The World According to Maggie

[Mairead Harker]

((Maggie Harker is six years old. This is how she sees the world around her via a series of voice recordings of her thoughts about it. ))

Jun 09, 2012

I’m Maggie Harker and I’m six years old. I’ll be seven on Patty’s Day. You gotta wear green that day or the lepercans will eat... What? Oh, they won’t eat you, they will pinch you! Huh.

Mama and Da got me this recordin’ thing sos I can learn to talk better. Mama says it’s a good idea to write your ideas down. But I don’t know how to write them all down yet. So.. she said if I talk in this recorder thing that she will help me write them later. I’m ok with that!

I have one brother named Rick and a sister named Catie. They were borned the Christmas after my first birthday! I have my own dog, her name is Trixter. She’s a Collie like Riddle and Rascal. I usta say Riggle and Rassle, but learnded better.

My bestest friend is Doran. He’s ‘leven years old. His sister is my friend, too. Her name is Azure like the sky color. Doran and me got to be in the marching party for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas when they got married up. We got to dance, too! Dancing with someone at parties is different than ballet. Mr. Eregor and Aunt Rhi dance a lot. Aunt Rhi didn’t wanna catch the pretty flower bundle, but when Krusol said the girls didn’t go out there because they were timid, Aunt Rhi almost banged heads with Mr. Eregor to get that …. MAMA! What’s that leg thing called? The garter. I think I might like to be the flower kid again if they get married up.

My Aunt Rhi’s not a ‘fraidy cat. She winned the Talon last summer and is the squire person for Mr. Matt, over’t Baffled Park. Mama’s not a scaredy cat either. Mama winned the Talon when I was a little baby! She winned a Warlord contest and got a Baron ring. She was for Old Temple. Grandpa’s the baron there now and I go visits him when I don’t have school time.

Mr. Eregor likes plants and cats. He’s got a cat called Diamond. Diamond’s very friendly, but I gived her treats and catnip, so Mama says that might be why she likes me. Mallow likes treats and catnip, too! They both likes playin’ with yarn! Mallow is Mrs. Rachael’s kitten. Patches is our cat, she likes sleeping in the windows when it’s sunny!

My Da is a archatech. He draws pictures of houses and stuff! He made the pictures for our house! We lives on an island. Uncle Bertie works with Da. Uncle Bertie doesn’t draw, he writes numbers in the number books sos he knows how much we got for food and stuff.. He says it’s ledgasomethin’.

I like to duel. I’m three generation dueler. Gran, Mama, Aunt Rhi and me! Da duels sometimes, too. I was in the Talon tournament and I came in second place! I think that’s pretty good for six!

I gots lots of aunts and uncles and cousins.. next time I talk about them!

[Mairead Harker]

Thu Jun 14, 2012

Hello, it's Maggie again!

I figured out alla the buttons on this thing, now! You don't press record over stuff you already said! Or it gets 'rased! Da got me a bunch of recorder discs. He says it will be good for me to remember what I sounded like when I was little!

I have lotsa cousins. Melly's Aunt Chelle's daughter. If I says that like:
My cousin is Melly
the daughter of Aunt Chelle,
It's like a poem!
Melly likes music and living up in the big treehouse where her Da's parents live. She doesn't has a sword like me, but she says she can hit the eye of the bull with her bow'n'arrow!

Nicholae and Jacen are Uncle Draven's kids, but I don't get to see them. Mama said the last time she saw Uncle Draven and Aunt Caitlyn was when her and Da got married up! I can see them in the picture books! Aunt M'rissa's in there, too. Aunt M'rissa's 'dopted like Aunt Mara and she has pretty red hair like Gran, Aunt Nikki and Catie. Aunt Lark has red hair, but Uncle Raymond is blonde. Abby 'n Madison gots red hair toooooooooooooo!

Mama says that what happened to Aunt Mara when she was a lil baby is some of why she wants me to learn how to use my little sword and magics right! Aunt Mara gotted hidded away by a mean lady. The growed ups were all lookin' too hard and Mama was a lil kid with good listenin' ears! When Mama was takin' care of Star, she heard the sad baby sounds! Mama took her big water gun and went to see who was cryin'! And it was Baby Mara alllllllllllll alone! Mama went to tell the baby that the growed ups were comin' because she let Star loose. That was breakin' a rule, so Gran would notice and come find out why in a hurry! So Mama was there with Baby Mara so's she wouldn't be scared. And then.. do you know what happened? The mean lady came!! She tried to take Baby Mara away! All Mama had was a big water gun!! So she squirted the mean lady!! Somebody put special water in there because the mean lady screamed when it hit her! When she screamed, the growed ups finally came! Mama didn't say who all came, but Miss Cassandra was there and got the watergun from Mama to hose off that mean lady! But the mean lady didn't go away fast enough!! She magiced Baby Mara!!! She wasn't a baby no more!! She was a teenerager! Miss Cassandra is the mommy that had Baby Mara in her belly. But I think she was 'fraid of being a mommy to teenerager! So, she askeded Gran and the Grandpa Judas to help her. So Gran became Aunt Mara's momma, too, and Aunt Mara got two mamas! That's how Aunt Mara got to to be Aunt Mara!

Anywaaaaaaaaaaaay I figure I have plenty of other cousins that I never met onaccounta because I met one and he's all growed up!! And he has the same name as my Uncle Draven's son! His name's Jacen, too! He's my great grandpa's brother's son. It sounds confoosing, but it's not. He's my cousin. I like him, he likes me, that's all that matters.

I gotta feed Trix now!

[Mairead Harker]

Jun 16, 2012

We went shoppin' with Uncle Bertie! I got a new plushie; it's a blue baby turtle! Catie got her own Hoppit Poppit book! Rick... all he wanted was a big pretzel! You'd think Mama didn't feed him!

Mama says Uncle Bertie's not sposta use us as flirt bait. I get the bait part, it's what Grandpa Harker and Da use to catch fish. Grandpa showed me how to put the worm on the hook, but Da taught me how to do somethin' called casting. That just means throwin' the line in the water! Gran calls Darien a flirt a when he's bein' all huggy and kissy face to her. Uncle Bertie sure can't be tryin' to catch a Darien!! So... how he's gonna bait a flirt, I dunno! I think Uncle Bertie just likes to show the pretty girls that he'd be a good Da someday. What? Ohh..... now I gets it! Uncle Bertie was flirtin' with the pretty girls when he did that! [giggling ensues] Uh oh.... Mama told Uncle Bertie she's buildin' that big doghouse! I hope we're not gettin' a tower, too! That's ok, though, 'cause Doran says he'd bust me outta the tower!

On Thursday, Rick went fishin' with Da and Uncle Bertie. That's easy cause all they gotta do is go out front since we live on in an island! They had to catch dinner. Mama made crabby rangaloons! I like them, they're crunchy on the outside and squishy with crab and some kinda cheese inside! Uncle Bertie did the cookin' so's Mama might forgive him for the flirt bait thing!

Catie and I went shoppin' for new clothes with Aunt Nikki. Aunt Nikki had a day off from bein' in charge of the big rest'rant. Gran used to do it, but she has to take extra special care of Abby and Madison for now. We got new jeans and pullover the head shirts. I got new boots. I like fancy party dresses, sometimes. Catie likes 'em allllllllllllll the time! So, insteada boots, she got sparkly sandals to go with her blue dress. Catie and Aunt Nikki are what Aunt Rhi calls girly girls onnaccounta they like frilly frou frou stuff! I don't mind the pretties, I just don't want wear pretties when I'm playin' rough and tumble stuff!

We meeted up with Mama for lunch. We had a picnic at the school with the other kids!

And that's all for today!

[Mairead Harker]

Jun 17, 2012

Last month we had Mama’s Day. We had a big dinner over’t Gran’s big building that Da made the plans for. Lots ‘n’ lots a food ‘n’ stuff! I got to talk to Gramma Harker! She likes when I call and tell her alllllll about what’s goin’ on! I try not to tattle on Da to her onaccounta she’s Da’s Mama! He says we don’t need the Mom Squad gettin’ mad!

I get to talk to Aunt Tilly, too! She’s Uncle Bertie’s Mama. When she came to visit last, she kept askin’ when he was gonna give her beeyootiful grandchildren like Denny gave his Mum. Denny’s what Gramma and all them from England calls Da. Tilly’s short for... What? Mah-til-da, that’s it! So, anyway... she was makin’ Uncle Bertie shuffle his feet. I knows that means he’s not happy with somethin’, so I ‘scused myself to them and asked if he could dance with me. He said I was his lifesaver for that. I know he loves her, but he says he gets to borrow us allatime, so he’s in no rush and he can take his time in pickin’ a mama for his own kids! He also told Aunt Tilly that if he could find a girl like Denny, that’s Da again, did that he woulda married up with her a long time ago! Aunt Tilly likes Mama lots, so’s she didn’t fuss about that one little bit. Mama doesn’t mind if we get another adopted Gramma, so, everybody’s happy for now!

I got a Magic lesson in the place under the ‘rena from Jacen. One thing I learned was if I get that polar bear magic workin’ right, it’s gonna knock people’s socks off! Polar bear magic scares off that the big glowing light spell! The other I learned was that you can defend yourself from gettin’ hit with nasty stuff by hittin’ too! Gran says it’s better to learn one or two things at a time and get ‘em right before you move on. I learned a few other things! Some from Mama, some from Aunt Rhi, fire stuff from Aunt Nikki and a little, but verrrrrry impor’ant thing from Gran about not letting magic get away from mel! People can get hurt more from wild magic than anything else in the duel stuff!

Jacen challenged the Fire Keeper, Jesse. I dunno what’s with Jesse now, she used to be happy all flyin’ up on her broom. People are worried about a kid not bein’ able to work a sword good enough in the ring, but Jesse got alla that magic power and peoples are sayin’ she can’t control it! So much for the growed ups know better than the kids and won’t get hurt as easy! Jacen said if he wins to be Fire Keeper, that I can visit the tower! I wonder if he’ll let me walk Cyrus, too! That’s his dog.

I think the Magic people unnerstand what it’s like to be trying to learn how to use what’s inside you. Nobody complained, yet, about me duelin’ there. If I can duel with an Archmage ‘n’ not be a crybaby, I think earned my place to stay there and learn more. Shadow didn’t get mad or angry when I wanted to duel with him. He did what some people in ‘rena did with Mama when she was little and some do with me, now. He used that as a … chance to help me learn. Shadow doesn’t treat me like a baby when I’m duelin’. I like that. Mr. Lem is the Archmage now. I don’t know him very good, but I think I like him ok.

And now we got Da’s day, today. I’m makin’ pancakes! Catie ‘n’ Rick are gonna make scrabbled eggs! I like them with … What? Oh, scrammmbled. ‘scuuuuuuuse me! I still like ‘em with ketchup! Mama’s grillin’ spiced up chicken and makin’ tata salad. Yay for picnics!

So, I was over’t Gran’s last night after I got my duelin’ lesson from Jacen. Gran don’t know, but I heard her cryin’ sometimes. Maddie’s been really sick, so I think she cries about that cause she can’t fix it by herself. I asked if Darien was gonna be there for his first Da’s Day and Gran said he was away workin’. Somehow it just don’t seem fair for a Da to haveta work on Da’s Day!

Ok, I gotta go make pancakes now!

[Mairead Harker]

Jun 18, 2012

Mama says we learn somethin’ new everyday. We don’t always know we learned it! At Gran’s we talk in Irish sometimes. I learned it from when I was a baby. It just kinda happened! I guess you learns what you hear allatime. Gran talks in lotsa languages, but long as she doesn’t get her mad face on, it’s ooooooooook.

I met a nice lady that speaks a language nobody in my family does! That’s Miss Shy. I think she said it’s called Norsk. She told me in her people’s language tussen takk. Means thousand thanks. That’s a whole lot of thank yous! She told me that when I shared up my snacks with her! I couldn’t eat alla them, so I shared. Her belly was doing rumble sounds, she musta been very hungry! Some growed ups forget to use their manners words with kids. Miss Shy not only used manners words, she taught me new ones!

She was there when I dueled with Shadow! I think she was surprised to see a kid in the ring with him. But she wasn’t surprised in a bad way like some of the growed ups get. I think maybe Miss Shy must come from a place where kids learn things when they are young so’s when it’s time for them to need the magic and sword stuff, they know what to do!

When I saw Miss Shy again, Sylus told me a funny story! It end up with a dwarf up a treeeeeeee! He musta had lunch ‘cause he said, “Check please!” like Da tells the people that come to the table when we eat out. Sylus is Melly’s uncle. He’s her uncle like Grandpa Tass is our Grandpa. Means Melly’s Da picked Sylus for his brother. I like him lots. He’s a …. He’s … MAMA??? What’s Sylus do for workin’? Oooh!! He’s a blacksmith, they make swords and stuff! Someday, I’m gonna have him make me a sword!

When Doran and me was in the marching party for Mr. and Mrs. Douglas, we got gifts! We got knives. Gran says it’s called a skeen do. She even showed me how to spells it right, but it sure don’t sound like it’s spelled! Gran gave me a funny look and said sounded fine to her and Common was funny soundin’ to her! Mama said it’s acause Gran growed up speakin’ Irish and Galleyic and... what? Mama that sounds funny. Mama said it’s Gah-lick onaccounta because Irish and Gahlick are two dif’rent things!

I gave Mr. Douglas a money coin because you’re sposta give one to somebody that gives you a sharp thing! I gave Doran a money coin to give over for his skinny do, too! Ok, ok, skeeeeeeen do! The money coin is sposta keep friendship from gettin’ cut off! I don’t know that’s true or not, but I’m not takin’ chances! Mr. Douglas said that little girls don’t usually get knives at weddings, but he was makin’ a ‘xception for me. Mrs. Douglas gave me a pretty necklace. I likes it very much, it’s blue and silver.

So, today I’m playin’ teacher. Rick and Catie are learnin’ to read and I’m helpin’! We’re gonna read Hoppit Poppit! Da says it’s Hop on Pop, but I like Hoppit Poppit better! Off to play school!

[Mairead Harker]

Jun 22, 2012

Here I am again!

I’m learnin’ Greek! I tried to read the letters, but they look silly to me! Mama says after I gets used to them, they won’t look so funny anymore. Melly says that she knows a alphabet called Tengwar. It’s what her grandpa and grandma in Mellor write in!

Mama and Da tell me that the more languages I learn, the more peoples I can talk to! Greek usta be Aunt Rhi and Aunt Nikki’s secret kinda language, but noooooooooooot anymorrrrrrrrrrrrrrre! They was always yelling in it like Gran does in Irish, but when she remembers that us kids know what she’s sayin’, she changes to somethin’ that sounds like Irish, but it’s mudly!

Jacen didn’t win to be the Keeper of the Fire Tower, but Aunt Rhi, Mr. Eregor, Mrs. Douglas, and me... What? Oh, I was there to watch! Mama says it important to be there no matter if the person you're cheering for wins or not. She says that victory is all the sweeter if the people that care ‘bout you are with you. She said it takes the sting out of the defeat, too.

Jacen said I can walk Cyrus, but don’t call him a dog, cause he’s not a dog! He’s special, kinda like Riddle!

I like to read lots. Sometimes the growed ups read things to me that are good stories, but it’s gotta be splained some. Like the story ‘bout the princess that got told to stay home. Her uncle was the king and he told her she had to stay to look after alla the people ‘n’ be in charge. But she wanted to fight. She didn’t listened and went to the big fight anyway! But if she listened, she wouldn’t have been there to kill the nasty monster! Sometimes, you has ta think for yourself on what’s right.

Grandpa says that growed ups that don’t wanna duel with me don’t wanna see me hurt. I get that and I’m ok with it. No is ok. What I don’t get is why it’s ok for growed up people to be actin’ babies that are all cranky because their diapers are full! I told Grandpa that and he laughed. One of the growed ups told a fib when I was dueling Miss Juli! I betcha if I told them a fib, they’d get all mean about it! Mama says ‘ventchly those fibs catch up with people.

So, I’m goin’ fishin’ with Da today! Melly’s coming later to teach me arrow shooting. She doesn’t care for swords much.

Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

30 June 2012

I’m kinda sad today. My Gran’s gone someplace. The growed ups think I don’t know, but I know. Why else would Abby and Maddie be at our house and Gran don’t answer when I ring her up? I keep hopin’ that Darien came to take her away someplace nice on accounta Gran needs a rest after Maddie bein’ sick ‘n’ all. Maddie’s not sick now, I’m happy ‘bout that.

Abby likes sittin’ with us for storytime. She’s always smiley and laughin’! Maddie’s sleepy lots, but Mama said that’s ‘cause she was sick and she’s tired ‘cause she has lotsa growin’ to catch up on! They’re twins like Catie and Rick. Gran never had girl twins before!

The Hydra Cup thing starts soon and I’m escited!! What? Oh... Ex-cite-d. There’s eight people on the team. The only one I don’t really know is the Earth Keeper. A lady named ‘nita was sposta duel with us, but the Jedi man is takin’ her place.

I road Jingles up and down the beach today. Trix ran with us and barked all the way! Sometimes, she sounds like she’s singing!

Next month, I get to visit Melly for a little bit! We’re gonna stay in that biiiiiiiiig treehouse! She says we can practice with bows and arrows. And then we can help her grandpa with his garden!

I got lessons today then I’m gonna play checkers with Uncle Bertie. He’s teachin’ me about the pieces for chess, too! I learned the horse piece is called a Knight and moves around like the letter L. You gotta watch the King because if he’s outta the game, the fat lady sang and the ball game’s all oooooooooooover!

Speakin’ of all over, I need to get those lessons done. Today, I’m going to learn about Bishops and all about what diag’nal means! Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

July 13, 2012

This is Maggie!

I asked Mama how comes people started calling me My. Some of ‘em call me May! She said it’s cause they don’t know to say my name in Irish. I think that’s why mostly I get called Maggie. Gran says my name’s a short down from a bigger one Mahr-grAde. Like everything I learns with words ‘n’ spellin’ stuff, they look all funny sometimes! Mahr-grAde is writed like this .. What? Oh... written. What? Ok, ok, I’m learnin’ here!! It’s writed … written M-a-i-g-h-r-é with a funny thing on it - a-d and it means Margaret. That’s the name Gramma Harker’s Mama and Da gave her! Gran says, that’s Mama’s Mama in case you didn’t know, that Margaret means Pearl. Pearl was what her grampa called her! So, that means, Maggie, me, was named after botha my grandmas! My name is M’rayd ‘liz’beth Harker. What? Huh? Ooooooooooooooook! giggling ensues I sounds like Alvin!

throat clearing
Mah-rayd Elle-iz-ah-beth Har-ker, that’s my name.

So, I went over to the carnival with Gran, Darien, and the baby girls! I got to ride a big elephant! She was nice and let me pet her trunk! I swam with a dolphin, too! Auntie Aja kept gettin’ splashed by Zippy, that’s the dolphin! Doran and I got to pet Finn. He’s a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig dog that b’longs to Mrs. Lo. But like a lot of big dogs, he’s not f’rocious, he just wants to be loved and play lots.

It was funny watchin’ Darien tryin’ to give Abby back to Gran when she want her chewin’ thing! Gran gave him the chewin’ thing and told him to fix it! My Da would have knowed that, but Abby ‘n’ Mad’son are Darien’s first babies, so I guess he has to learn all that stuff my Da already knows! Hmm.. I guess Da hada learn alla that with me to practice on!

I gotted a present from Miss Shy! It’s a … it looks like a telescope and has bee-yoo-tee-ful pictures inside it!! What? Oh... ok! It’s a kahl-eye-dah-scope! That’s a big word! It’s very very fun!! I have to keep it in my room in the closet drawers when I’m not lookin’ in it! That’s ‘cause Catie and Rick don’t know how to take care of that kind of thing yet. When they learn, I’ll show them!

I’m now a... Mama?? What’s that learnin’ thing called? No.. … No.. That’s it!! Neo-phyte. Jacen’s a Mage in the Magic Duels, so he can have a student and I get to be it! Maybe I should ask him to come over and play chess! Today’s lesson is about Rooks. They move forward and sideways! Uncle Bertie said he’s gonna teach me about somethin’ called castling. I guess I’ll find out what it means after supper!

Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

July 25, 2012

This is Maggie! And I’m talking to you from the beach! I learned to swim real … really good! Mama and Da said I have to have a growed up with me onaccounta because … stuuuuuuuuff happens!

So... I went to Miss Duci’s cake party thing on Sunday. I had fun. Brought Gran’s brooooooooooooooownies! That’s very special because Gran said she’s not bakin’ brownie over’t the Dragon place no more.

I don’t know why ‘n’ I’m not askin’! When Gran gets her head set like a rowdy horse it’s better to just move outta the way! Do you know what happens when the boss mare takes charge? Just watch my Gran sometime when she’s got her determined face on! When the boss mare says get goin’ even the stallion gets on the road! Just watch at my house when Mama puts her foot down and gets goin’ with stuff! Da ‘n’ Uncle Bertie know that look and stay outta her way! Star’s the boss mare here. She reminds us, too!

Aunt Ariana was at the party and I gave her nose kisses! You know, the kind when you rub noses together. She makes the bestest cinnamon buns eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeever! She told Gran that Lainie gets the secret res’pe. Kinda like Aunt Nikki gets the special brownie recipe. I like goin’ over to visit ‘cause I get to learn stuff. ‘n’ long as I help clean up, I get to bake stuff, too!

So, anyyyyyyyyyyyyyyway, I was talkin’ to Doran and I forget how it came but, but I was sayin’ about how if Da built that tower and that Doran’s gonna help bust me out. That was how we met up with Miss Wendy. She’s all right, but she’s got funny … well, Gran calls ‘em notions when people get to thinkin’ odd stuff. She say boys gotta be trained. Huh? If Doran gotta be taught anythin’ it’s Mr. Ebon and Mrs. Phen’s job! They’re his da and mama! So’s I asked Miss Wendy if she got a fellah. She told me no, not less you count Kyler. All I gotta say is … I feel bad for whoever Kyler is if Miss Wendy’s gonna try to boy train him. I don’t see Aunt Rhi tryin’ to train Mr. Eregor and he’s her fellah.

So, this week for chess practice, I learned all about cas’ling! To do that thing, you gotta leave the King where he is and the Rooks where they are. The Bishops and Knights gotta be outta the way! They calls it cas’ling because the Rook pieces looks like castles! Uncle Bertie says if you’re gonna lose the King, you can switch the King around with a Rook. I’m not so sure I get that yet, but like Mama always says... “Give it time, Maggie. You’ll get it.” Next time, I learn about pawns. background chatter No, Catie, pawn not prawns, those are somethin’ to eat! more background chatter Little sisters sure get funny notions!

Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

August 15, 2012

Hellllllllllllllllllllllllo!

Today, I learned what an echo is! That’s when you make a sound and you hear it come back to you! It’s kinda like lookin’ in mirror and seeing you, but it’s your voice coming back to your ears not your face looking back at your eyes!

We went swimmin’ with Aunt Rhi and found some pretty flowers in the water! She said she thinks they’re some kinda waterlily, but she’s gonna ask Mr. Eregor if he knows. He’s got lotsa plants.

In Mama’s school, I learned what a parry is. It’s a defense. It’s to stop people from bonking you with their swords ‘n’ stuff! Then we got a thing called … ripst! What? Oh. Reee-post! People calls it a stophit. Aunt Rhi says it’s a counter and not the kitchen kind! We make food on that kind. No, ‘s a counter attack. Means that hit to not get hit thing works for swords, too!

Gran tells me stories about places like the Blarney Castle. That’s in Ireland, you know! Blarney, so says Gran, is when people talks a lot and they streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch the truth! Gramma Harker says that’s a tall story. In other words, a fairy tale. But that’s funny to me because some of the fam’ly has faery blood!

Iss misha Maggie!

Bye now!

((“Iss misha” is more or less the phonetic of “Is mise,” the Irish for My name is.))

[Mairead Harker]

August 29, 2012

Hi! It’s Maggie!!

It’s almost September time! We get pumpkins and apple cider in autumn time! I like those! From the pumpkins, we get pie stuff and punkin seeds!! Sometimes, Aunt Nikki makes pumpkin bread! We get to play in the leaves!


October 13, 2012

It’s October! And that means.... Halloweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeen! For us kids that means dressing up in costumes and having all kinds of fun!

Gran telled us all the story of how Halloween came to be! Halloween is a shorted up word for “All Hallow’s Evening.” Somebody musta thought it was too long or got tangled tongued and said it all wrong! But anywaaaaaaaaaay, Gran says, that Halloween is the one day of the year that the fence … What? Oh, ok. Mama says it is a barrier. Some peoples call it a veil between worlds. On Halloween, the dead people can can be around the living and not get noticed. I think that’s onnacountabecause some people wear costumes that make them look like zombies and stuff!

There’s a custom thing where we get a cake with toys and stuff in it! ‘s called a barmbrack. Mama says other holidays have cakes like that. There’s one called piffaly. Huh? You sure? Ee-piff-ah-nee. Maaaaaaaaaaaama. That’s when somethin’ smacks people in the head and they yells, “Eureka!” *giggling ensued in background followed by muffled words* Ohh, I get it! I keeps forgettin’ that a word can mean different stuff! There’s one kind called king cake! I thinks the person that finds the prize in that one gets to be king! Aunt Nikki says there’s big party that goes ‘long with that. People wear costumes and getting to march in parades! I suuuuuuuure do like parades!!

I like dunking for apples! The growed ups call it bobbing, but that’s silly! If you use a bobber to go fishin’ it doesn’t go underwater until until you catch the fish! You gotta dunk your head to even to the apples!

I think Ima gonna go dressed up as a fairy princess polar bear! One thing for sure, not many people gonna be wearin’ that outfit! Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas, Happy Yule, and Wonderful Winterfest! Hiya, this is Maggie ‘n’ I’m recordin’ this at my Gran’s house! That’s because we are here havin’ a dinner that Gran ‘n’ Aunt Nikki cooked! Other people brought stuff, too!

Santa is gonna come here ‘cause I won a prize! Woooot! I was sposta see him when they had ice skating, but we went to see “The Nutcracker” ‘cause Catie wanted to have that for her birthday thing! Since that’s on Christmas Day, which is tomorrow ... we went early! So, I’m sharin’ my prize with alla the kids that are comin’ to the big hall tomorrow!

My Gramma Harker sent me and Catie some pretty dolls to dress up our beds. She knows that I like dolls all right, but she also sended some of those block toys for Rick and me to play at building stuff! Mama said they were Uncle Draven’s favoritist toys when he was little! Aunt Rhi said he built some kinda machine with ‘em!

Catie’s what Gran calls a girly girl cause she likes her dresses and froufrou frillies! So, Gramma and Aunt Tilly buys her dresses, shoes, and hats! Me, I like pretties all right. Santa brought me a necklace and stuff with clovers ‘cause I’m a bigger girl than last year! Dresses are ok for parties ‘n’ special stuff, but not allatime like Catie likes! There’s no way I’m wearin’ a dress when I ride a horse! Sidesaddles are silly and I don’t like wind blowin’ things up!!

Uncle Bertie got me the chess set he promised! It’s got teddy bears for chess pieces!! Aunt Tilly got me art stuff! Carry box and all! No more buggin’ Da for anythin’ but paper! He doesn’t mind, though, long as I ask first. I think he’s happy that I like drawin’ stuff like he does!

So, we had the Harbor Lights thing down by the big ships! I got to light up the fireworks with Miss Shy for Auntie Aja, she was in charge of the party! Uncle Paddy was carryin’ me around some. I liked that lots ‘cause he’s tall like Da so I could see over lots of the crowd! We even danced a little bit! He asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I said I wanted alla the kids in Rhydin to have a good Christmas dinner. He told me I was an angel and that he would do his best to make that wish be true! One day, Uncle Paddy’s gonna marry up with Auntie Aja and be my uncle twice!

Mr. Eregor said he thought Doran was gonna be jealous ‘cause I was dancin’ with Uncle Paddy. He didn’t know that Uncle Paddy is my uncle! Doran’s my bestest friend and if Da ever builds that tower, he’s helpin’ me bust out! I told Lainey that if her Da locks her in a tower, we’d help her bust out too! Mr. Eregor’s here for Christmas Eve onnaccounta he’s Aunt Rhi’s fella. I figure they’ll get married up someday, but they gotta figure that all out by themselves!

I wished stuff for other kids ‘cause I got lotsa stuff I need and stuff I want. I helped Mama and Aunt Nicole take toys over to the orph’nage. Santa has lotsa stops to make and Mama says any help he gets is good! Some of the rest’raunt people volunteer over at one of the shelters where people that have no homes go to have dinner. Aunt Nikki helps Santa there by givin’ ‘em lots of food for the big holiday dinner! She says I’m not sposta say, but I didn’t know why. She said that what people do for others should be done just because it’s helping not because people want their names in the news and stuff. I think I get that, it’s kinda like Secret Santa.

Auntie Aja’s present was sooooooooooooooooo fun! She calls me her Mini First Mate b’cause I’m learning to steer the boats! She got me a pirate jack-in-the-box! I opened it up and when it popped up, it showered me in glitter!! It was like sparkling fireworks with no fire! I got a whole new pirate outfit! Then there’s this other stuff! She gave me a nagigabation... naviwhatsit... Oh, heck, I’m gonna direct boat traffic with it!! It’s a compass ‘n’ stuff!

Rick and Catie get a birthday on Christmas! Abby and Mad'son get their first one next week! Speakin' of Abby 'n' Mad'son, after supper I couldn't find them! So, I went lookin’ ‘cause I don’t want them to be lost! I heard funny noises comin’ from the room next to their nurs’ry! You can get there through the bathroom that’s between ‘em! The funny noises was just them and their Da snorin’ like they were makin’ firewood for the whooooooooooooole winter! At least they weren’t lost!

Merry Christmas!

[Mairead Harker]

January 24, 2013

This is Maggie!

My Aunt Rhi’s gonna be in the Overlord Grant Tourn’ment on Saturday. I hope she wins! If she doesn’t, I hope the winner cleans the lionman’s ... what? background chatter Oh ... cleans his clock. Mama says that means the same as knockin’ the snot out of somebody!

The lionman’s name is Rakeesh ‘n’ he’s the Baron of Old Temple like Grandpa and Mama used to be. He wants the magic people to have their name on a big list for some reason. I’d really like to know why he’d be afraid of a kid like me ‘n ‘maybe I should ask him! People that think like him are why kids like me need to learn to use magic carefully and how to use for d’fense. I wonder if he knows we got a school in Old Temple. Dueling isn’t just for weapons.

My Gran was so mad, I heard all kinda new words in lotsa languages! And Mama handed her the bar of soap! Then they were laughin’!

Gran said she didn’t duel Magic in a long time, but went over to the Isle to practice up. I have the feeling she’s gonna be comin’ to school and practicin’ lots! Mostly ‘cause she said Abby ‘n’ Mad’son shouldn’t have to worry ‘bout bein’ on a … she said it was a hit list. Now why somebody’d wanna spank two babies, ‘specially when they’re bein’ good, I dunno.

Happier stuff! One of Gran’s Wolfhounds had puppies! Uncle Al said they have feet like snowshoes! That means they will be biiig dogs! Catie’s gonna get her own dog soon. She gets to pick a Sheltie! That’s a roundin’ up dog that looks like a Collie, but is smaller!

Aunt Rhi said Azure’s gonna be the flower kid when she gets married up with Mr. Eregor. I calls him uncle now ‘cause he will be soon! Aunt Rhi said she has another job for me instead of flower kid, but she’s not sayin’ what, yet!

[Mairead Harker]

August 31 2013

Hello!! Helllllllllllllllo… Helloooooooooooooooooooooo. giggling It’s me, Maggie! I got stuff to talk about!

Aunt Rhi got married up ‘n’ it’s all legal ‘n’ stuff now, I got an Uncle Eregor, now!! Lainey said a beeyootiful blessing thing. We all dressed up in pretty clothes and road in the horse and buggies!!! Grandpa made a speech, too. Doran and I got the flower thing and the leg thing at the rrr something party. Diamond catched them and gave them away! I don’t know what she was thinkin’. And I didn’t ask! I just brought my flowers home. We used some of them to make new plants, but I got one flower pressed in my memory book.

Gran helped me make that book. It’s got my name all over it and stuff! She wrote a poem in it that was made by somebody called Anon E. Bus! What the heck kinda name is that? adult voice in the background Anon E. Mouse? Mama, that’s even sillier!! more chatter Oh…. it’s Anon-a-muss. Means nobody knows who wrote it! It goes like this:


In search from A to Z they passed,
And "Marguerita" chose at last;
But thought it sound far more sweet
To call the baby "Marguerite."
When grandma saw the little pet,
She called her "darling Margaret."
Next uncle Jack and cousin Aggie
Sent cup and spoon to "little Maggie."
And grandpapa the right must beg
To call the lassie "bonnie Meg."
From "Marguerita" down to "Meg,"
And now she's simply "little Peg."

That might splain why Abby wants to call me Meg! I keep telling her that’s not Meg, it’s
Maaaaaggggggggggiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee, but it doesn’t sink in. I gotta keep tellin’ her that’s name my name, but it didn’t sinks into her lil baby brains, yet. It will, someday!

I’m teaching Trix to roll over. She likes play dead way too much! She gets all quiet and her tongue flops outta her mouth. It looks really weird!

Mr. Cooper lent Doran his big cowboy hat! I think I know what Doran should get for the next holiday. I gotta saves my ‘llowance to buy a cowboy hat!

I hope the play park gets opened up for the kids really soon! I was tellin’ people at Aunt Rhi and Uncle Eregor’s party that it’s got a pirate ship AND a princess castle. I was thinkin’ maybe we oughta have cowboy thing, too, but we kinda do cause there’s pony rides!

I gotta go brush Jingles and get her all fed and stuff.

Bye now!

[Mairead Harker]

October 13, 2013

So, I figured out a few things. Lotsa weird stuff been goin’ on and some of the growed ups don’t think we kids are payin’ attention. Some of us can’t help it. Doran and me .. no .. Doran and I see all kinds of things, but only talk to each other about them. I think some of our family people would get it, but other people kinda look at you like you’re a weirdo when you say things like … I see dead people. I don’t really see dead people, I see ghosts of dead people, but … I can’t always hear them. Animals, that’s another ball a wax! Good thing I can speak dog!

Doran and m.. I. I gotta remember that. Aunt Chrisy said, Gramma is important. When I said I know Gran is important, she said… “No, Gram-mar is important.” And when I asked what the heck is the difference ‘cause in the language Mr. Porthos talks in Gram-mere means Gramma! And that was when I got a better lesson in that language. It’s called French. Grand-mere means grandmother. Grammar is what we use when we write and speak. Aunt Chrisy says if you learn to speak and write proper … no, properLY, then people will be able to understand you better. Well, I understand a few languages like Irish ‘n’ Greek. I learned to talk with my hands, too. I can spell pretty good, so, I practice finger spellin’ words in Irish, Greek, and Common. Maybe a few others tossed in. That’s onnaccounta because even kids don’t want people nosin’ in on what they are sayin’.

Speakin’ of weird stuff, I kinda sorta have a big sister. She’s my sister like Aunt Rhi is Mama’s sister. Her name’s Pearl; her BFF is Velen. Doran and I have that aaaaaalllll figured up. Or, like Uncle Rick says, we did the math. I have no idea what numbers got to do with it, but I’ll tell you this, if what we think is goin’ on is goin’ on then Doran and me… I mean I will be BFFs for a long time!

Lynnie’s another kid that probably can’t help seein’ the weird stuff. See, my friend, Lynnie, is a fey. I guess her father was one ‘cause Miss Piper’s not. Leastwise not that I could feel. She sure is pretty ‘nough to be one! Lynnie’s Dad, Mr. Des, he’s not a fey neither. I like him lots, he’s real nice. I know Lynnie sees the weird stuff b’cause she was talkin’ the to fairies ‘n’ all when we visited the big gardens. Uncle Eregor sees them, too! giggling sounds Lynnie calls him Rerrygort!

I got a try out for the … Shan-a-kee Theater! I’m happier than a horse gallopin’ wild across the meadow! I’m gonna be in a show called White Christmas! I sang a song called The Stolen Child. I played some of it on the piano, too!

There’s a whole list of people I want to interview! I need to get to doing that, soon! Maybe I’ll ask Uncle Eregor or Miss Mataya for the next one! That about covers it for now! See you next time!!