Miss Parker #99WordStories

Posted on April 8, 2022 by Gloria

99-word stories for Charli Mills at Carrot Ranch; April 4, 2022, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story to explain “baby ducks ate my lunch.” How did that happen? Who is the protagonist? Where did the baby ducks come from? Go where the prompt leads!

Miss Parker is a nice teacher. When I told her I lost my coat pockets, she knew I lied. She knew my mammy sewed them up.

When I told her I lost the gloves she knitted for me, she knew my mammy took them.

And when I told her that the baby ducks ate my lunch, she knew I didn’t have any in the first place.

When I told her my mammy was gone away to find my daddy, she knew it wasn’t true. She knew my mother was gone for good.

I like my new mammy, Miss Parker.

The collection of last week’s 99-word stories can be read here; Disappearance.

60’s Hair #100DaysOfOldDays

Posted on April 7, 2022 by Gloria

Day 54 #100DaysOfOldDays

Today, Lucy drew the picture and it’s my job to relate it to the old days.

I see a 60’s hairstyle. A flip Bob with little tapered curls and a touch of the bouffant in there too.

The 60’s was a fantastic time for diverse hairstyles.

They had the beehive, created by Margaret Vinci Heldt. Brigitte Bardot wore hers messy, Audrey Hepburn’s was a tidy one, and Barbara Streisand had a particularly chic beehive.

Some wore their beehives very high and voluminous. I can imagine how much hairspray they must have used back then.

Vidal Sassoon refashioned women’s hairdressing with his geometric bobs, pixie crops and Greek Goddess styles.

Hairdresser Louis Alexandre Raimon created the artichoke hairstyle—also known as the pinwheel.

Electric tongs and heated rollers allowed women to create their big curls at home, without having to go to the hairdressers. Hair was getting longer and fuller.

Those influenced by the flower power movement in the late 60’s tended to wear their hair more naturally. Parted in the centre, long or medium length, with or without a fringe. Then they wore flowers in their hair!

Remember the headbands? And the headscarf? Hilda Ogden wasn’t the only one who wore a scarf. I’m not sure if Hilda’s was a fashion statement though.

The Salmon Capital of Ireland #100DaysOfOldDays

Posted on April 6, 2022 by Gloria

Day 53 #100DaysOfOldDays

Today’s post is also part of PPAC #42 hosted by Marsha Ingrao at alwayswriteblog

This mural that I’ve chosen is painted on the gable of a building that looks across at its neighbour, the Cot & Cobble Restaurant in Ballina, Co Mayo.

The town of Ballina—Béal Átha an Fheadha, meaning ‘mouth of the ford’—started off as a small seaport and market town on the River Moy in the 16^th century.

Down through the centuries, Ballina has inherited its own unique culture and traditions. It’s now a thriving town with an urban population of between 10,000 to 15,000 people ( We’ll see what this year’s census reveals).

Since 2 ½ km of the River Moy is located within the surrounds of Ballina, it’s no surprise that the town is world-famous for salmon fishing, and that it’s known as the Salmon Capital of Ireland.

Ballina is also famous for the annual ‘Salmon Festival’. The 8-day event, held in July, has been running since 1964 and attracts over 200,000 visitors to the town annually.

It’s a family orientated festival that celebrates the arts, culture, heritage, music, street theatre, dance, sport, carnival and food.

For most people the highlight of the festival is the Mardi Gras that ends with an evening of a spectacular fireworks display.

The Mardi Gras and where it came from will get a post of its own during our 100 days of old days.

Lucy’s drawing today;