JUST A HIPPIE GYPSY

Round Robin Challenge - Secrets

Oh my......just the addition of that little "s" made this challenge a bonafide challenge!

It came to me like a bolt of lighting. Ever since I have been a young child I have been full of secrets. It was a logical progression. I was the eldest child, the only girl with three brothers for 11 years till my closest sister was born. Saddled with Roman Catholic parents "from the north" in a small southern town where everyone knew everyone's business, being secretive was the key to survival.

I'm heavy with secrets. As a child, as a woman. Not that they are as interesting as they were all those years ago. Such as pinching cigarettes from my friends parents carelessly abandoned packs...usually Larks or Tarytons...and smuggled like precious jewels to the tree house to light up and pass from grubby, dirty, sweaty hand to hand at 12 years of age. Younger still, on a dare to blatantly steal from the 5 & 10 the highly coveted pencil sharpeners and mechanical pencils for trading during 4th grade. So brazen, we would grab the paper bags from under the counter and walk into the aisles of helpless merchandise. Yes, we got caught...that is quite another story!

I began to write journals at about 12 years of age. I hid them in my room. I was a champion on finding hiding places in my room. I had many prying eyes, not only my three savage brothers but my Mom and Mae, the lady Mom had come into the house and help clean once a week. (Mae is another story for another time). I wrote all my secrets into those journals. I called them "Bibles" in high school. I burnt those in ....1979. I wish I had them today. Only one survived, the original Bible. It is in the storage area presently.

Once I realized I would photograph my "Bibles"/journals I was able to find the above scattered around this house! Hidden...naturally....that is the fun of it.

I am almost finished with the 150 page monster I picked up a year ago. I liked it because it is a five subject notebook. Translation...eight pockets to stuff things in! It was ambitious for a one year journal. I have about 50 pages left...for lots more secrets.