FRIDAY FREEBITS WITH GINGER #frifreebits

Slapping reins and creaking wheels disturbed the dawn's silence as Walt drove out of the yard.  Cecile waved on last time then stood shivering until he had disappeared from sight.

Suddenly, the quiet returned, this time bringing a hollow feeling that forced out her tears.  Gazing around through the blur, he realized how truly alone she was.  Just her and the animals, at least that's what she hoped as she ducked inside and closed the front door, sliding the locking bar across it.

The warmth inside felt good  next to the fire.  She choked back her sadness and resolved to be brave.  A little extra work never hurt anyone, and time alone would let her reflect on her life.  Well-earned blisters grated nosily together when she rubbed her palms back and forth over the flames, and she grimaced, knowing she would only earn more with her added chores.  What happened to those blemish-free hands she once had?

Her thoughts turned to Walt.  Where was he now?  Was he thinking of her?  She smiled, picturing his handsome face and appreciating how wonderful he made her feel.  Despite her nervousness at the moment, her life was better because he was part of it.  She looked around the dismal room, realizing she could life anywhere as long as they were together.

Although tempted to crawl back into bed and sleep until her husband came home, she admonished herself for acting so childish.  She donned her work clothes, imagining the look on her father's face if he saw her dressed for farming.  His little girl milking the cow and gathering eggs; he'd faint dead away.  She forced herself out of the cabin's coziness into the cool morning air.

"Okay Bossie, here I come.  My hands are nice and warm for you."



*****
Destiny's Bride is available with my other work at Amazon.  This was my debut novel that earned four stars from The Romantic Times...back in 2003 when it was entitled, Prairie Peace.  If I could redo this novel again, I'd adhere to all the rules I've learned since then.  Thank you Books We Love for giving Cecile another chance.

Friday Freebits with Ginger #frifreebits

It's Friday again.  Boy, don't this weeks fly by?  Today, another installment from Destiny's Bride.  Hope you enjoy it.  It's still September, so don't forget Books We Love's September Select Sale where a number of books are only ninety-nine cents the entire month.  Destiny's Bride is among them.

***



She (Cecile) kicked a splintered piece of wood and

sent it flying.  Why hadn't she asked him more abut himself?  Where was he from or had he ever visited before?  Had he come to town and she just didn't recall?  No way!  She'd certainly remember someone with his good looks.  With any luck, maybe he'd stay in town long enough to come to the upcoming Spring Fling.  Her heart quickened again.

She had never actually met his Aunt May, but knew her by sight.  She was a short, rather plump woman with silver gray hair usually pulled back into a bun.  They had exchanged smiles and pleasantries across the aisles of the mercantile on several occasions, but Cecile's father referred to the woman's boarding house as being on the "wrong side of the tracks."  He forbade Cecile to step foot into that area; warned over and over again it was no place for a respectable young woman to venture.  Cowpokes and drifters traveling through Silver City frequented the saloons nearby.  Sometimes her father was far too judgmental.

So, how could she manage to run into Walt again?  A mental picture of him flashed through her mind, and determination drove her thoughts.

"Afternoon, Miz Cecile," a passing resident called, drawing her from her thoughts.

She gave a quick nod then grimaced.  Afternoon?  Another face emerged in her mind's eye--her father's, and he most likely wasn't happy.  Here she dawdled along thinking about Walt and her father still hadn't eaten.  He'd be furious.  She hastened her steps.

Her mother met her at the door, her brow raised.  Eyeing the stains on Cecile's dress, Mrs. Palmer shook her head.  "My goodness what happened to you?  You're a mess."

***
See, a handsome man can make you lose your mind.  First Cecile tripped and spilled her father's lunch tray all over herself, and now she's just dawdling while her Pa is starving and probably wondering what the heck happened.  He's not the most patient man around.  *lol*  Thankfully, mother rescues her daughter and sends her back with a second tray.  More to come next week, but in the meantime, you can always get your own copy for a mere 99 cents via my amazon author's page.

Friday Freebits with Ginger - #frifreebits - #blogshare

Welcome back to Dishin' It out and six more paragraphs from a book I'm reworking, Life is a Bowl of Toilets and I Clean Them.  I'm starting a new chapter, Always Something There to Remind Me, so enjoy:

What's amusing about being humiliated?  Nothing, but heavy people go through life cringing at what's around the next corner.

 Amusement parks are a prime example of the fun weight can hinder.  I love the thrill of the rides, or I did when I was a child, but as an adult, I've tried to avoid them...until sibling pressure got the best of me.  Before I had my stomach stapled I was a ton of fun.  Now I'm a half-ton of fun as the medical people forgot to tell you that my metabolism would dramatically change and I have to really alter your lifestyle to keep the weight off.  My chances of becoming a jogger are slim and none so, I'm stuck with a small stomach and a big butt again.

My sisters thought an outing to Six Flags would be fun.  What was I thinking when I said yes?  I'm still not sure why I went because I dug in my heels at every turn.  At the wooden roller coaster, I firmly refused to ride because I'd just read a recent article about a fat woman who met her death when hurled through space like a sack of flour when her safety restraints failed to support her bulk.  At the time, I hadn't given a lot of thought to dying, but I remember being pretty sure I didn't want to meet my end as a stain on the pavement beneath a pile of wood.

Further down, we found a ride where, while waiting in line, you were actually invited to "try on the car" to make sure it could accommodate you.  I passed on that one too.  If I try on something, I at least want a fitting room and a curtain for privacy or, if I was really in the mood to humiliate myself I would have worn a "wide load" sign on my butt.  I figured I might be safe on the stand-up coaster.

And why not?  There wasn't anything but a shoulder harness to hold you in place, and from where I stood, it appeared to be big enough to fit and I saw people my same size and larger on the ride.  What I failed to notice was the adjustable crotch support that helped you in case of weak knees, and the person who rode before me must have played for the Lakers.

After standing in line for an hour, you get micro-seconds to secure your harness and get ready before someone hits the "start" button.  I was more concerned with getting the harness over my boobs and locked, and by the time I started to adjust the offending crotch rocket, we took off.  Six mind numbing minutes of twists and turns, all on my tiptoes.  The ride definitely was a new experience and no fun at all, and I don't think I'll ever forget the excruciating pain in my calves and nether region.



Okay...more next week.  Hop on over to my friends and see if they can top my story.  *lol*

Jamie Hill
Roseanne Dowell
Tricia McGill
Juliet Waldron
Taryn Raye
Kathy Fischer-Brown
Rhobin Lee Courtright
Sydell Voeller

Friday Freebits with Ginger - #frifeebits #blogshare

Welcome back to another week of shared work among the participating authors.  I'm carrying on with my chapter, Strangers in the Night, from Life is a Bowl of Toilet and I Clean Them

.My gradual loss of vision coincided with the spouting of hairs on my new, china and a few on my upper lip.  What's that all about?  I had a hysterectomy, took hormone replacement pills daily, but I still grew whiskers.  I don't know about you, but I'm under the firm assumption that my husband should be the only one in the house sporting a beard or moustache.  It's yet another humiliating experience when I'm forced to ask my husband to "groom" me since I can't see well enough to handle the tweezers myself.  I wish the hair on my head grew as fast as those on other parts of me.

At the same time, I entertained the thought of becoming the circus' bearded lady, I noticed the slowed growth of hair on my legs and underarms.  Maybe the phenomena was caused by the minimization is a repercussion of accelerated growth elsewhere.  Who knows?  But, on a good note, having my moustache waxed on a monthly basis at my local salon did take a few pleats out of my lips.

Speaking of waxing.  I recall when I first heard the term "bikini wax."  At first I had no idea what it was, but then asked.  Since I've never had a "bathing suit" body, a few stray public hairs were the least of my concern back then.  Oh, like everyone else, in my younger years, I did do a little trimming just so those little curly hairs didn't peek out of my undies, but I sure as heck wasn't going to let a complete stranger take care of the problem for me.  Isn't life humiliating enough?

I realize this is a very sensitive topic, but I do feel it my duty to warn that you won't always have an overgrowth problem.  You see, one of life's best kept secrets is that the hairs on your head aren't the only ones that turn gray...and even worse, not only men develop male-pattern baldness.  A baby girl may look cute out of her diaper, but there's nothing attractive about a graying, balding who-who.  If you're like me, you won't have to worry as you age about that particular problem.  My boobs will eventually hide both problems...as long as I don't lay down.

Here are things you count on as you reach fifty and beyond:

Time may be a great healer but it's also a lousy beautician.
There are three signs of old age...the first is your memory loss, the other two...I forget.
Your mind not only wanders; sometimes it leaves completely.
You're getting old when the same sensation from a rocking chair compares to one you once experienced on a roller coaster.
Never read the small print; there ain't no way you're gonna like it.
If you let a smile be your umbrella, you'll most likely walk around soaking wet.
The only two things you'll do with greater frequency in your senior years is urinate and attend funerals.
After a certain age, if you don't wake up aching in every joint, you're most likely dead!

Next week, I'll continue with another new chapter...Always Something There to Remind Me!  Hope you'll join me, but in the meantime, hop on over to the following links and see what my pals are sharing todays:

Jamie Hill
Roseanne Dowell
Tricia McGill
Juliet Waldron
Sydell Voeller
Taryn Raye
Kathy Fischer-Brown
Rhobin Lee Courtright

Friday's A Few Lines From

Magic of the Chimes by Pat Dale

What is it with this guy and my chest?

His focus remained at that point when she set the food before him, random thoughts flitting through her mind.

“Here’s your breakfast, Mr. Williams. Howie. I hope everything is done to your satisfaction.” She knew instantly her choice of words was wrong again when he leered up at her.

“Oh, yes. Very much so.” Returning his focus to her chest, he added, “Full and firm, and very nicely formed.” He grinned and winked.

That did it. She’d begun to pour more coffee into his cup when her arm slipped. The hot brown liquid scored a bulls-eye in his lap.

http://bookswelove.net/dale.php

Please stop back next week for a few lines from Shirley Martin.