My children’s book is finished and I now have immersed myself into Publishing hell. I am so unequipped to handle this launch. As I walk down the street like the Pied Piper, with five captivated children listening to my story, I wonder how I am ever going to achieve turning it into a published book.  Brevitt has been consumed by it and has already created the sequel to the story and I feel hard pressed to get that written as well.

The boys came into my office this morning to see why Wade was laughing at me as I slaved away at the computer trying to figure out where to begin. I have never seen him so animated at 7:00am. He had just finished his umpteenth cup of coffee and thought I was a hilarious site. “Come see Princess Leah”, he called to the boys.

Glad to be so amusing to my tribe, I explained that I needed to put my hair up like that because it helped me get into children book mode. They handed me a lightsaber and cheered me on.

Axel used to cry when I would come home with straight hair after a day at the beauty salon. He would demand that I go wash the curl back in and bring his mommy back. I would try to explain to him that it was really nice to sometimes have hair that didn’t have a life of it’s own. He inherited his father’s beautiful thick, straight hair so what could he know of my personal daily struggle.

Rather than have a long post devoted to my bad hair days I thought I would just show you the pictures that Brevitt took of me this morning. I have always hated that my hair gave away my personality. Nobody wants to be predictable but I gave in to my curls a long time ago understanding the rule of the beast. After all, you can’t train a wild animal to become domesticated.

(how I feel at any given moment. Look out or I may pounce)

I have somewhat recovered from the trauma of getting bitten by a dog while hiking a few months ago. The anxiety returns whenever I run in to the woman and her dog on the trail. I always have to move out of her way as she comes stomping up toward me with her angry mutt by her side.

Yesterday, I waited for her to pass by but could not help commenting that she really should be more courteous. It took her a few seconds before she took off her headphones and made me repeat what I was saying. Thoroughly annoyed I asked her, “ Do you think that when you see me coming, you could respectfully hold your dog and wait for me to pass?” She rolled her eyes and told me that since she was the one coming uphill she had the right of way. I reminded her that her dog did actually bite me and that I had since developed a phobia of all dogs that I never had before. I also let her in on the fact that I never reported her even though she was unapologetic from the start. She was clear that she thought I was overreacting and should not be complaining to her.

We angrily walked away from each other. I was in disbelief that somebody could be that rude and insensitive.

I continued to run down the extremely steep and slippery trail when I heard her state that she was right behind me. I jumped out of her way and landed in a soft snow pile that took me down to all fours. I could not believe the audacity of this woman. I looked up at her in passing and loudly told her that I didn’t hate anybody but I hated she and her dog. She stopped and said, “I don’t know why you give me such a hard time when you see me. I don’t know what you want from me.” I told her that if she listened she would hear that my only request was that she stop, hold her dog by the collar and let me pass. She said that she did just give me notice when she was coming from behind me…and forced me to dive into the snow bank.

I looked her directly into her sunglasses and said, “Who are you?” “What type of person would behave like this?” I than came to the realization that she was just like her dog and that there would be no getting through to her. She was one of those wounded, demented people that I was best to stay far away from. It did occur to me that one day, she may be in a position of importance where I might need her help but shrugged that idea off. I told her that we would never come to a place of agreement and demanded that she go away from me. As she angrily continued I contemplated biting her on her bum but decided against it. I have a temper and could easily get into a brawl but I have never sunk my teeth into somebody’s skin, it seemed way to intimate of a gesture. I had to call forth my pranayama breathing again and let my anger go to the wind. Her issues were not my concern.