Didn’t get a chance to do any writing on Friday – there didn’t seem to be a minute to sit down. But now I have one, so this is a make up post.
Last we left off, Vivi and Ivy had an hour to kill, so they turned on the TV and promptly passed out. I’m going to let them sleep a bit longer since there is another character I need to introduce, Ivy’s mother Ellen.
Want to catch up? You can do so HERE.
In 1980, three important things happened to Ellen Chapin. She turned 35, moved to Washington DC and decided that her macrobiotic diet just wasn’t going to work out.
While it had been a long time since she felt particularly young, there was something about 35 that sounded decidedly old. So six months before her birthday, Ellen stood in front of her mirror and made a rather painful assessment of the state of affairs.
She wasn’t overweight, but after the birth of two children and several years of eating cookies out of the box in grocery store parking lots, she wasn’t exactly slim either. Her mother always claimed that extra weight aged you by ten years. So according to this theory, she looked about 44.
Carl always claimed that he liked her shape. That he preferred soft and womanly to muscular and masculine. But Ellen would have settled for something in between. Something less matronly. Maybe firm and curvy? Maybe just less flabby…
So the first thing she put on her to do list was “change eating habits.” Nancy suggested exercise, asserting that the endorphins she’d experience while running would give her “twice as much energy for chasing after the kids.” But after polite murmurs about good ideas and definitely thinking about it, Ellen promptly dismissed the idea. With the exception of years of dancing in her youth and a few failed attempts to attend a local Jazzercise class, Ellen did not exercise.
What she did do was read. So a trip to the bookstore was made and the answer to all of her problems was procured. Or at least, that’s what the book claimed to be able to do. It proposed that by changing her diet to include only “clean” foods, she would look better and feel better. And better was one goal to which Ellen felt she could confidently aspire.
I’ll be back with more of Ellen on Friday…I think…
Reading this is very weird – I love that you're doing it, though.
Kate, this is awesome! You really have a gift, love it, must go find other entries now….
Love it! More please!
I LOVE the first line–made me laugh.
That would be a great first line of the whole book.
I'm so hooked. And Ellen is 35! (Which is my age, so this thrills me for some reason)
Keep it up, Kate. You've really got something here.
I love this! You are such an awesome writer. I feel a lot like Ellen, except I'm OLDER, of course.
You are a very talented writer. I'm glad you are enjoying it.
I can't wait to see where this is going.
I agree with Ms. Stiletto Mom over here. I've read your writing before and you really engage the reader from the get go.
You write BRILLIANTLY and I hope to attend a book launching party of yours someday soon!! xoxo
I agree with your mom -that it is strange to read since i think i see some strong similarities in your characters to some characters we know. keep going. i'm intrigued.