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!

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!

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!

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-" 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!

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.))

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!

June 7 2013

So, I found out that I'm gonna be a junior bridesmaid for the wedding. Melly is, too! We gotta wear fancy dress up things. I'm ok with wearing a dress, but I'm not wearing those princessy shoes with big heels! I wanna dance and those make my feet hurt! Azure's gonna be the flower kid, but I wanna know what job Doran gets! Catie and Rick get to carry the rings. Usually boys get that job, but bein" they're twins, they're gonna do it.

We went a field trip to the big observawhositis. background chatter Right ob-serv-a-tory. And the big garden thing, too! Did you know there's a picnic place and a gazebo thing" Mama said the gazebo is for outside stuff like weddings and band concerts. I guess that's so whoever is up there doesn't get a wet or snowed on or somethin"!

I really liked it because Miss Shy told all the kids about how to steer a ship with stars! That was all cool and stuff! I really liked hearing about the big and little dipper that are also the big and little bear. Miss Shy told about Orion's Belt. I know the story about Orion bein" a hunter. If you look carefully, you can see his bow, too! She told the kids about Santa and that she knows him! I guess that splains why she likes Christmas so much! I wouldn't be surprised if he asked her to be one of his special helpers.

Mr. Simon talked about lots of stuff, too! He showed us how the telescopes work. We didn't get to look in them "cause in the daytime, that can hurt your eyes a lot! In the planetarium, though, we got to see the night sky on the big ceiling dome. Mr. Simon told us what it's like to float in space with gravity. I think I might like to try that sometime. Maybe there's a sima....Mama??" What's that called" background noise of a woman's voice Right, a sim-u-lator. That lets people learn to fly and stuff before they fly a real plane.

Some of the kids like the observatory better and some liked the garden better. Lynnie's the youngest kid at school and she liked the garden more. She was out there singing to the flowers and all. I think she sees the little people that Gran talks about. I see them once in awhile, but mostly when I'm at Gran's and trying to tell stories to Abby and Maddie. They like helpin". Melly talks to flowers and trees, but she never says if she sees the little people or not. I think she does. I think lotsa people do and just don't talk about it.

So the sound of a door closing we got plans for Da's day and for Mama and Da's " I forget what it's called, but it means they been married another year. I asked Aunt Rhi "n" Gran how to make waffles. Aunt Rhi said she'll show me how to make some that don't need that special iron thing. She said they might not taste as good, but seeing as us kids wanna do it ourselves without grown ups helpin" that it'd be safer. She said if Uncle Bertie is going to watch us in the kitchen that we can use the waffle iron thing, but we gotta be very careful to not get burned. That means hot mitts and stuff.

I gotta go now! Grandpa and Grandpa Harker are comin? soon for Mama and Da's special day. And IIIIIIIIIIIIIII, Maggie Harker, can play a song on the piano now! I like it ok, but I don't think I wanna do it all the time. Bye now!

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!!

9 September 2014

Maggie turned the camera on and set it on shelf of her desk.

Hello! This is Maggie again! I have my camera recorder again! I'm very happy because we had a big show at the Shanachie again and I got to be the " leading lady, yeah, that's it! I was playing Annie. The most fun was working with the dog that plays Sandy. Don't make a misunderstanding here, I liked working with the people, too! But dogs talk to me in ways that people don't.

Doran's voice has gotten all funny and stuff. Mama says that happens to boys when they start growing up. So, I told Da that Doran was looking at all the pretty ladies and he said that's normal, too. Aunt Rhi said stop worrying about it. Just because someone is growing up doesn't mean they are any less your friend. So, I told Doran that I would always have his back "cause that's what friends do.

I signed up for the Shanachie again. I really like the people there. They don't down talk to me because I'm a kid. They just treat me like the rest of the cast. I learn my lines and my stage marks and some of them call me what?s that word? A trooper, yeah. Gran says that's a good thing. Means that I follow through on stuff and work hard.

This summer we all went swimming in the ocean. It's fun to swim because sometimes we get to visit with dolphins and other animals. We're not supposed to feed them as it teaches them begging food from people is ok. That's not a good thing because not all people are kind to animals. Aunt Nikki says that feeding them unless they are sick and need a lot of help is not good because they need to hunt for their own food. If they forget how to hunt, they can't teach their babies!

I have to get my stuff ready for school! Bye now!

19 December 2014

The camera clicked on

Welcome to the World According to Maggie!

That challenge ended up with Miss Terry King winning. I was the Second for the challenger named Artemus. He's Sylus's brother and, what do you know, he also Errtu's Dad! I get to be his Squire now and I am learning to use a weapon called a glaive!

We went over to the Snowdown in the Glen this year! Gran went and took Abby and Madison, too. I like playing in the snow! Abby liked it fine, but Madison was shy. Miss Wyh was there. Winter is her time of year. Mr. Toby was talking to Gran about something; school, I think. Maurin, Reinette, and Selene are his girls. Their mom is called Tabitha, but I didn't get introduced because I was headfirst in the snow building thing with Abby when she met Gran. I wish Lynnie could have been there, too. She might like to meet some more kids! I missed having Doran there, too. His sisters weren't feeling so good, so, that was part of why.

Miracle on 34th Street; The Musical is the play over at the Shanachie for now. I get to play Susan Walker. Susan is a kid that had to learn how to pretend and stuff because her mother doesn't believe in teaching her fairy tales and things. I think Mrs. Walker would not be happy in Rhydin, that's for sure! Speaking of the play, while Gran was over at the Ball, some of the family was over at the theater to see me and Uncle Gory in the show! Aunt Rhi brought the babies, too! They had a box seat thing for the night, so, Abby, Madison, and the babies wouldn't be loud and all. Mama and Da brought Rick and Catie, but those two already know to be good. I think I heard Krusol up there, too! When the show ended, there were pretty flowers backstage. The card said they were for Mini-mate. That's me and they were from Captain Aja!

I started writing practice again. I thought writing letters would be more fun than just writing down stuff that I did today. So, I'm writing Lyneth and maybe it will help her writing practice, too.

Time to go help with the cookie baking!

The camera clicked off

30 Sept. 2015

As the camera clicked on, Maggie could be heard singing:

"There is a castle on a cloud, I like to go there in my sleep, Aren't any floors for me to sweep, Not in my castle on a cloud."

As she came into view she was tying up her dark hair with a green ribbon.

Hi, it's Maggie!

Today, I am talking to you from my room at the Cardinal Inn. I'm so excited about this! I am the Baroness of Old Market District. I'm the youngest person to ever have done this! I already have the plans in gear for what they call an urgent care clinic to be placed next to the fire station that Mama had built when she was the Baroness here. It's on the western side of the district. Mr. Ravenlock made the suggestion to put it over there because the rest of the district had emergency workers ready to go. That's the thing about fire stations and all, though, can you really have too many of them if you space them apart' Doc Anya, Mama, and Da are going to help me with this. I have to write a formal proposal and all.

Andre Esmond accepted my request to become my Squire. I hope Porthos doesn't mind too much. I doubt he will since Andre is going to come to the Academy to keep up on his studies. Like me, he likes learning. Andre seemed very happy when Mama suggested to Porthos that he could continue his scholarly studies at her school and practice his weapons skills, too. I got the impression that Andre missed his books a lot. We have lots of them in the school's library. When he can read Common better, I would like to take him to the Rhydin Public Library. They have lots and lots and LOTS of books there. He seems to be sweet on Miss Eden Parker. I will do my best to not tease him about that. He has told me about his younger sister, Dani, and that I remind him of her. Maybe all of these things to do and making new friends will help him to not feel a lot of homesickness. No matter how busy we are, some part of us always will think of home.

Harris calls me Baby Baron. I don't mind that name, it sort of fits. He gave me something called a tomahawk. I have learned a few things about it. I haven't found much on how that kind of weapon got to Rhydin, but probably has a lot to do with Fayalki, he was a tribal shaman. Some people say he died; others say that he just faded into the legends of Rhydin. All I know is that for so many people to like that the botanical garden being named in his honor or memory is a big thing. People don't agree on much in this place, so, yes, it's a big deal!

Da is very busy building houses and still working on that big project for Wonderplex. He said they ran into some problems with the building material suppliers and he'd rather be explaining to his client why things are taking longer than expected than use poor quality beams and all. Doing the second thing could eventually cause people to get hurt or killed. Since the place is meant for kids, it has to be built to withstand a lot. It's just like the roof part of the garden building by the observatory took a long time because it needed to hold up in bad weather. Da got special stuff that won't shatter easily and can support a heavy snowfall. It would be all wrong to have people in there and have the roof crash down on them.

I've been busy with my school studies. I'm learning French, German, and Italian. I'm not very good at them, yet, but like Gran says, it's never a bad thing to be able to understand a few things in a lot of languages. I am taking a break from ballet classes this year. I don't know if I will continue them or not. I observed at Catie's gymnastics class and I like it ok, but I think I'd rather spend my exercising time riding Jingles. Gran says that horseback riding alone helps her to think better; it works for me, too.

The new theater season has started over at the Shanachie! I got the part of young Cosette in "Les Miserables." I have a nice song to sing called "Castle on a Cloud." Debbie Adkins, who plays Madame Th"nardier, sings part of it. Uncle Eregor, Doran, and Lirssa are in the play, too; I like working with them. It's really fun to see what people you already know can do as actors and singers on a stage. I need to ask Miss Mataya if she will consider another workshop for Shanachie STARS, something for behind the scenes stuff like scenery making and costumes. I think that would be good idea because some kids, like Azure, are really good with sewing and creating stuff! The whole idea of STARS is terrific! I don't think a lot of kids realize just how much fun playing pretend with a big audience can be.

I started out recording my voice to learn to speak better and help remember things. I bought the camera with my allowance money and chore money so I could record my dancing and stuff when I practice for the theater. Mama thinks that this idea could help her other students with speaking and stuff. Very soon, we will be kicking off Channel KIDS, Rhydin, and it will be located in the basement of Harker's Academy! Mama says we could do what they call remotes from places like the Botanical Garden, Hatton Point, and Wonderplex. Maybe, it's a good thing I decided to not do gymnatics after all. Maybe I'll call my part, "The World According to Maggie." No ....maybe "Rhydin According to Maggie?"

Time for bath and bedtime before Gran comes to tell me it's lights out!

She waved at the camera before it clicked off.

((Picture here: http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php"p=211506#211506))

24 July 2017

When the camera was turned on, the location was revealed to be a small suite in the Cardinal Inn. Maggie had returned to the place after regaining the Old Market Barony through a tournament.

Hi, this is Maggie! It's been a little while since I've recorded my thoughts. Well, I write them down, but haven't done the camera thing for a while. I have grown some since last time; upward and outward. I turned eleven on my last birthday and I'm just a little bit under five feet tall. I have " things growing on me! Yes, yes, I know, they're called breasts. Whoever invented the brassiere didn't do women any favors! What do you think happens if you keep something always strapped up" It won't be able to hold itself up anymore. Older women say it's gravity. Nope. Like any other muscle in the body, it has to be able to its job or it just flops around and is all mushy and stuff! Her expression was one of disgust and horror. Yyyyyeeeeeeeuck. I'm not even going to get started on those underwire things! How the heck can some Fey people wear them if there's iron involved"

Gran told me that many years ago the fashionable ladies wore something called a bustle under their dresses. I get that some people think humongous butts are attractive, but it doesn't sound comfortable at all to have to avoid sitting down until you undress! Then there's those corset things. Mama wears a leather one over her shirt when she duels. Some women wear them to, well, show off what all they've grown!

Uncle Heph made armor for me a while ago. It can't easily be seen until it's active; it also is not magic and doesn't react when there's a null magic person or place. He had to make it bigger and he found a way to make it grow with me.

When Aunt Nikki turned thirteen, her father's kin gave her some interesting choices for gifts. I guess it might be called a right of passage. My great grandfather and what should have been Zapphira's grandfather have already started brainstorming on what I should be offered. One of those things was being older, just a few years. I think Aunt Aphrodite put them up to that. I guess it'd be ok to be closer in age to my BFF, but if I did that, I miss out on some things. Would I really Maggie if I did that"

The camera was shut off abruptly as a knock on the door was heard.

14 Oct 2018

The camera panned over the grounds of the botanical garden. Leaves of various colors had begun to fall from the trees. Several Collie dogs and children were romping about while several adults set up a picnic supper. As the camera fell on them, people waved.

So, Channel KIDS viewers, here we are at the Rhydin Botanical Garden. I think it's the prettiest building Da has ever worked on. There's a nip in the air or as my Gran says, "It's brisk." It's warm enough for a picnic today, so, a bunch of us are out here to enjoy it and the sunset before the first snow falls.

Colleen and Alinar are out here playing in the leaves with all the dogs. Diamond is here, too, but she's enjoying a sunny perch in one of the trees. That kitty's not fooling me with that one eye cracked open thing. She's watching over my little cousins like she always does. She leaves the running after them to Aunt Rhi, Uncle Gory, and Riddle II. I've seen her dive down and chase critters away from the kids. What she does after the beasties are away from the kids, I don't know, but I expect she has a tasty snack. Some day, I might just ask her. I'm almost fluent in Cat, but as Aunt Ariana pointed out, there are a lot of dialects just like with people.

Excited laughter came from across the way and the camera panned to find Brian Tur Gairdin using his parents' hands and arms for a swing. Maggie laughed, too.

Hey, that looks like fun! Brian's always a happy kid. Even he when started to get teeth, he wasn't grumpy! He might be walking by Winterfest; I hope he doesn't try to climb the tree! Rick did that, we have the pictures to prove it!

A sizzling sound came from one of the built in grills in the picnic grove. You know what that sound is" It's hamburgers being cooked with Da's own seasoning recipe.

So, from the World According to Maggie, I wish you a Merry Samhain, Happy Halloween, and a terrifying Fright Night! For the adults in the audience, Mid-Autumn Festival celebration is called the Golden Gala bring held at the Golden Quay. Meanwhile, I'll be on stage with the Shanachie Theater Company until the twentieth of October in Six Characters in Search of an Author!

Personal Vlog - April 2019

What a way to spend April Fools' Day! Some things are not a joke and this sure wasn't one of them! I gotta say that I didn't sign up for bein' a bloody mess when someone decided I was going to be a girl. Don't get me wrong, I'm a female that likes to do things that are sometimes thought of as male activities. Sometimes, though, I like to dress up, be all prissy with my hair, and do that girly mani-pedi thing.

Sure, sure, I know some people were born one way, but their mind tells them they are the other. I've been meaning to ask Andrea about that. She wrote on the cork that she was born a man when Lord Karos acted like it was a big secret. It's not the part about having a woman's brain in a man's body that I don't get, it's the being born a man thing. I think she meant to say born a boy. Being born full grown would have been awfully painful for her mother! Aunt 'thena came out full grown and split my great grandpa's head right open! Serves him right for eating her mother, Metis!

This curse of Eve thing is just ....it's gross. I don't care how beautiful and natural they want to tell me this bodily function is, they can toss that out the window and fly out after it! Like other things I don't like, but have to do, I'll adjust to it. It's like doing math at school. You learn it, you get through it, and you cope with it when it crops up again. I know what it's all about, but it's silly to have a body and brain of a person that's not an adult, yet, but can have a baby. I know all about that bit about how life goes on and renews itself.

I swear to Zeus, the first person to make fun of me if I have a bloody accident is going to have a busted up nose! Let them see what it's like to be laughed at!

The camera did a fade in on the Channel KIDS logo.

Hello, everyone! I'm Maggie Harker.

Something weirder than usual is going on in Rhydin. I keep hearing people going on about how some or all of the town feels deserted. I guess they have forgotten that Rhydin is a Nexus point. Don’t get upset about this, kids! If you can find your home, your family and friends, you’re fine. If you can’t find them, that’s another kettle of fish as my Gran likes to say. There are safe places to go if this happens to you. A list will be shown and read off at the end of this broadcast.

The thing about living in or near a Nexus point is that we are all going on about our lives. Some might be five minutes ahead or years ahead. They might be streets away or miles away, but that doesn’t mean they are gone. They’re just where you can’t see them right now. The thing is, that’s how things have always been.  Just because you can’t see someone on the other side of a wall doesn’t mean that aren’t there. It’s like a baby looking in a mirror. Babies don’t usually understand that there might or might not be a whole other world behind that mirror.  Kids in Rhydin adjust because that’s what’s normal to us.

I read a book by Charles Addams where one of his characters, Morticia, says, “Normal is an illusion. What is normal for the spider is chaos for the fly.” This is a perfect way to explain life in Rhydin! Someone might be sitting next to you. You might not see them or they might seem ghostly, but it doesn’t always mean you are truly alone or that the ghost is really a dead person. It’s like trying to listen to a radio broadcast or watch a TV show, but you aren’t tuned in properly.  Give yourself a little time to think and it will help you avoid panic attacks.

Until next time, this is the World According to Maggie!

A list of safe havens for children and teens scrolled on the screen as it was narrated.

Personal Vlog - 5 Dec 2019

The camera clicked on, The Shanachie Theater's backstage area was where the viewing had begun. The sounds of the voices speaking or songs being sung faded as Maggie entered one of practice rooms and closed the door behind her.

Lately, I spend a great deal of time backstage and here in the practice rooms.  I hand out props and otherwise make myself useful. No one complains as long as don't get underfoot. In the theater, that can have whole other meaning than simply being in the way.  You can literally be under someone's feet if they are dancing!

I enjoy dueling and I've been doing it for a long time, but unlike the majority of duelists, the people at the theater have been welcoming to having some kids and teenagers working among them. They want us to learn our lines, our songs, and the dance steps. In short, we're expected to put forth our best effort like any other member of the cast or crew. It's a team effort and if one person is off, it puts everyone off.  It's a family in that way that families should support and help each other. Maybe the reason I feel happy here is that's how my one family works. Families have their squabbles, that's normal, but underneath it all is a sense of belonging and feeling like I'm home. I don't feel like I'm on the outside looking in

The STARS helped me to be comfortable with speaking publicly. Mama says I don't lack confidence and never have, but there's a difference in being able to talk to people and giving a speech about some cause or other.  I think  Doran and I might have been the first kids to have applied to play children's roles. I like watching the little kids practicing their poems and all. Madison is a lot less shy thanks to STARS. Abby, though, is a born ham! Catie is concentrating on dance, she lives and breathes it.  Rick seems to like that whole speaking thing.

As for dueling, some people are just ....well, the phrase I once used to explain was something like, they act like cranky babies with a mess in their diaper that no is coming to change for them. They don't have any idea what it's like to be in my shoes, but want to be critical of everything. I suppose one day they might understand, but some adults are pretty self centered and never will get it.

Then are people like Rachael that have made the effort to learn why I'm different and help me cope with some parts of it. I've been able to help with some of the missing children cases and to identify some of the unnamed victims. I don't go to the morgue, not because I can't cope with seeing dead bodies, but because I don't want my visitors frightened away. It's hard to get some of them to accept that they are dead, I really don't want them to be forced into remembering how they got that way. I do work with artists that create pictures of the spirits that visit me. Some can give names and details. They sometimes name others that are still alive and in need of help.

I keep asking myself if that's what I'm supposed to do. Why should I have to limit myself to only one thing?

″‘A precocious child,’ Miss Honey said, ‘is one that shows amazing intelligence early on. You are an unbelievably precocious child.‘”

Before each rehearsal and performance of Matilda, Maggie spent time in one of the Shanachie’s practice rooms. First, it was time with her fiddle; it helped to settle her mind. Her elder sister, Pearl, came in to play piano and sing the other part of a duet that had become an anthem for the teenager. 

“Can we take this from here and in the key it’s written"” Maggie gestured to the place on the sheet music. Pearl started with a few chords before beginning the piece as Maggie sang. Her young mezzo-soprano voice was clear and strong.

I'm through accepting limits
'Cause someone says they're so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try, I'll never know

In recent days, she had come to understand her grandparents more and more. Her Harker grandparents represented what was normal for her human side. They had encouraged her to play the piano and violin when Maggie was not so sure of her own abilities. Richard Harker relished bragging about the medals his grandchildren were winning in equestrienne events. Sports were a way of life for many a Londoner. Catie’s gymnastics and dancing prowess were a topic of conversation at the ladies tea circle; she was the sensitive, artistic one. Rick was quickly becoming a chessmaster and loved kicking a ball about the field. Like his Uncle Bertie, he had a head for math and figures. Aunt Tilly enjoyed boasting about the children as well. After all, her son had a hand in their upbringing. As a first child and grandchild, more had been expected of Mairead. It was true of most first children as parents never knew if it would be their only chance to get things right. It was Colleen and Tass that encouraged her to embrace the nonhuman part of her being. It wasn’t that her parents didn’t, it was that the elders had been through it before with others.

Despite her penchant for dueling and using weapons, the theater had become one of her happy and safe places. No one ever told her she wasn’t capable of giving a good performance because she was too young. Her best was always expected. Unlike sports where one competed as an individual, theater productions were a team effort. If one person was off, others were off or needed to compensate for the change.

And if I'm flying solo
At least I'm flying free
To those who'd ground me
Take a message back from me

Maggie paused in her singing to study her elder counterpart. “Pearl, how did you get them to understand"”

“Which who do you mean"” Pearl slid her hands from the keyboard and turned her upper body to face Maggie.

Maggie made air quotes with her fingers. “Adults.”

“Oh,” Pearl said quietly, “some never will.”

“Somehow, I thought you would say that.” Maggie chuckled as she traded places with Pearl. The elder of the pair did her dance warm up as Maggie played the piano. Her favorite classical piece was  Chopin’s Prelude in C Minor, Opus 28, Number 20. The music flowed into a more modern tune called Could It Be Magic.

“Age is not a true constant, Maggie. Take Aunt Mara for instance. She was born like most humans are, carried within her mother. But.” Pearl held onto the barre for balance as she went through her routine.

“There’s that infamous big little word again.”

“Mhm.” Pearl nodded. “After being exposed to a certain type of magic, she was no longer the baby her mother was planning to raise.”

“Which is how she became our aunt.” Maggie nodded.

“Right, but my point is that chronologically she was a few months old, but physically, she was about sixteen.”

“Gives a different meaning to growing up fast, doesn’t it"”

“It does, but how should she have been treated" Like the few months old person she truly was or like the sixteen year old body she was inhabiting"”

“I guess that depends.”

“On?”

“She would still have had to learn to read and all.” Maggie had a puzzled look on her face. “I guess it would be expected that she would have already known how to walk by someone that didn’t know her story. It’s like a newborn foal that has to learn to run or get left by the herd.”

“Now you’re getting it.” Pearl nodded. “You can’t actually tell how old a horse is by looking from afar.” She finished her stretches. “I know the issue isn’t that you want to be treated like an adult, but I’ve already lived through that.”

“Lucky you,” Maggie quipped. “You’re right, it’s not about age. It’s about having my accomplishments diminished because someone thinks I’m too young or because I’m female.”

“Ooof.” Pearl chuckled. “Don’t let Gran hear you say that bit.”

“You know as well as I do that it still happens, even in Rhydin.” Maggie began to run her fingers over the keys again. “I guess that’s why this show means so much to me.”

A wry smile drifted across Pearl’s lips. Dahl’s Matilda had been a childhood favorite. “Go on.”

Maggie’s laughter filled the practice room. “You know the book as well as I do, maybe better! It’s that whole, I’m right and you’re wrong, I’m big and you’re small, and there’s nothing you can do about it business that’s the problem. So, I did something about it, but not to prove anything to them, to prove it to myself.”

“Which is, as we were taught, all that we need to do.” Pearl did a few slow spins. She talked while she did as it helped with her breath control. “For some people, it will never be good enough.”

“For some people, nothing ever is.”

The rapping of knuckles was heard. “Curtain in ten, Maggie.”

“Thank you!” she called back. “It’s showtime!” Maggie grinned and tied the bright red ribbon into her hair. Before leaving the room, she paused to give Pearl a hug. Once she hit the stage, she would bring the precocious Matilda Wormwood to life. If anyone understood how Matilda felt inside, it was Maggie.

((Lyrics are from the musical, "Wicked" and the opening quote is from Matilda by Roald Dahl))