Thanksgiving....
A time that
Americans spend days preparing a feast to show that they are thankful for what
they have. Then go out and trample people as they try to get all the good sales
before everyone else.
This year, some
shops are starting their sales the day of Thanksgiving! Talk about being
un-thankful for what we already have!
Okay, enough
rambling.
This
Thanksgiving, it has been assigned that I will do most of the cooking. I still
am not very sure what to think about that. In a way I am happy because I do
really enjoy cooking but I am also wondering how I am going to prepare for our
doll clothes sale that's coming up in December. I suppose it is only two or
three days that I will not be sewing so it shouldn't hurt my inventory too
badly.
Today, I cooked
almond cookies. As usual, they are gluten-free. This recipe is our most delicious
recipe. I have never heard anyone not like them! We gave them out as Christmas
gifts one year and everyone absolutely loved them. I personally prefer the
batter better than the cooked cookies.
I don't really
know how I am finding time to post this, but I am anyway. :)
Here is the first
and unedited chapter of a book I am writing called Quest for the Cabin of Light:
I inhale sharply as I round the last bend in
the path and look ahead. My entire view is filled with stormy splendor.
A huge expanse of
gray-blue Ocean fills up most of my vision. White-capped waves are rolling in
and out, up and down, over and over again. They never stop, never tire, relentlessly
carving the rocks into a masterpiece of Great Father’s design.
Gusts of wind
coming off the ocean blow my hair around my face, and my skirt around my
ankles. I smooth my hair back and step out of the forest.
Between me and the
open beach is a maze of gigantic driftwood. Some logs have roots sticking out
the ends, looking rather like they are having a bad hair day.
Laughing at the
thought of logs trying to comb their hair, I decide to climb on top of the
nearest log and sit for a little while. It is harder than I first thought and
my bare feet slip on the sun-baked wood, I fall on my back unharmed and lie
there remembering Dear-Old-Man’s words, “The path that leads down to the ocean you
will follow, left you turn when the water you see. Three bends the beach will
take before a brave traveler will find a path leading away from the ocean. Take
this path or find your way blocked, the Cabin of Light is along this path.”
Dark,
angry-looking thunderclouds are approaching along the western sky, making the
sea look angrier than ever. I decide that I had better hurry and find the cabin
before I get soaked to the skin in one of our famous rains.
Standing up, I
notice that the wind has gotten stronger, almost blowing my jacket off! I zip
it up, pull it tighter, and begin my long walk down the beach.
I try to remember
what Dear-Old-Man had said, was it around the first bend or the second? Would
the cabin be hard to spot among the forest or would it stick out?
Because the cabin
is called The Cabin of Light, maybe
it shines like the sun and will be easy to find!
Scanning the thick
forest, I notice a dark shape moving through the trees, keeping pace with me.
Is it just my eyes or is something in there following me? I feel a cold shiver
go down my back as I remember Dear-Old-Man’s words,
“It is a very
dangerous quest my dear Mouna. Shadow-Man will do anything to stop you. You
will need to keep your wits about you at all times. He is very tactical and
will show you many other paths but, you must stay on mine.”
Maybe that is Shadow-Man
or maybe one of his warriors! Maybe he is already trying to stop me! I haven’t
even entered his domain yet!
The wind is
getting stronger; fingers of cold are pricking sharply through my thin clothes.
How much beach
will be left after the tide comes in all the way? Shuddering, I forget Shadow-Man,
and begin running down the beach, hoping I can find the path before the tide
comes in all the way.
I look into the
forest and there is the shadow keeping pace with me even now, when I am running!
Another shiver goes down my spine and I decide to think about how warm and dry
the cabin will be instead.
Presently, I have
rounded the third bend in the path and in front of me is a small inlet with no path
around it.
Dear-Old-Man had
said, “Take this path or find your way blocked.” I turn around and walk slowly
along the forest to find the path leading away from the ocean.
Being this close
to the forest, I can feel my nerves trembling; the shadow warrior could be
right next to me! I glance into the forest but see no one.
I guess I should
be relieved but instead, I get more nervous, maybe it is hiding so that it can jump
at me?
Each time an ocean
wave comes in, I can feel a little bit of water tickling my bare toes. Still I
can’t see the path and I am coming upon the third bend again! I turn back towards
the inlet and follow the forest again.
Now the ocean is
beginning to swirl around my ankles each time a wave comes in. In frantic
haste, I begin to run, trip on a rock, and fall, landing full length in the icy
water.
Disgusted with my
self for being so foolish, I slowly move myself into a crawling position.
Right in front of
me is a little path leading into the forest. How did I miss it? I must have
been going to fast.
I pick myself up,
shake off, and walk into the Forest of Darkness
and the foreboding domain of Shadow-Man.
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