My journal of big words and pretty pictures
The reading room reminded Carl of Great Aunt Gertrude’s parlor. On special visits to her house, Gertrude would let him look through the new Sears & Roebuck catalog. Carl would giggle at the brassiere models with their conical breasts, and high-waisted girdles. Gertrude diligently censored the men’s underwear section, expertly cropping the offending pages. After … Continue reading For hire
Her arcane speech was difficult to follow. It was like trying to decipher a cryptic language, and not just the lexicon of a bygone era. Even the name she used to introduce herself, Goody Birdwhistle, was a mystery, because Goody was neither her actual first name, nor a description of her temperament. Widowed five decades … Continue reading Neighborhood Cat Lady
The story so far… Old Wives’ Tale After four days on Pappy’s bus, Amelia was grateful to see the blue haze of the Smoky Mountains as they drove south over the Blue Ridge Parkway. She wished that her daughters could see how beautiful they were. They would have loved the sweet smell of the spring … Continue reading Moving mountains
The story so far… Old Wives’ Tale I don’t know what Casper promised his men, but they came back to work despite their unease, and the renovations were near completion in record time. Where piles of building materials once laid, new hardwood floors were awaiting a final cleaning and sealing. Walls were up and ready … Continue reading A cog in a wheel
The crew were in their cabins, waiting. The ship’s officers manned the bridge, but they knew there was nothing more for them to do. First-mate Jorje wanted to scupper the ship, but Capt. Muncy refused to go out in defeat. Engines were shut down, since there was no amount of force that would break them … Continue reading Purple haze
The story so far… Old Wives’ Tale He was just called, “Pappy.” The implicit leader of the caravan who everyone turned to for settling disputes, for help or simple advice. He was father, cop and minister all in one. When Charles and Amelia joined the troop, he accepted them into the fold, despite objections from the … Continue reading The road ahead
Thin spiral notebook 