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One Fell SWOOP

You will probably find this hard to believe, but I was strange as a little girl. And were it not for one particular friend during my formative years, who knows where that would have led…
When my family moved to Hawaii in the sixties, I was three or four years old. How lucky was it that we just happened to move next to a family with an equally strange little girl? Her name was Holly and we were inseparable. Beyond friends, beyond sisters even at that time.
Our mothers, when they bought us dresses, would sometimes buy an extra one for the other of us. Holly and I were both blond, her eyes were brown and my eyes were blue, and therefore our dresses would be the same in everything but color. She would get the orange dress, I would get the navy, we got our hair cut alike…practically twins.
It was Holly that I played dolls and made up dances and plays with. It was Holly who was coaching me as I sang on top of that rabbit hutch. I still remember exactly where Holly’s teeth landed on my cheek when we hugged so hard after she got back from a trip to Europe. We were so glad to see each other again that she didn’t have time to close her mouth from our shouts of excitement before we were in each others arms, crying with joy.
Then finally came the time seven years later for my family to move back to the mainland. Back then there was no such thing as Skype or Facebook, and long distance phone calls were only for the direst of emergencies. We wrote for quite awhile and I would have dreams of Hawaii being just on the other side of that snowy mountain in Cedar City, Utah, but inevitably, Holly and I lost touch and grew apart.
Because she was such an important part of my life, my memories with Holly figure a lot into Hazel Twigg & the Hollyhock Hideaway, including one of the sadder situations.
In Chapter 22 Remembrances & Regrets, it’s revealed why Hazel’s mother is the way she is, so careful and afraid of everything, and why the mention of relatives makes her cry: Olivia’s husband, sister, mother and niece were all killed by a drunk driver who later escaped.
In one fell swoop, Holly’s mother, sister and grandmother – three generations – were killed by a drunk driver who later escaped.
When this terrible event happened we were grown women with families of our own. We’d seen each other once or twice over the years but had changed too much over time; the childhood closeness was gone. But for that one awful conversation we were back to where we’d always been; Side by side as little girls, sharing funny and sad and scary remembrances of when we were younger. Those formative years when a mother’s love is so important.
We’ve drifted in and out of each others lives over the years and I can’t recall when I spoke to her last, but still. I am heartily, heartily thankful for that childhood we had together. I’ve said it often: Holly saved my life.
This is an “About” from last week’s chapter. Last night’s Chapter 23 Leap of Faith that premiered last night is a continuation of 22’s Remembrances & Regrets.
Premiere and Expiere

WHAT?! That’s not how you spell “Expire”!
I can’t help it, I’m a poet, not a speller.
Regarding the contest: the race to get to 150 “Likes” on Facebook. Hmm…this is going to be trickier than I thought. Yessirree, I may have to rethink this. We’re up to 86 from 81, so there’s THAT – but it may take awhile to get to 150…I might need to lower my goal or sweeten the deal…but, hmm….you can’t get much sweeter than Chase’s Cherry Mash…
Ooh, look! The expiration date!
Looks like I have some time to ponder this thing further. Not near as long as I thought. Iowans must go through this stuff like gangbusters…bless ’em…(bless me too, for I am an Iowan now).
Tonight! The Premiere of Chapter 10 Present Past at midnight.
In the meantime, off I go to see if I can perhaps fluff the candies in the tea cup a little. Plus, I bought my Halloween candy for Trick-or-treaters yesterday. So much temptation…must resist…and I WILL!
The “L” Word…

…As in “LIKE” of course! Today’s the start of the drawing. But first!
I would like to thank the fairy that graced my porch last night. My dog Teddy has three barks: The Ballistic Bark when a stranger comes to my door, the Bark of Greeting when my sister Julie or Brother-in-law Scott come knocking, and lastly, the Something-Invisible-to-the-Human-Eye-is-Out-There Bark. These are the barks that I never check out, because when I do there’s nothing there. What is Teddy barking at? A leaf? A fairy?
No, I only look when his bark is Ballistic or Greeting, otherwise I would spend my days going up and down the stairs to see.
So a dainty and sneaky fairy put beautiful Fall treasures on my porch, right next to the door, and Teddy didn’t go Ballistic. Therefore I am SURE: FAIRIES!
THANK YOU, FAIRIES! What a fun surprise!
*****
And now for The Contest:
for the “Hazel Twigg” page on Facebook. We are slowly but surely gaining and currently at 81. Can we get to 150? YES!
The PRIZE:
A vintage cup and saucer from the 50’s FILLED with mini Cherry Mash. Why Cherry Mash? Because one thing Julie and I noticed as transplants to this fair state is that Iowans love Cherry Mash candy, and no wonder! Why, in 1918 it was the favorite candy in the whole country! Iowans are simply a loyal bunch!
Also attached to the handle is the very first printing of our “Hazel Twigg Original” tag with our official logo. The FIRST! Tied with vintage ribbon, because I’m all about vintage. The tea cup represents what the Hazel Twigg series is all about: a simpler time with simpler pleasures.
THERE ARE TWO SETS AS SHOWN! ONE WILL GO TO A “CURRENT” LIKER, AND ONE WILL GO TO A “NEW” LIKER!
For those of you who have already “Liked” H.T., SHARE the clearly marked “Old Friend” post and you will be entered.
For “New” Likers, comment on the second clearly marked “New Friend” post and you will be entered.
Random drawing to be held when we reach 150! This cup and candy and card could be YOURS.
Any questions, feel free to ask in the comments section.
Mini pumpkins courtesy of Spencer’s Pumpkin Palooza, which is this Sunday at 3:00. I KEED! It’s October 13 from 11:00 to 3:00!
LET’S DO THIS THING.
Don’t Say It!

The 1985 Oscars. Almost 30 years ago, and still I cringe. Sally Field, up for Best Actress for her role in Places in the Heart. She wins, and in her acceptance speech uttered those immortal words…
“You like me! You really like me!”
It was the recoil felt ’round the world.
I vow to never utter those words myself. And, yet! Could you, pretty please, go to Hazel Twigg on Facebook and “Like” me? I mean, really like me?
See? DIFFERENT words! Not the exact ones!
I wish I could think of something clever to say so that you would chuckle in delight as you go to Facebook. “Oh, that Ruth!” you would say to yourself as you toddle on over and type into the search window. H-a-z-e-l-space-T-w-i-g-g, enter. LIKE!
I wish I could! But my mind, it is
Seriously. I came this close to writing another Haiku. Happy Tuesday!