FanStory.com - Reminiscing by barbara.wilkey

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"Reminiscing"

Prologue
The Prologue

By barbara.wilkey

This is a prologue to a novel I'm considering writing. Numerous people I've spoken with through the years have mentioned that I need to write down the experiences I've had raising four boys while being a military spouse. Basically, a geographic single parent. As I've spoken with many of you either through reviews or PM's, many have said 'you need to share that story with all of us.'

I've decided to start this project. It'll be a series of short stories, many will be shared with my granddaughters, some won't. The topics will be varied as I post them, depending on what my muse prompts me to write about at that time. I won't be posting them on a once-a-week basis, but whenever something pops into my head.

If I decide to eventually publish this, I'll group the similar topics together. One of the topics I'm considering is, as I've said, raising four boys. My boys were far from angels. They were honest to goodness rowdy boys, who enjoyed experimenting and exploring. My husband, Brian often mentioned they were a tag team match. One of them was always doing something they shouldn't. When we settled that problem, a different child would start. Something was always going on.

Another topic will be living abroad. We spent a total of eight years in Germany, not all at once. We got to Germany by way of the Army. Along with these stories will be stories of living within the military community and what it's about. It's a different lifestyle, with its ups and downs. I wouldn't change it.

If I choose to write about it, being a battered wife. It's a hard subject to discuss, but it's real. I struggled getting my freedom. Some of this story is discussed in my first novel, 'Two Tattered Hearts'. A huge surprise this is my only novel without a dog. I have often felt I need to go back and change that. LOL

A possible topic would be the death of my infant, Michael and how that impacted my faith.

I could even write about how being retired has affected my life or even getting older. I could also include stories from my former first graders.

These are just ideas I'm playing around with. I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some. I have no clue how this is going to turn out. I've put myself out there a little in writing my novels. I doubt any author can write without sharing a piece of themselves, but this will be the first time I've written about me. Well, I did when I wrote about my experiences going through breast cancer and chemotherapy. There may be a little more about that experience too and its lasting effects.

I hope some of you have found this interesting and will want to read. If not, I do understand. My life is probably boring. I often believe it is. Maybe I can find a way to liven it up. LOL

Author Notes Thank you, Pinterest for the artwork. I may use it on every post. Not sure, yet.

Guess What??? This is only 500 words. Short for me. LOL

There are things we don't want to happen, but we have to accept. Things we don't want to know, but we have to learn. And people we can't live without Thank you Pam(respa) for finding this for me.

I found this and don't know who said it, but I like it and feel this is what I hope this novel of short stories is about. It sums it up really well.

Thank you for dropping by and reading. I appreciate all commets.

Chapter 1
Chapter 1 Eleanor

By barbara.wilkey

Eleanor

This is not at all how I had planned this going. I'm preparing a chapter explaining all the family members as the characters, so you'd know each one and have a feel for them personally.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately my just turned four-year-old granddaughter, Eleanor, her birthday was July 29th, gave me something to write about, and I couldn't pass it up.

This story was told to me by my son, Andrew, we FaceTime every Sunday afternoon. Andrew works at Barnes Jewish Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. He takes Eleanor to the daycare provided by the hospital for their employees every morning.

Andrew had stopped at a stoplight on the way to the hospital. Next to them a car had stopped, and a fluffy spotted dog stuck its head out an open backseat window.

Eleanor sat in her car seat and said, "Daddy, do you see the furry dog?"

"Yes, I see the dog."

"It looks like a nice cuddly dog."

"I'm sure it is a nice dog."

"Isn't that dog beautiful? I like dogs."

"I know you like dogs. You like all animals."

Eleanor was silent for a few moments. "Daddy, can we get a dog?"

"Hurry up light," Andrew muttered under his breath. "No Ellie, we can't get a dog."

"Why not? Dogs are nice."

"Yes, dogs are nice. Your mom and I both work. We're not home enough."

"Charlotte and I'd play with it all the time when we get home. Charlotte likes dogs, too."

"I know you both would. Dogs poop. I don't want to clean up dog poop."

"Dogs don't poop a lot."

"Yes, they do. Remember when we were at Grandma's, and you stepped in Harley's poop. It was hard to get out of the treads on your shoes. You wouldn't like that, would you?"

"When Harley visits here he doesn't poop in the backyard."

"Yes, he does. Grandma cleans it up."

Again, Eleanor got quiet for a few minutes, before she started again, "Daddy, in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, he asks the neighbors to help. That's what neighbors do. They help each other. We have really nice neighbors. Maybe they'd help clean up dog poop."

"El, it doesn't work that way. We do have nice neighbors, but they don't want to clean up our dog poop. Would you like to clean up their dog's poop?"

"No, but maybe our neighbors like dog poop."

As Andrew's telling this story, I'm laughing and then say, "Andrew, dogs make really good friends. You boys always had a dog growing up, remember? The girls need a dog."

"Mom, you're not helping!"

Author Notes Andrew's wife, Katie is a biology college professor. They have another daughter, Charlotte, who is six and will start first grade in August.

Dogs will teach you unconditional love, if you can have that in your life, things won't be too bad. Robert Wagner

This post is a little over 400 words

Thank you google images for the photograph of a dog with it's head out the car window.

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