Journal: mistaken identity

Until last January, my husband has lived in the suburbs his entire life. He has adapted well to small town life, but there are some details about rural existence that he's still learning.

1. Around here people sell livestock at a sale barn. When my dad told him he'd worked at a sale barn when he was younger, he thought he knew what they did there. G thought they made sails for boats.

2. We used to drive by an expanse of land that advertised itself as a Limousine Ranch. He mentioned something about never seeing cars there. He thought it was some sort of car lot. A Limousine is a breed of cow.

3. Earlier this week, he thought it was raining outside, so he peered through the front porch window. On our doorstep he saw a small white bundle. Thinking someone had left us a package, he opened the door to retrieve it. Then the "package" looked up at him. He claimed it had a long snout. It must have been a possum scratching on our front door.

Journal: Write about mistaken identity.

Age spots

My husband has a shiny bald head.

I'm always pestering him to wear a hat. Reason 1. I like hats. Reason 2. I don't want to be married to an old man with a sunspot speckled melon.

This morning I noticed a dark spot on the back of his head and thought, he cut himself shaving. I saw it again later and though, Geez, we need to make a dermatologist's appointment.

As we were waiting at a drive-thru window during lunch, he reached back and felt the place. I said, "Yeah, I noticed that earlier. I hope it's just blood."

He didn't change his facial expression when he said, "Smoothie."

While making smoothies this morning, he dropped a spoon in the blender while it was on. It splattered his face, the floor, the ceiling... and the back of his head.

No dermatology visits after all.

Journal: scary story

Colorful leaves blow through the air.

Little ghouls and boys will wander the neighborhoods tomorrow.

Get into the spirit!

Journal: write a scary story

Dance, dance

Before my son was born, one of my favorite things about my marriage was that we'd dance in the kitchen.

Now that Max is here, one of my favorite things is watching him dance..and dancing with him.

Just tonight, I played the piano and sang along. His knees bent and he bounced. The kid began to boogie with a big grin on his face. Eventually, he joined me at the keyboard and banged along with the correct rhythm. Then, his dad scooped him up and they waltzed around the room.

Who says live music and dancing goes out the window once you have a family?

Hey there, Delilah

Julie and Mark* wanted a family. They tried the traditional way. They tried the scientific way.

Nothing seemed to work.

They decided that someone else must be destined to deliver their baby, so they began the long process of adoption. Finally, they were matched with a pregnant girl who wanted to give her child a better life than she could provide.

Julie and Mark were overjoyed. When the baby was born, they brought him home. Family and friends surprised the couple and baby David with a baby shower. His nursery was filled with all of the items and love any child could want.

After two nights with his family, David's parents received a phone call. According to the agreement, the birth mother had a time in which she could change her mind. The birth mother wanted David returned to her.

Julie and Mark couldn't give him back. They had someone else return their sleeping bundle of hope. Afterward, those same loved ones who had given a baby shower offered to box up David's things. Julie and Mark refused.

Two and a half months later, the birth mother listened to the popular radio show Delilah After Dark. Someone dedicated a song to a birth mother, thanking her for offering her child a better a life. The birth-grandmother, who had never wanted the adoption to go through, was listening, too.

Another phone call surprised Julie and Mark. Baby David was finally returned home, where his nursery was just as he'd left it.

*This story was told to me by someone who met Baby David and Julie. Names have been changed. But I hope the story warms your heart as it did mine.

Flu

My husband and I took the flu mist. He was fine. I ached and felt icky. Getting out of bed didn't entice me. I kept thinking, If I hadn't had the vaccine, I'd think I had the flu.

(insert head thunk here)

I just learned that the mist is a live virus. After I took it, I signed a thing that recommended against people with asthma and allergies taking it. I have both.

(insert head thunk here)

I guess I had a mild case of the flu.

Now, the real question is whether or not to get the H1N1 vaccine.

Journal: in the details

As I turned onto the highway heading out of town, which is just a couple of blocks from my new house, a thought occurred to me: Since I've been old enough to select my homes, I've always lived right by an easy route to get out of Dodge. Whether it was a mile from the turnpike or a block from a train station, I've had easy access to transportation.

What does that say about me?

Am I unwilling to commit? Do I simply like to travel? Am I always looking for an escape?

I think it sounds like a great way to develop a character.

Journal: Create a character from a small detail. Place that character in a scene where that detail is important.