x...y...Z!

I tried to look up the last word beginning with 'Z' in Webster's Dictionary. The result was this:

z: noun, often capitalized often attributive/ ze, Canadian, British, Australian 'zed, chiefly dialect

the 26^th letter of the English Alphabet

-used in the phrase X, Y and Z to refer to the third thing in a group of three unnamed things.

Not as helpful as I had hoped.

I considered writing about the dream I had in which Avril Lavigne was trying to kill me. She was chasing me through this old house which was full of secret rooms and passageways. All the while Avril and her assistant were discussing how they were going to slice me into ultra-thin slices like you get at the deli.

ZZZzzzzzz

Get it?

But then we spent the morning in Soulard, one of my favorite neighborhoods, had some breakfast and went to Soulard Market.

X...

round here we pronounce it 'pie-knees'.

Y...

Rhubarb, the AARP of fruits... vegetables?

Z....

I am not sure what the grin-y guy with the flute gives lessons in..I don't think it has anything to do with tamales. or parties.

Three totally unrelated, albeit named here, things.

Except they aren't unrelated.

I grew up with peonies. I love how full and frilly their blooms are. I had never seen them sold by the stem until today. And I had forgotten how lovely they smell. As I sat them on the dining room table I was suddenly back at the farm where I grew up, playing crazy made-up games and trying to avoid helping in the garden.

The garden where my mom grew rhubarb. I absolutely love rhubarb sauce – on pancakes and biscuits and spoons. I also love rhubarb pie. I am torn between the two and only have enough for one.

Both of these purchases were made at Soulard Market. Where, outside under an awning in the rain, sat the three musicians. There is at least one guy out there every Saturday morning plinking away. They laughed when I asked if I could take their picture and explained they felt the need to prove they were real authentic buskers by continuing to perform, despite the weather. I tossed them a couple of bucks and told them I understand. My brother is a musician.

He was the first one to encourage me to return to writing years and years ago.

And it was this A to Z challenge that brought me back to remembering just how much I love writing. It has returned me to the habit of doing so every day.

x...y...Z

I can not believe I have actually managed to complete this challenge. It has not been easy some days. I would like to say everyone but me believed I could do it, but the fact is, I don't think anyone really did. Which is okay.

Coast of Illinois will return to weekly posts once again. Not for lack of interest. I have decided to challenge myself a little more and am beginning the process of writing an actual novel, once again. I am breaking the process down in monthly increments.

Rest assured, I will torture you all with my progress.

And hopefully have a rough draft by the end of the summer...

Thanks to Mary over at Jingle Jangle Jungle, Alana at Ramblin With AM and Leanne at Cresting the Hill – you ladies may not have known it, but knowing you were also working on this challenge and reading your posts kept me motivated.