you stir while I add the salt .. March 1, 2010

When Violet woke up, it took a little bit to remember that yesterday had not ended like any other day; and she had a lot of unanswered questions.  But first she looked around her room to make sure she really was all alone.  When she was sure, Violet crawled out of the covers and quickly got dressed and headed down the stairs to have some cereal.

While she was eating she wondered if her parents were done fighting and if today would be a happy day or not.  She was also curious about what all was in her mother’s treasure chest and what she did last night with the things she had taken out.

The thing that was the most scary though was what happened when she tried to use the bubble trouble.  Why had her room gotten so cold? who was the man? where did he come from? and where did he go?   And the worst part is who could she ask, who could help her?  Suddenly Violet felt very sad and very alone.

Just then her mother came into the kitchen her hands full of fresh cut violets.  “Good morning Violet, how are you today?”

“I am fine thank you, just finishing my breakfast.  I can hurry.”

“No need to hurry in fact why don’t you stay and watch what I am doing for a bit.”

Violet was confused because her mom seemed happy, but at the same time it felt like something was just not right…but she agreed and finished her cereal.

“I picked these violets this morning and I am going to use them today, then spread them outside.  I want you to help because I think you have something to do with all of this.”

“All of what?”

“Don’t worry about that, put your stuff in the sink and bring a chair over here to the stove so that you can watch.  No worries we will have some fun.”

Violet quickly forgot all of her worries as she pulled the chair over and started helping her mother.

“First we will take the big kettle and fill it about half full of water, next we will add some salt.  Here you take this spoon and start to stir the water and I want you to turn it in this direction from your right to your left, we call that counter clockwise.  While you are stirring I will add the salt.” ©

could see her breath February 24, 2010

Violet could not hear anything, the house seemed very, very quiet.  She closed her book, sat up, leaned forward and tried even harder to listen.   Still nothing.

She could not help but thinking how easy it was to see Grey when she did the bubble poem, and she decided to try again and try to see her mother.

Make a bubble when there is trouble, Make a bubble when there is trouble, Fill it with blue just for me, Fill it with blue just for me show me mom.

Violet was still sitting up in her bed, and had her eyes closed very tightly; she felt her cheeks were very warm, but it seemed as if her room was very cold.  But there was nothing to see it was just dark like any time a person has their eyes closed.   Violet thought maybe she just needed to try again so she repeated …

Make a bubble when there is trouble, Make a bubble when there is trouble, Fill it with blue just for me, Fill it with blue just for me show me mom.

Now she felt very hot and it was still just dark because her eyes were closed and she felt like someone was in the room staring at her.  She quickly opened her eyes, thinking she would see one of her parents and be in trouble for sitting up in bed…but no one was there.

Violet felt very cold, and realized that she could see her breath just like on a snowy day.  She blew out a deep breath and saw her breath again and then she saw something move to the side of her.  She quickly turned her head to the left and saw an angry looking man, with his forehead wrinkled up…staring at her with his cold dark eyes.

She was so startled that she jumped and screamed, but in the blink of her eye he was gone.  The room was empty but icy cold and Violet felt very afraid.  She dove down under the covers, holding them tight around her body and over head.  ©

Make a bubble when there is trouble. February 22, 2010

“Tomorrow you will need to play in your room all day.  I am going to finish painting the window, and will also get the cork board up on the wall.    Dean that reminds me, I will need some help getting that tacked up so you will have to make some time to come in and help me.”

“Oh I won’t have time tomorrow I will just ask one of the men to come in.  When do you need help?  In the morning or the afternoon?”

“What I need is your help, and not some dirty man to come and try.  I will spend as much time explaining what to do as doing it.  I might as well just do it myself!”

Violet took a deep breath because she could tell that her parents were going to have an arguing dinner.  She sat very still and tried to move as little as possible and make no noise at all as she ate.

“Well then do it yourself!  You know you are not any better then those men that work hard all day long every day, it is their work that makes it possible for you to go shopping and be the lady of the manor.”

“Lady of the manor?!  Violet are you done eating your father and I need to have a conversation, go to your room.”

Violet quickly slid out of her chair and ran up the stairs to her room, quietly closing the door behind her.  She could still hear them downstairs arguing.  She decided to sing a song, to try and not hear.

♫ Magical flowers in the field, and fluffy clouds in the sky ♪

♫ Animals dig, walk and run and they even fly up high  ♪

Just then she heard a loud crash from downstairs, and then another.  She knew it was best to hide in her room and not go look to see what was happening.   Then she remembered something her Aunt Grace had said to do when her parents were angry with each other.

“Make a bubble when there is trouble.  Make a bubble when there is trouble.”  She closed her eyes tight as she said it, and imagined that a big bubble was all around her, just like the kind she would blow from the bottle.  “Fill it with blue just for me, fill it with blue just for me. “  As Violet repeated it, she kept her eyes shut tight.  Suddenly she felt very warm and happy and then she finished “show me… Grey!”

With her eyes closed she could see Grey, in the barn, in his stall.  She could smell the hay, and she could see Max laying not far away.  Violet was so enjoying it all that she did not hear her mother come in the room.  ©