Arlington Heights IL

  • The Butterfly

    The Butterfly

    Welcome to Crimson’s Creative Challenge #031! To join in, please click here. Our task is to craft a creative story, poem, response using no more than 150 words. Shelley walked down Hickory Street which led to Carefree Park. She liked to go early so she could think … and remember. It had been six months

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  • 2nd Grade & Why I’m Not Catholic

      The piece below recounts the actual events of a day at St. James Elementary School in Arlington Heights, IL. 1966, or so.  I flunked a phonics test and Sister Eleanor is scowling like Satan: goose-stepping back and forth, spitting “God Hates You Brats.” She doesn’t know that God likes kids, even brats and kids who

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  • The Class of 51

    The Class of 51

    Picture it : 1966 in Arlington Heights, IL at Our Lady of Perpetual Angst Catholic School. Mrs. Ludy’s third grade class had been designing their special Valentine mailboxes all week. Snippets of red construction paper cut with blunt-nose scissors speckled the classroom floor. Tatters of paper lace doilies and glitter stuck to clothes and jackets

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  • The Family

    The Family

    It’s time for Cyranny’s Quicky! Today’s question is “Is your family a really close one?” At one time, my family was very close. Aunts, uncles, cousins; we all saw each other regularly and stayed in touch. I remember family reunions in my Aunt Franny’s backyard, gathering around the piano and singing, even a Hawaiian luau.

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  • The Class of 51

    The Class of 51

    Picture it: 1966 in Arlington Heights, IL at Our Lady of Perpetual Angst Catholic School. Mrs. Ludy’s third grade class had been designing their special Valentine mailboxes all week. Snippets of red construction paper cut with blunt-nose scissors speckled the classroom floor. Tatters of paper lace doilies and glitter stuck to clothes and jackets while

    Read more →