One Seventy-one

On her wedding day.

It’s Christmas. I’m missing Mom...

Our Christmas house had just been decorated, but now, my perennially-busy mother was nowhere to be seen.

I entered the front room, lit only by the lights on the tree.

There she was, just sitting quietly, looking at it.

I remember those lights bathing her in a soft glow.

A different, more heavenly light is shining on her now.

How I wish I could see it!

Today is a word challenge.

Each of Karen’s followers submit a number between 12 and 74.

Those numbers are then re-distributed by our intrepid leader to each of us.

My number this month? 71

And it came from my good friend Mimi at Messymimi



Here's everyone else.

Visit them. It'll be fun!

Baking In A Tornado

Spatulas on Parade
Wandering Web Designer
Sarah Nolan
Messymimi’s Meanderings

28

Daddy, Big Brother George. And me.
I'm the one in the curlers...

Near Misses:

1. When I was just two, Bobby the Cow (the queen of the barnyard) and I had a disagreement. I lost. Turns out she hates children. Who knew?

2. Did you know that mothers are capable of scaling a 100 foot TV tower in mere seconds? They just need toddler-at-the-top motivation. True story.

3. When butchering chickens, it’s probably best if four-year-olds remain somewhere out of the picture. Chicken heads have been known to cause varying degrees of trauma.

4. Chicken-traumatized children would also much rather wrestle 1500-pound bulls than venture into the dreaded chicken house to retrieve eggs from underneath 3-pound bundles of nastiness.

5. Graduation from one’s pony to one’s brother’s spritely gelding may not be all that wonderful. Though it may guarantee a medical emergency ride on Dad’s amazing stallion.

6. When vaccinating calves, always remember the large crossbar of the cattle squeeze. And remember, too, to always look up. Believe me, your nose will thank you.

7. When crossing the barbed-wire fences on a ranch, long pants and good balance are a necessity. Although impressive thigh-to-ankle scars make for a good story…

8. Okay, this wasn’t me, but I heard and it’s still a good lesson: Even from the distance of the house roof, don’t pee on the electric fence.

9. When moving a cow herd across sideless bridges, make quite sure there is a bull’s tail in the immediate vicinity. Your bones will bless you. And it.

10. It’s important to note that even polled (hornless) cow heads are capable of significant damage when they meet human heads. Just ask my traumatized mother. Or me.

Word Counters is a monthly challenge from Karen at Baking in a Tornado and her gang.

Each of us submits a number and the lucky recipient uses that number to craft...something.

It's so fun!

This month, my number is 28 and it came from my awesome friend, Sarah at Writer Sarah Nolan

Hop on over and see what the others have done!

Baking In A Tornado

Spatulas on Parade

Wandering Web Designer

Sarah Nolan 
Messymimi’s Meanderings 

My Criminal Past?

1.  I was four years old. Grocery shopping with Mom. I wanted an orange gumball. She said no. Thought I could fool her. I was wrong.

2. I was in grade three. Forged a needed note to go downtown to buy treats for Jody’s and my ‘Fair’. Yeah. The principal wasn’t amused.

3. My parents didn’t smoke. One of my friend’s cousins did. She had cigarettes. We decided to hide and try it. Moms can see through walls.

4. Dad told us not to ride the pigs. We all thought we could fool him by sheer sneakiness. Turns out Dads know everything. True story.

5. In grade eleven and stony broke. Window shopping with friends. Unbeknownst to me, one pocketed two pomegranates. We all got blamed. I’ll never forget it.

6. Mom had some expensive toenail clippers that lived on her dresser. I wondered if they could cut a straight pin. They couldn’t. I never confessed.

7. I absolutely loved my friend’s ‘elephant pants’. She even let me wear them on occasion. I know what you’re thinking. I didn’t steal them. Ha!

8. Dad told me getting paid but not working was theft. At times I’m pretty sure I was the only one in the office occupied. Sigh.

9. Do you think it’s stealing to come home weekly for food, fun and a fill of gasoline? My parents didn’t think so either. Thank goodness…

+1. I have decided I could never be a criminal mastermind. I have too much imagination. All I can visualize are the consequences. None very good. Yeah.

Word counters is a monthly word challenge, issued to us by our noble Karen of Baking in a Tornado.

Doesn't she have the best ideas?

My word count this month was 26 and given to me, via Karen, by Sarah Nolan.
Thank you, Sarah! This was such fun!

Wanna see what the others did with the challenge?

Baking In A Tornado

Spatulas on Parade

Wandering Web Designer

Messy Mimi’s Meanderings

Sarah Nolan