Since forever I have overheard colleagues chatting about their sunrise hikes. Most of October I thought I’d join them, and even suggested a few mornings that might be possible. But the thought of racing to work afterwards, in all that sweat and dirt, and still command a room of teens with confidence, halted me. This morning, an in-service teacher-only day, the week after the time change, plus our unseasonably mild weather, yeah, because of all of that, today the Elmore Mountain hike happened. Started with headlamps under a starry sky but as dawn does, she came fast with tangerine and pink to overcome the black. We enthusiastically tried to make it to the lookout before the sun.
NaNoWriMo is On!
Yes, November is National Novel Writing Month. One month = 50,000 word novel. Needless to say, there will be no blog post from me this week. Instead, I’m spending my writing time getting to know a whole new cast of characters and discovering what sorts of sticky spots they will fall into. What fun!!

Wish me luck… I’ll update y’all on my progress next Thursday! xxoo
Nine Cent Girl is Celebrating!
As this blogger gets ready to cross into year 11, Nine Cent Girl is also celebrating her 500th post! What started as an avenue to write with consistency, and gain an immediate audience, has most definitely proven to be all that and more. Between comments and emails and texts and in-person conversations, the validation to keep at it has certainly fueled me beyond what I envisioned all those years ago. A big thank you is due to all my Nine Cent Girl readers, many times over. I must admit I’ve loved this journey with you by my side, and together, hold hope I’ll keep blogging into the foreseeable future.

