<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><br></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">MARIA</span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">This is a bitter sweet goodbye. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">A little humor goes a long way. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">But, you have always been know to show humor
under dyre circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">The writing is flawless from my point of view. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I learned a little bit of Catholic custim<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>where burials are concerned.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">You’ve also succeeded in making this into a
Halloween<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">So your father will always hold the upper hand
over your mother.. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Is that the way it was in this life? <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I’m a little<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>confused about how the catholic remains are handled. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">You describe your father the way you<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>imagined him in the casket. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">But you also speak of his remains in an<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>urn.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Martia sub for October 21<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p>-------</o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> Harmless Ghost Story<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Oct 17, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Marcia J. Wick<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Word Count: 614<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">With ease, my Dear Old Dad swallowed his final
breath shortly before noon Monday, September 27, 2021, three weeks shy of his
97<sup>th</sup> birthday October 17. At 91, Mom preceded Dad to the grave
four years earlier October 21, only four short days after making sure he got
pie and ice cream for his birthday that year. Suddenly, the family had to
shift from planning Dad’s party with pie to setting a funeral and burial date
that wouldn’t collide with the anniversary of Dad’s birth or Mom’s death and
funeral service.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">For Mom, we avoided gathering on Hallows Eve at
the cemetery, even though it’s the vigil of a Holy Day. Instead, we buried Mom
November 1, All Saints Day, her ashes intact in an urn as per Catholic
requirement. Snow dusted the grass that morning, highlighting the precision
square corners of the grave. Confused by dementia, Dad kept insisting on warm
weather for his burial.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Unfortunately, the forecast for Dad’s burial
October 12 was for temperatures in the 40s with a “feels like” index of 32, low
clouds, high winds, and snowy drizzle. The drizzle came early as the six
siblings rode to the cemetery in the funeral home limo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“Mom’s not about to let Dad have a warm burial
day,” we mused.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">It was eerie to see Mom’s grave reopened to
receive my Dad’s casket, although Mom’s ashes were sealed in a cement vault.
Second to arrive, Dad’s vault was placed on top of Mom’s. I couldn’t help but
ponder the arrangement. To conserve land, married couples were buried one on
top of the other, I assumed, rather than side-by-side like my parents had lain
in their master bedroom for nearly 70 years. I had also assumed, being older,
that Dad would be first in and reside on the bottom level. Now, his remains would
remain stacked on top of hers for forever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">As we arrived at the military cemetery, a
picturesque setting at the base of the Colorado Rockies, the moisture tapered,
the clouds lifted, and the high country sun warmed me sufficiently to shed the
black overcoat that I’d inherited from Mom.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“I guess Mom decided to acquiesce,” I whispered
to a sister.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">I envisioned Dad laid out in his casket, dressed
in his well-worn teacher’s blazer, a pressed hankie stuffed in its pocket, his
fingers secure on the brim of a ball cap embroidered with the United States Air
Force logo.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“You up there, Ed?” Mom would say.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“Sorry to keep you waiting, dear,” Dad would
reply.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“I thought you’d wait another three weeks to
enjoy pie and ice cream on your birthday, but you couldn’t have expected me to
hold off the snow for that long,” Mom might mutter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“I tried to cross over once or twice sooner, but
the kids just kept bringing me wonderful meals and, after a while, I lost the
keys to the car and couldn’t find my way out of the house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“I was afraid that would happen. You were
getting forgetful when I left. I didn’t want to get stuck like you, lingering
for years while the children cooked and cleaned up after me. No thanks. I got
out when I could. I know it was rather abrupt and all, falling and hitting my
head like that…”Mom would trail off.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“Now that we’re together again, dear, could you
conjure up a triple berry pie with French vanilla for my birthday, please?”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">“Oh, Ed. There’s no pie in store for you here.
But just wait until Hallow’s Eve. You can go trick or treating with all the
other old fools around here.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>DEANN:A<div><br></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Deanna sub for October 21<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Wow. Surprise ending. It was a woman.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Yu did a good job of<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>describing all the characters in this scenario. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">You also displayed a good command of male vocabulary<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Somehow, that all conspired<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>to lead the reader into a surprise trap. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">The<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>reader’s sympathy is
definitely on the female’s side.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">You made murder seem like a<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>reasonable thing.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:center;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">By
DeAnna Quietwater Noriega<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Arie Carter swerved her VW into the driveway at her grandmother's house.
She set the parking brake and noticed Kiki Vanderholt sprawled on a
lounge-chair in the front yard next door. Kiki's blonde opulent figure
threatened to escape from the thong bikini she wore. It was a glorious
summer day--Arie had to admit--but didn't the girl know about the risks of
skin-cancer and the aging effects of sun tanning? Not for Kiki apparently
-- the privacy of a backyard sunbath, when she could soak up the rays and
admiration of any handy male-members of the population. Her audience
seemed a bit thin today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Across the street, that creepy Mathews guy with the tattoos was absorbed in
working on his car. In the yard on the other side of Granddee's was Mike
Tanner, crouched over his mother's flower bed pulling weeds. He is too
shy to pay much attention to girls guessed Arie. As she slid from the
car, she glanced down at her lanky six-foot jean-clad self. Arie’s
cupid-bow lips quirked in to a wry smile. There was no competition here for the
golden sun-worshiper. Shaking back her mop of dark hair, Arie glanced at her
watch. One-thirty already? If she hurried, she could get the shopping
done and make it back to help Granddee fix dinner. Then they would have
time to relax and talk until Mable returned from her day off. Arie
stretched and headed up the walk to fetch granddee's shopping list. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Biff Mathews gave a sidelong glance to the candy-apple red bug as it pulled
into the driveway across the road. "Here comes the piece with the
legs! Man oh man, would he like to have those wrapped around him in the
backseat of his wheels! Not much on top, for true, but she was real
class. Not like the fat-assed bitch living next door to the old
lady. She was a cock-tease by the look of her, parading around, letting
it all hang-out. Bet the Tanner geek was getting an eyeful. Why
else would he be out pretending to help his mommy in the yard? Now the
hot tamale working at Safeway on Saturdays had primo tits, but she thought she
was too good for a guy with grease under his nails. She oughta be glad a
white guy was even interested in her. But no! She hadda go running
off crying like a little kid. If those headlights hadn't turned into the
lot, he would have shown her what a real man was like!"<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Kiki turned her head lazily to watch old Mrs. Carter's goody-goody
granddaughter pull her beetle into the driveway next door. Guess she
didn't have anything better to do on a Sunday afternoon than to run errands for
the old bat, (considering she had a figure like a boy and legs like Olive Oyl
from the Popeye cartoons.) Her hair looked like she'd stuck her finger in
a light socket or something. How she ever scrunched herself in to that
dinky car anyway was a mystery. Good, she pulled far enough into the
drive not to block Mikey's view. He's a nerd, but maybe if Biff noticed
him <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><b><u><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">Double ifs. Did you mean
one of them to mean<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(she?) Is Kiki still
doing the talking here?<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">looking he'd get a
little jealous. Now there's a real hunk! Kiki considered getting up
and casually strolling over to ask if he wanted a cold drink -- it being so hot
and all. She wondered if ma would notice if she snagged a <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>couple of beers? Biff didn't look like
the type to go for a diet coke. <b><u><o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Michael Tanner grunted as he hauled another strand of Bermuda-grass out of his
experimental (bloom all growing season) bed of bulbs. Ah here she
is. He sat back on his heels to watch Ariana flow out of her cute red
car. She stretched like a panther and moved gracefully up the walk,
tossing her cloud of raven curls back. Her hair gleamed like ruffled
midnight satin against the red top she wore with her tapered jeans. She
moved like a dancer making walking a symphony of motion. Maybe he should cut
some of the red tulips that matched her shirt and take them over to Mrs. Carter
when Ariana came back with the groceries. They might invite him in for
iced-tea and some of those chocolate chip cookies with cashews Mrs. Carter
baked. Michael shoved his glasses back up on his freckled nose and wished
he were taller. Ariana would never pay attention to a guy who had to look
up to meet those beautiful brown eyes with the amber flecks in them. If
they did invite him in, he could at least watch her laughing and talking with
her grandmother for awhile. As he bent to resume his weeding, he noted
that Kiki was out trying to catch the attention of Bertram Mathews, the
incredible hulk across the street. He hoped she didn't end up with a
painful sun-burn for her trouble. Poor little butter-cup was wasting her
time on that moron. The jerk wasn't worth half the effort she put into
the project. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Delia Carter leaned out of her wheelchair to pull back the curtains. She
heard the distinctive burr, like an overgrown lawn mower, of her
granddaughter's ridiculous little slug-bug as it turned into the drive.
Ariana Marie Carter, you're late as usual my girl! A fond smile touched
Delia's lips, as she watched Arie unfold from the car and arch her spine.
Lord! The girl was wearing one of those elastic tube tops that barely covered
enough to be decent! The red shade was nice though. It made her
skin glow like mother-of-pearl. It brought out the highlights in the
black mane flowing in a glossy cascade over the girl's bare-shoulders.
She had David's height and Amanda's high cheekbones and delicate
features. She was definitely going to be a heart-breaker when she finally
out-grew the coltish stage -- not like that chubby little Vanderholt girl next
door. By the time Kiki (what a silly name) reached thirty, her bust would
be drooping down to her navel. By then, Arie would have become an elegant
head-turner. Delia reached for her shopping list as she watched the child
lope up the walk.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Danny Martinez slowed his Mustang as he turned on to the street. Yeh,
there was the shit-head messing with the engine of his crappy old junker.
Witnesses? A babe across the street--looked like maybe she was asleep, a
skinny kid going into the house next to that and an old guy digging in the dirt
-- no problemo! Danny checked to see if Angel was ready.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
"Angel-of-death, that's me, steady the barrel of the gun on the frame of
the open car window. Time to say bye-bye ass-hole, gently squeeze the
trigger." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
At the crack of the gunshot, Arie spun to see the old Ford with chrome rims
speed up to lay down rubber as it rounded the corner. She watched in
horror as the Mathews guy slowly slid off the engine of his car and crumpled to
the ground. A red stain blossomed on his dirty tee-shirt.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
"Granddee call for an ambulance and phone the police! Someone’s been
shot!" Arie sprinted across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Michael Tanner jumped at the loud bang. He glanced at the car that had
just passed. It sped up and squealed into the turn onto Oak at the end of
the block. He noted that the license-plate read (494 DAY). At
Ariana's shout, his eyes followed her dash across the street to kneel beside
Bert Mathews. He scrambled to his feet to follow her to offer what help
he could. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Kiki looked through her lashes as the forest green car approached. She wondered
if she should shop for a coat in that shade for school next fall. It was
a good color to bring out the green of her eyes and the gold of her hair.
She saw that the Mexican guy driving was checking her out as the car
slowed. The second guy was turned away, but he looked to be a greaser
too. She frowned at the loud back-fire and wrinkled her nose in disgust
as the old heap sped up and turned the corner. She yawned and then jerked
to a sitting position as Carrie? Mary? Terrie? whatever her name was ran
across the street. She began to scream when she saw Biff lying on the
ground in a widening pool of blood. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <b><u>Who did the
screaming?<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Delia Carter had turned her chair away from the window to greet Ariana when her
granddaughter spun back out of the doorway shouting about police and an
ambulance. Delia reached for the cell phone holstered at her waist. She
wheeled to the open door to see what had gotten Ariana all worked up. As
she dialed, she saw Mike Tanner run across to join Arie, where she knelt
checking for a pulse in the wrist of the man on the ground. "Oh lord! it
was that hoodlum, the Mathews boy!" Mike's ash-blonde head bent
close to Arie's ebony one. He pulled a bandana from his pocket and
appeared to be pressing it against the wound. "Good! Arie had
someone sensible to help her until the authorities arrived." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Officer Jeff Phelps frowned as he finished keying in his notes from the
eye-witness accounts. God he hated these drive-by shootings. At
least this one seemed to have gone off without involving any innocent little
kids or anything. The license number was a bust. It came off
a maroon SUV that belonged to the manager of a super market six blocks from the
shooting. The owner had no idea when it had been lifted, since he always
parked his car at the back of the lot where he worked. The victim
appeared to be the type to get himself into trouble, but had no known gang
affiliation. Too bad he was DOA and couldn't explain why anyone wanted to
put out his lights. This one was probably not going to go anywhere,
unless they could tie him to a particular run-in with one of the Hispanic
street gangs. Even then, looking for an older dark green muscle car
wasn't going to be that easy." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;text-align:justify;line-height:21.0pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black">
Angel sat on the edge of Anita's bed, gently stroking the silky dark hair
spread across the pillow. "It's going to be okay Mija. That
bastard won't ever try to lay a hand on you or hurt any other girl again!
I have to get back to base now, cuz my unit is shipping out to the middle
east. You do good in school and try to forget that pendejo ever existed.
Danny will look out for you. Say your rosary for me and the guys every
night chica." Sergeant Angela Martinez kissed her sister's cheek,
squared her shoulders, rising to stride out of the room. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> --------<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cleora<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I’m Terrible at
this kind of thng. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What you have sounds fine to me. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It has taken some of the main themes of the
story and expressed them in a minimal
amount of words. <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The themes sound interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Cleora sub for October 21, 2021<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">63 words<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">elevator pitch for Legend of Sly duck<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I'm currently working on a story about a
visually impaired duck who starts out walking south for the winter because she
runs into things when she tries to fly.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">On her journey, she befriends a grasshopper,
receives an adaptive device to help her fly, and proves her worth by saving a
kingdom from an evil monarch. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">_______________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Group1 mailing list<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="mailto:Group1@bluegrasspals.com"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:blue">Group1@bluegrasspals.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="https://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/group1" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:blue">https://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/group1</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> -------</o:p></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">SALLY<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I
really enjoyed this poem. <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It defines
the English victory garden<o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. It has a
nice rhythm and good sounds. <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There is a
good amount of alliteration and r
sounds. <o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Beautiful.
No wasted words. </span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br>
“NEEDS MUST.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Salley sub
for Oct<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Massive
paws lumbering along<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">familiar
English garden paths,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">my aunt’s
gentle mastiffs are perplexed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">to find
roses replaced by rhubarb.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Where
larkspur and lavender flourished,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">courgettes
and carrots await harvesting.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What are
courcettes <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Near dark,
gnarled yew trees from which<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">the ancient
house takes its name,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">What are
corcettes? What is the house’s name.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">rows of
potatoes and peas are nourished<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By soil and
sun in a ravaged<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">and
rationed nation’s victory garden.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><i><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></i></b><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I am particularly fond of these last three lines.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">nature’s
abundance will feed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">the
homefront until, Hitler defeated,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">English
roses bloom again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Love the
ending.<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span></u></b></p><p class="yiv4604522503msonormal" style="margin: 0in; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">By Sally
Rosenthal<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>
</o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;line-height:normal;background:white"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><br></div></div>