop being in my twenties?? How the heck did that happen? Other than aches and pains, but they are due to a back injury, I don’t “feel” different, and I’m pretty sure I don’t act much different either. Aren’t I supposed to? Isn’t something supposed to have happened? In fourteen months, I am going to be fifty years old. I would think, at half a century old, my brain would function differently than it did thirty years ago. It’s like I got old, but someone forgot to tell me. Am I making any sense? I’m not, so I’ll just move on.

PJ an Alex are coming over tonight to celebrate Dani Rose’s birthday with her. Alex’s birthday is in six days, and since her an PJ were going to be away, I asked if it would be alright to celebrate her birthday along with Dani’s tonight. She agreed. Dani chose the dessert – red velvet cupcakes, and Alex chose the dinner – chicken crescent roll bake. It looks easy enough to make, but I have to run to the store to get the ingredients.

After dinner, PJ and Alex are taking Dani to get her ears pierced. She’s getting her 3^rd hole, and her mid-way done. When they’re finished, they are coming back here for dessert and presents. It should be a nice evening, and I’m really looking forward to it.

Okay, I have a lot to do, shopping, cooking wrapping, so I should boogie. I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

It was the best birthday ever…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

February 2nd, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning and Happy Ground Hog’s Day. Happy Birthday to my aunt, Mary, and to one of my best friend’s hubby, Lenny. Hope you have an amazing day!

Rumor has it that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning, which means more winter is coming; but without the aid of artificial lighting, I’m not sure that’s possible. The Staten Island ground hog, Chuck II, – which the mayor managed NOT to kill this year, had a different opinion. But seriously folks, precognizant rodents, really? No matter what these little beasties see or don’t see, Spring is still 46 days away, and yes, I’m counting down the days.

Yuck. That is the only way to describe today’s weather - Y.U.C.K. Sleet and freezing rain – yeah, I’m NOT a fan. The kids have a two hour delayed opening because of it, and I’m hoping that will be enough. The freezing rain started after roughly two inches of snowfall. The road in front of my house looks good, but what about all the roads up on Zion Mountain? I doubt they will get them cleared before the 9:00 am bus pick up.

Honestly, my concern isn’t for the buses. Their drivers are seasoned. However, all the juniors and seniors who have recently received their driver’s licenses, now that’s a concern. This kind of weather condition is challenging for those of us who have been driving for years. It can be downright deadly for an inexperienced driver. So I am praying for either an upward spike in the temperature, or a phone call cancelling school for the day.

Me, I’m not going anywhere. Unless it’s something urgent, I don’t go out on days like this. I plan on finishing straightening up after yesterday’s party, spending a little more time marketing and at least two hours of writing. A load of laundry and a much needed nap are also in my future. A body can only survive so long without adequate sleep, and I am hitting my limit. Hopefully the dreary weather will aid in my endeavor.

Day 3 of my Tweet campaign was underway before 6:00 am. Today’s tweet said “The reviews are in, and it’s looking good!” with a screen shot of a review and a picture of the book’s cover. Also went through and read the 318 Tweets which happened while I was Tweeting. Sorry, but Twitter still makes my head spin.

Too fast and furious for this old brain to wrap around, but I’m giving it the old college try. I followed folks who retweeted me, retweeted a few interesting tweets, favorited a few tweets, and replied to a few tweets, but I’m sure I’m missing a whole lot. Can I at least get an “E” for effort?

I still haven’t heard back from the Kobo tech team. I’ll let you know when, or at this point if, we get the issues resolved.

Okay, the household is either off to work or off to school, so I am going to take full advantage to this blissfully quiet house. I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

The ideal way to spend a cold rainy day…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

January 30th, 2015 Challenge

Hi, it’s Christina –

Good Morning! WARNING, I’m about to drop a four letter word. I don’t do this often, especially not this four letter word, but it is unavoidable at this time. I’m sorry if I offend any of you, but here goes…

After Sunday, I need to start a D.I.E.T. There, I said it…ugh!!! You see, I just found out that my oldest friend in the world – meaning we were thrown in the same crib together, not that she’s old; she’s actually seven months younger than me – is getting married. So, if I don’t want to look like a beached whale in, most likely, the very last bridesmaid’s dress I’ll ever have to wear, drastic measures need to be taken.

Fair warning, I get cranky when I’m hungry, and I have a sweet tooth the size of Mount Rainier. This isn’t going to be pretty, but I’ve done it before.

One of my best friends, Rebecca, got married almost nine years ago, and I dropped 30 lbs before her wedding. In July, we went dress shopping, and I ordered and paid for a dress 2 sizes smaller than I was at that time. Bec got married Labor Day weekend. I did need to take a little bit of a breath, but her sister was able to zip me up without any trouble, and the dress looked great.

Although I haven’t been told a date yet, I’m fairly certain I have more than six weeks to lose the weight this time. I’ve been complaining forever that I need to lose 50 lbs, and even though I knew it would be better for my back and hips, I wasn’t really that motivated. Now, I have the motivation. If I’m going to pay over $100 for a dress, the dang this is going to look good… well, as good as a bridesmaid’s dress ever looks. Lol.

I’m going to be smart about it this time. There’s going to be nothing on my “forbidden” list, because that will just make me want it more, and lead to eminent failure. Also, I’m going to start small – two cookies instead of three, replace one of my iced teas a day with water, add one more veggie to a meal (we do a meat, a side, and one veggie for dinner now), add some whole grains, add more fruit. See, not too terrible, right? Doable, no? Now it’s just a matter of implementing… Wish me luck.

Oops, I almost forgot, and I usually start my blog with things like this. I want to wish two of my dearest friends, Sharon & Kelly, a very happy birthday. I love you ladies, and I hope you have a fabulous day!

Well, I’m hosting Superbowl this year. Not that I give a fig for either team, but I enjoy throwing parties. It is going to be unusual this year because I’m fairly certain the entire household will be rooting for the same team. Not that any one of us is a Seahawks fan, but we all have an aversion to cheaters, so none of us will be too torn up if Seattle trounces.

So what is your opinion on this whole NE Patriots cheating? Am I the only one out there who thinks, because they cheated, they should have been automatically disqualified and the Colts should have won by default (not that we have any Colts fans in the house either)? ANY other sport, if you are caught cheating, you’re out and your opponent (or whomever comes in second) is deemed the winner. Why is it not so in football?

Don’t they have rules in place for situations like this? This can’t be the first time something like this has happened… oh wait, it’s not, is it? Haven’t the Patriots been accused of cheating before? I also vaguely remember some scuttlebutt involving The Oakland Raiders, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Huston Oilers eons ago, but I can’t recall precisely what happened in any of those cases.

What, did they run some type of demographic which said the viewership of a New England vs. Seattle game would bring in more revenue than an Indianapolis vs. Seattle game? Pathetic if that is the case, and then the only way we could show the NFL we are not happy is to hit them in their pocketbooks, but I have no clue as to how to go about doing such a thing. It’s not like anyone is going to boycott the Superbowl. If general opinion matches mine, we’ll all be watching just to see the Patriots lose.

Okay, enough ranting, I’ve got stuff to do before I have to start my running around. I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

Your Next Challenge is:

Use the following – a flat tire, a moose & a radio

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

August 31st

Hi it’s Christina –

Good morning! First I want to wish a very Happy Birthday to my Godmother. I love you Aunt Mary, and I hope you have a wonderful birthday!

I am currently sitting on the balcony of our motel, watching the sunrise over the ocean. Not too shabby! It’s breezy, pretty cloudy, and a little chilly, and I’m thinking I should have grabbed a sweatshirt before coming out here, but I am SO not complaining. Okay, I will make a slight grumble over the lack of coffee, but other than that, I’m a happy camper.

We got here by ten yesterday morning, and that’s with leaving half an hour late and making two stops. One stop was at the midway point for a bathroom break, and the second one was when I pulled into Wawa when I noticed we were turning onto a friend’s street, so I gave her a call to ask if I should turn left toward the beach or right toward her house.

I didn’t realize I would be right there because I usually hop on the Parkway in Avalon, and this time I decided to take Route 9 all the way to Rio Grande. I did this for two reasons. One was because I caught a glimpse of the Parkway and said “Uh uh, Not sitting in traffic!”, and the other was because I’m cheap. There’s a toll to get off at Rio Grande from the Parkway, and I didn’t want to pay it.

Bernadette didn’t answer, so we went straight to the hotel. I pulled in and went to the lobby. I told the owner I knew I couldn’t check in yet, but I was hoping he would let us park there so we could go to the beach. Surprise, surprise, our room was ready – five hours before check in time – and he handed me the keys. I was shocked.

The room is tiny, just your basic seaside motel, but it was cute, and more importantly CLEAN. I lucked out. You never know when you’re picking blind and settling for the only available room on the whole island. The owners of the Mark I on E. Atlanta Ave in Wildwood Crest, Chris & Kathy, are really sweet. The pool is great, and we are one small hotel away from being right on the beach. When I come back to Wildwood, I’ll be coming back here.

So we unload our junk, and head for the beach even though the clouds had rolled in. After what happened the other day in Sandy Hook, our usual beach, I wanted to be close to the lifeguards. We find a little patch of sand, set up our area, and go stick our toes in the water. It was a bit chilly, but not terrible. That hurricane reeked all sorts of havoc even though it was over a hundred miles off shore.

I’m out in the water about thigh deep and I hear Dani screech. I turn around and my daughter monkey jumped into the arms of another woman – I was far enough away I couldn’t make out who it was. As I neared, I hear, “Hey Mama!” It was Lisa, one of my son’s friends, and as I got closer, I see she’s with Pam, one of my former cheerleaders, and Maggie, another friend of my son’s.

After a flurry of hugs and kisses, we start chatting. Their hotel is right across the street from ours, and their blanket is right in front of ours on the beach. When we dropped our stuff, we just noticed a bunch of bathing beauties in front of us, but not who they were. (It’s not like I was actively looking for them.)

It turns out, a whole bunch of my son’s other friends were coming down later, and we did get to see them before they went out clubbing. It was so nice to see them all, even for a brief time. The pack of them were always at my house, and since PJ’s moved out, I never get to see them anymore, and I miss them. When he moved out, it was like I lost a dozen of my kids all in one swoop.

My battery’s about to die, and there are no hook-ups out here, so I have to wrap up quickly. We found a bunch of hermit crabs while walking the beach, but the guy at the store told us they were the wrong type of crabs so they wouldn't survive in the cages he sold. We had dinner on the boardwalk. I grabbed a sausage sandwich from Hot Spot, Paulie and the kids grabbed pizza, and then we got a bucket of fries and orange and lemon drinks from Curley’s. After dinner, since the rides held no appeal to either kids, we played some Fascination, and then we dropped Dani and Adam off to meet up with some of their other friends for an hour. Everyone was home and in bed by 11:30.

Since I’m on vacation, there will be no writing challenge today or tomorrow. I hope you have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

(Sorry, no real pictures today. The camera is somewhere in the room, and I don't want to wake everyone trying to hunt for it. I'll post pictures tomorrow.)

July 31st

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! First, I would like to wish my “wicked step monster” Nancy, a very happy birthday! (She gave herself the nickname, not me, and it’s been a running joke for over thirty years.) I hope you have an amazing day! Love you!

So today is the 31^st, the last day of Camp NaNoWriMo, and as fate would have it, I have the day off. I did not know I would not be working today, didn’t find out until I showed up at work yesterday. RV has an event she’s attending, so I get a five day weekend. WooHoo!

My brain must have been preparing itself, while I slept, for this final numbers push as well. I had little snippet dreams and, even though I fought it for half an hour, I was up before five, fingers itching to type.

Just this quick blog entry first to say “Hi” to y’all, and now I’m off to Ireland. I doubt I’ll be able to pound out 9,941 words, that would get me to 50K, but I am going to get as close as possible.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and happy writing!

July 25th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! WOW, lots to cover today, luckily I know where to start. Happy Birthday Dad! Love you!

Next, LOCAL AUTHORS (Belle Mead, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Flagtown, Flemington, Hillsborough, Manville, Montgomery, Neshanic, North Branch, Raritan, Rocky Hill, Somerville, Three Bridges), you only have SIX (6) DAYS LEFT to register for the First Annual HillsboroughLibrary Author’s Day. Initially there were only 20 – 25 authors who were going to be selected, but after some creative rearranging, there is room for more, but the slots are filling up fast.

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS EVENT. It’s a day for you to come out, sell some books, and network with other authors in the area.

The book signing will be from 1 – 4, but there is going to be a workshop, or possibly two, prior to the event (details are still getting hammered out). Also, during the signing, there are going to be readings done by the authors. (I think it will be a “pull names out of a hat” process.) Again, I will have more details for you as they become available.

Look, it’s going to be a great day. Click on the link above, and sign up. I can’t wait to see you there!

Now all NON-AUTHORS - if you happen to be in Hillsborough, New Jersey on Saturday, November 15^th, please stop by the event. We already have authors from numerous genres, both fiction and non-fiction (coffee table books, biographies, memoirs, poetry, children and YA, romance, mystery, and horror), so there’s a little something for everyone. Events like these are much more laid back than the ones held at the big name bookstores. You’ll get to meet and actually chat with the authors, not just get pushed through a line.

Hey, you can get a jump on your holiday shopping for the readers on your list. How great a gift is a signed copy of a book?

So, last night’s critique group went well. I was the only one who brought anything to share, so we spent most of the time talking about the Author’s Day event. I brought with me a chapter of Faerie Tale Queen that I was having an issue with; there was just something not quite right, and I couldn’t figure out what.

Now, I really don’t like just pulling a random chapter out of thin air. When I bring stuff to a critique group, I start with chapter one and then go chronologically, otherwise it takes forever to get folks up to speed so they have a clue what’s going on, but I was desperate. I couldn’t get the chapter to gel, and even though I pushed forward, it was still a big distraction, and I kept revisiting it.

Since I was the only one who brought something to share, the eight of us hashed it out for a good twenty minutes after I finished reading, and I think I can make it work now. I have one sentence to delete, one small dialogue exchange to add, and one cat reference to reflect change of mood and one food reference to mark passage of time to plop in, and I can move on. The fix was so easy, I just couldn’t see it, and it bogged me down.

I know I’ve said it before, but the benefit I get from these various writing groups I have joined is immeasurable. I have learned so much, and I have grown so much as a writer because of them. Their value to me is priceless. I encourage all writers to get involved with writing groups in their area. You won’t be disappointed.

Today I only have a few hours to write. Yeah, I know it’s Friday, a day I usually spend all day writing because I don’t have to go to work, but Dani laid a guilt trip on me last night. Summer is half over and she has only left the house three times. The poor child is bored out of her skull. So today we are going to catch a matinée.

At noon, we are going to see Lucy. If you haven’t seen the previews for the movie yet, you should check it out. It looks interesting. It’s the story about a woman, because of some incident, becomes able to use 100% of her brain’s capabilities.

Although the number 10% is thrown around a lot when they talk about how much brain function the average person uses at one time, more current research has shown it is closer to 16%. Regardless, the percentage of our brain we utilize at any given time is still a paltry amount. (In actuality, your entire brain is in use, just not all at the same time.) It’s reported that even geniuses, like Einstein, use less than 20% of their brains. Could you imagine what it would be like to tap into more of your potential? If you’ll excuse the pun, it’s mindboggling. Anyway, it’s a fascinating concept, and even though the movie is pure fiction, I am looking forward to seeing it.

Okay, I’m off to tweak chapter 42 of Fairy Tale Queen, and then hopefully be able to pound out chapter 43 as well. I hope you have a fantastic day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

This ought to be good…

“This ought to be good.”

“Mmm Hmm.”

“Got the camera?”

“Yup.”

“So what do you think, America’s Funniest or Caught on Camera?”

“I’m thinking Ridiculousness.”

“Ouch, really?”

“Have you known any of Buddy’s ‘brilliant ideas’ not to be complete disasters?”

“Good point. Oh, there he goes.”

“I can’t believe he’s actually doing this. He’s such an ass.”

“No. No. NO!”

“Oh CRAP!”

“Put down the camera, and call an 911.”

Your Next Challenge is:

Fire lit the night sky…

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.

July 20th Challenge

Hi it’s Christina –

Good Morning! First, Happy Birthday to one of my best friends, Rebecca! I hope you have a day as wonderful as you are, LUV YA!

So I survived yesterday’s book signing without melting or passing out. It wasn’t too, too hot, and there was an occasional breeze which helped immensely. However, it was a really slow day. There was not a large crowd, probably the smallest I’ve ever seen there. I think this is a huge vacation week.

Historically, I have done much better on Sundays, Saturdays have always been slow for me, but I keep going back because of the folks I meet. Yesterday was no exception. I had several wonderful conversations. I chatted with a family – mom, dad, and daughter, who had just gotten engaged. I’m talking minutes before. She was walking my way, carrying a beautiful bouquet, and I complimented her on the flowers. That’s when the dad told me, she had just gotten engaged. Then the three of them laughed and all started to explain at the same time, that the girl wasn’t engaged to the dad, that the fiancé was in the bathroom – it was funny.

This really looks like her ring

So, of course, I asked to see the ring, and I Oooed and Ahhhed over it. It was lovely. Then I gave her some unsolicited advice (I actually said, “here’s some unsolicited advice”). I told her not to sweat all the little things that are going to go wrong at the wedding, she’ll be the only one who notices them. Instead make sure she takes the time to enjoy the day, because it is over in the blink of an eye.

As nice as that meeting was, there were two others I met yesterday which were infinitely more meaningful to me. Fifteen year old Anna, and another girl, who was probably seven or eight, whose name I didn’t get. Both of these young ladies loved to write, and stopped by to ask me questions about writing and publishing. I absolutely LOVE hearing about young people who like to write. I told them both about NaNoWriMo, and gave them my card with my email address, and told them if they had any questions, they could email me any time.

Do you remember me telling you about my first book signing at Canterbury Tales Forever? There was another author there, Sam Knight, who wrote the children’s book, Monty a Christmas Story. I loved the book so much, I got autographed copies and gave them as gifts to my little cousin and my great niece for Christmas. Well anyway, Sam stopped by the bookstore yesterday morning to pick up his check – he had a signing last weekend. It was nice to see him again, and guess what? This time, he wanted a signed copy of my book. He was my first sale for the day.

Oh, since I’m posting photos, I should probably explain something. I have psoriasis, have had it since I was sixteen years old. It’s a nuisance, it itches, it’s not overly attractive, but I have not let it bother me. I have tried various treatments in the past. They work for a while, then they stop working. The side effects of the new psoriasis medications are far scarier than having the psoriasis, so I am not willing to take a chance on them.

Several months ago, the psoriasis spread to my scalp. It’s not noticeable, it’s completely covered by my hair, but if I tried to color my hair, it would burn unbelievably, for several days. I have been grey since I was seventeen, and have been coloring my hair ever since. It’s a genetic thing. My grandfather was grey very early, and each of my children has grey hair. Dani, my youngest, was actually born with it. I noticed it on the other two by the time they were three.

After thirty plus years of coloring my hair, and now that it was a painful experience, I was DONE. I decided to just let it go grey, but then I had a speaking engagement in March. My hair was half grey and half still colored. I looked like Bozo. I went and got the color cut off. My normal hairdresser, Cheryl, was not available, so I went to one of those discount places. Let’s just say, with some mousse and gel, I was able to disguise the cut enough where it didn’t look too terrible at the speaking engagement.

A few weeks later, I went to Cheryl, and in order to fix what the other place did, she had to cut my hair – short. Okay, fine, no big deal. It was cute, easy, and I thought made my face look thinner, which is always a good thing. The short hair doesn’t thrill my hubby, but he doesn’t have to take care of my long hair, so for once, I am ignoring his preferences.

Well, with short hair, you need to frequent the hairdresser more often, and I had to go back two weeks ago. That’s when Cheryl told me she was moving to California, never to be seen again. I was crushed. I have known Cheryl for almost thirty years. She’s more than just a hairdresser, she has become a friend. My kids adore her.

To give you an example of how close we’ve gotten, PJ had an appointment with her. He called her up to say he was not going to make it, because he was just in an accident on the way to her shop. Cheryl quickly finished up the person she was working on (she was just about finished), shooed him out of the store, closed her shop, and ran – not drove, actually ran – from her shop to where PJ was up the road. Yeah, she’s that kind of lady.

Long way around, but here’s my point. The last time I was there, two weeks ago, she said since it may be my last haircut, she was going to give me my money’s worth. So now I am sporting a REALLY short grey hairdo, and I didn’t want you to say who is that in the picture? I haven’t found a photo yet which I like enough to change my profile picture. As soon as I do, I will update it.

Got to go. I hope you have a great day, and happy writing!

Your Last Challenge was:

(S)He looked so innocent…

Tommy had blond curly hair, big blue eyes, and the face of a cherub. He looked so sweet and innocent. Who would have thought, the moment his mother left, he would turn into the demon child from Hell?

I don’t care that he is only three, he knows exactly what he is doing. It’s the glint in his eyes and the half grin – half smirk which give him away. When I saw that expression, I should have known. I should have been more vigilant.

Tommy and my son Joey, were playing at the Lego table when the phone rang. I told them I would be right back. Joey said, “OK Mommy” and kept right on playing. Tommy on the other hand looked up at me with that demonic expression. The phone conversation lasted less than two minutes. It was the dentist’s office confirming my appointment for Thursday afternoon.

I walked back into the family room where the boys were quietly playing, and I looked at the couch. Each cushion had a diagonal slash through it, there was stuffing protruding from the tears, and there was a pair of scissors stabbed into the armrest.

***

Not enough time to expand on this, but it would have been a fun short story.

Your Next Challenge is:

Use the following: Sitting on the floor, A Knife, Newspaper

You have ten minutes (be honest). There is no right or wrong, just write. Spelling and punctuation don’t count, and NO ONE is allowed to criticize what someone else has written. Go.