My daughter, who is 10, has a natural talent for creative writing. She’s been writing book since she was 2.5. WHether she developes this into a true talent, who knows, but she was born with a certain ability.
I say this, not to brag, but to put what I found into context.
I found in my room a sheet of paper with a story written on it (maybe from a couple of years ago). She is describing a mother and two children in the park. The son goes to climb a rockface known as Devil’s Cliff" and the mother knows that it is cursed because no one has survived climbing it with out falling.
We see the mother’s internal dialogue–
OK. I almost died when I read that. She was 7 or 8 when she wrote that.
The piece ends with this line “Rainclouds hovered on the horizon. I could almost hear them whisper in a low, scratchy voice ‘Seek refuge! Go!’”
I’m no writer. I don’t know where she came from, but she impresses me.
Good Mornin’ Y’all. Up, caffienatin’ and already been a productive bear. Well, I started smoking the chicken laigs and thighs. That’s productive! Plus, once again, I survived the hazardous commute from kitchen to study while holdin’ a cup o’ caffiene! Yay Me!
Soapy daughter’s writing is impressive! One day you shall be the mother of a well-reknowned and revered writer.
It’s all gloomy and doomy out again. Yesterday was a fizzle rainwise. It rained a little bit last night but nuttin’ like they said it was. Now, they’re sayin’ tstorms late morning through the afternoon. We shall see.
Apparently my hay fever decided it was time to emerge for its annual torture-fest of my sinuses. Waiting for my allergy pills to kick in, and sneezing like a mofo in the meantime. It’s RAINING outside, you stupid pollen… isn’t that supposed to slow you down or something?
Spaz, I’m glad they finally sorted out funding and that it required only a couple of wet trouts to get your message across. That’s great news!
Soapy, that kid’s got a way with words. Too early to tell if she’ll be the next Great American Novelist, but at the very least, I’d say we’ve got a future Doper with some damn good OPs on our hands.
I spent the last two evenings in a firefighting class called Overhaul. It’s the fine art of tearing apart that which the inferno didn’t already destroy, looking for hidden fire. Last night we went to a derelict house and tore it up. What fun [del]not[/del]!
My cousin in Charlotte has a son that is a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Good job, Daniel.
Yesterday, our house guest offered to make us a traditional English Sunday dinner. So I’ll be turning the kitchen over to her and we’ll see what we get. She’s mentioned roast and Yorkshire pudding specifically. No idea what else she has in mind.
Daughter is off to teach - she’s really having a rough time of it. The class apparently refuses to be quiet or listen to her, and she comes home frazzled every day. Granted, it’s been barely 2 weeks. It’s got to get better, right? I suggested in her next note home to parents that she ask them to review and reinforce concepts of courtesy, especially not talking out of turn and listening when someone else speaks. I wish she’d gotten an older class - I think it would have been a better match.
I really should get dressed and start doing something constructive. Don’t wanna, but must. Sucks not to have a live-in staff to tend to the chores and such. I blame my parents for not making me an heiress…
Oh, Soapy, that’ great! She wrote that at eight! Sign her up for Harvard writing classes now!
Okay, have had little nap. Don’t feel quite so much like death, now. Should start some bread dough and then the laundry.
Roast beef, veggies, roast spuds,gravy and mustard or horseradish sauce. If she serves anything other than beef, it’s got no business having Yorkie puds with it. Tell her BooFae has Spoken!
Aww! A hot tub! I can’t partake though, not for another few months.
Thanks for the welcome backs everyone, it’s good to be here.
Prepping for a busy weekend, the football game, getting my oldest daughter’s ears pierced for her birthday.
(Sniff, She’s gonna be thirteen!) I’m sure there will be more drama with her this weekend, not a day goes by…boy oh boy!
Plus Jim’s uncle and his woman and kid are supposed to move into the other house this weekend. I’m starting to regret that suggestion. Having this 21 year old ‘kid’ (She has the mentality of a 17 year old.) so close to me isn’t good. I’ll have to relay some great ones from her soon enough.
But for now, I must go!
ETA BTW, we’re having a girl. Anya Jo(sephine) Can you tell I’m all for Anya Jo?
Welcome back, TagFree! And yay for Anya Jo - great name! I have a niece named Anya - she’s from the Ukraine.
FCM, that sounds like a fabulous dinner! Any dinner’s good when somebody else is cooking…
Almost everything has been picked up in the backyard, and moved to the garage. All the outdoor “house” plants are in the house. The brand new windows are boarded over. It’s a hot and hyuuuumid morning. Ick. Ike is gonna make landfall around midnight, maybe as a Cat 3, but we are prepared. I hope we don’t lose power. ::crosses fingers:: We have gas for the generator, and both cars are full. We have plenty of food, ice, and water. And an extra tank of propane for the grill.
I’ll stay in touch as best I can. I’ll be back today, though! I gotta get my fill, before I lose my Dope!
Good heavens, woman, what are you trying to do? :fans self delicately: You can’t cook a roast dinner in the crock pot, it’s got to be done in the oven - preferably with a small army of cats lined up by the oven door sniffing and miaowing, waiting for you to start carving their dinner.
:goes to lie down in a darkened room with a cold cloth on her head:
boofae, clear something up for me please. Explain Yorkshire Pudding. It’s not a soft creamy dessert like what we Murkins call puddin, is it? Is it savory? Do you put gravy on it? Inquiring mind wants to know.
Yo, nola! Good to see ya!
Nat is so freakin’ adorable, li-li.
swampy, how many chickies do you need to smoke to get high?
rebo, keep in touch on how things are going. My poor brother is worried about his house.
Anybody ever use Liquid Beadz? I want to personalize my “very plain” black Samsonite suitcase for my trip.
Yorkie pud is a batter pudding so it’s essentially savoury. You make it with flour, eggs, milk and water, and then cook it in a hot oven in a bit of fat (beef dripping, if you’re going to do it properly). You Murkins would probably make individual puds in something the size of muffin tins, over here you can buy Yorkie pud tins.
Sometimes we make a large version of it in a roasting tin, with sausages in it, and that’s “Toad in the Hole”. Of course, if you make large puds you can fill them with whatever you like - savoury or sweet, if you’ve a mind to.
If you’re eating it with a roast dinner then it has gravy on, same with a portion of Toad. Otherwise it’s up to you whether you put anything on it or not.
Drat. I’ve got to remember to find a copy of To Kill A Mockingbird. We’ve never seen it, and it and the (old) Brideshead Revisited are on the list of Movies I I Most Want To See. Thanks for reminding me, Mika.
Have got bread dough rising, because we’re out of bread, but I still feel like a dead slug. Nat’s cranky, too, because he didn’t get enough sleep. And it’s all cloudy here.
