Hello, beautiful people! Welcome to the third challenge since A Cornered Gurl’s relaunch. What’s cracking in my brain for everyone now? We will jump into a six-word story about where you would like to travel next. It can be a place you truly foresee yourself going in the near future or a place you would like to mark off your bucket list.
And how will we do this? You guessed it! You will use six words only to tell your story.
6-word story
A six-word story is an entire story told in six words. It is a short narrative that can have all of the emotional themes of longer stories — from funny to dramatic, sad to scary. While these quick stories don’t have the classic beginning, middle, and end of a traditional storyline, they have a subject and verb that give the reader a sense of what’s happened and a bit of conflict.
The challenge: Writers will share where they’d like to travel next. However, use six words only to tell us about this place. Is cabin fever finally wearing you down? Do you have a place you sincerely want to go that is simply calling your name? Let us know — but come up with your story using only six words.
Let’s get ready to master this challenge, beautiful people!
•Request to be added as a writer by emailing me at acorneredgurl[AT]gmail[DOT]com with “Please Add Me” as the subject line and please include the link to your Medium profile. Don’t want to be a writer in A Cornered Gurl — simply comment with your response in this challenge post, or create your own post to your profile or in another publication, however, please use the tags, “Challenge” and “6WordStory.”
The challenge will run from Sunday, March 26, 2023, until 6:00 PM, Sunday, April 02, 2023 (with publishing days as Friday, Sunday, and Monday based on ACG’s publishing schedule). Please have “6-word Story: Where do you want to travel next?”as the subtitle for your submission. CHALLENGE SUBMISSION BEGINS NOW!
It’s time to get creative and explore what we can do with six words only on where you would like to travel next!
A quick selfie before I raced back onto the skating rink. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
I am in tune — my body connects with my soul as I rolled around the skating rink.
Life has a funny way of bringing you back full circle — to where you should have been a decade ago, but here you are now … ready to dive into a pastime and you cannot remember why you let it go.
The music is blasting — speakers are thumping with artists you wish you could meet in person. The strobe light spins and shines … this is your forgotten wonderland — your place of peace.
As I smoothly circled around the hardwood floor, hoodie swaying in the breeze, I would’ve paid good money to see how wide the smile was on my face.
My past used to torture me; it used to send me into a downward spiral and the climb upward always catapulted me into a fretful fit. And now, there’s this — this pure goodness I should’ve welcomed back with open arms before today.
But maybe it wasn’t time yet. Maybe I hadn’t reached the place of growth I needed to reach, and God is always on time.
So, I am here … back in this space that sends me into an armful of happiness with much leftover to share — rolling around the rink, reminiscent of my past as I share it with my present.
Post-wash, interlocking process. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
I know I have said this before but I will say it again, I love this process! I dove headfirst into this journey knowing it would be a tedious one. However, it is proving to be so fulfilling as well. I consider Ája to be pretty badass, and she is living up to her description with no doubts!
On Saturday, March 11, 2023, I lugged my haircare items over to my cousin’s house. I arrived just after 1:00 PM. I carved out five hours for this task as it has proven to be a time-consuming one as much as it is glorious.
I wanted to be sure I allotted enough time in my day to be available. This date was exactly 6 weeks from the last interlocking session.
As time moves closer to each wash and interlocking visit, I grow more and more elated. Watching what my hair has done since December 11, 2022, has opened my eyes to the beauty of haircare and why it is important for us to love our manes unconditionally.
We are what our hair can do
There is some truth in the above statement and a bit of falsity, too. We, Black women, are by no means, our hair, but we are what our hair can do. We can be full (of good & bad emotions), energetic, bouncy, exuberant, healthy, and inviting.
We can also be pillars of strength and power. And on our bad days, we can be weak, full of sadness, flimsy, lacking color, thin, and dull.
When I have my hair freshly done, I feel unstoppable. This feeling is akin to one that mirrors rejuvenation.
When my hair is on-point, my entire mood shifts — my world becomes a scene straight from my own fairytale meant to satisfy my needs only.
I am on Cloud 9 with all my luggage, headed for a brief stint on Happiness Row (IYKYK).
There is nothing and no one who can make me feel inferior when a fresh “do” has found its resting place as my crown of glory.
Post-wash and interlocking: roller-set phase. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
At the 4-hour and 30-minute mark, my cousin was done interlocking my microlocs. I could get up from the chair and check out the results before the next step.
I looked at our accomplishment in the bathroom mirror and smiled. I recall whispering something like, “This is really happening. It’s really happening” before I went back to the chair for the finishing touches.
What came next, I had already known about before arriving at her home, but it has been decades since I have had my hair “roller-set”. However, the process did not take long at all.
My cousin placed sponge/foam rollers in each section and advised me to let them stay in overnight.
I did as I was told.
Roller-set microlocs, front. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Giving my hair the stage it deserves
The end results are what you see above. I love the look — how Àja is bouncy and free and full of life! I adore how full and inviting my hair looks.
I have been transformed into my highest self just from a grand total of 4 hours and 45 minutes.
What makes it all worthwhile is when someone who loves you takes the time to love on your hair, too.
Roller-set microlocs, back. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
My cousin has truly been a blessing. Her talents are abundant, but using her skills to create art with one’s hair is by far a favorite of mine.
I assume that I am not the only one benefiting from this journey. She is gaining more experience with this particular genre of natural hair.
I am relearning what my hair can do, and it has been a titillating educational process so far.
I have the rollers with me at home, and I will roller-set my hair again in about 3 weeks. I plan to have it washed and interlocked again in 7–8 weeks.
Wherever we go, I will be there
Wherever Àja takes me on this journey, I’m going to be there — in my full and whole self, waiting to see exactly what else she can do.
And when my hair is finally loc’d and ready for the world to view its introductory walk into the light, I will be overjoyed.
The path is a much-needed one, and I am still skipping it effortlessly and with a heart full of happiness.
This journey has lit up my life in ways I cannot describe. I am a prisoner of this kind of self-care and self-love.
How I am transitioning to homemade dog food for Jernee
Freshpet turkey & chicken roll, ground beef, white rice, & green beans. This initial dish was a hit with Jernee, and it inspired me to move forward with making all of her food & treats on my own. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
Recently, I began cooking Jernee’s dog food after dealing with several middle-of-the-night races down three flights of stairs to get my baby the relief she needed from her bowels. Waking up at the asscrack of dawn to ensure your dog does not spew bubble gut juices all over your bedroom carpet several times a month is not the look, people. I am not built for this type of awakening.
I like my sleep.
Jernee has always had some form of digestive issue. She is prone to hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and has GERD, so I have had to maintain a strict diet for her. But as she ages; it is truly getting worse.
We have tried several *luxury* brand name dog foods meant solely for senior dogs and their digestive health. However, The Little Monster, at times, still cannot get relief from the changes in her system.
I finally put my foot down two weeks ago after I jumped up from my bed because of her insistent whining, slipped on some clothes in a fit to pull her from her crate, and rushed outside to get her to greener pastures for business doing.
I had HAD enough! I said to my sleep-deprived self, “Something has to change. I can’t keep doing this!”
And something did. I am making her dog food myself, and so far, it has proven to be the best decision I have made for her. (And for me, too.)
Our First Batch of Homemade Dog Food
I started our new journey with the rest of her Freshpet chunky chicken & turkey roll, some ground beef, white rice, and green beans. This combination/dish (pictured as the cover photo) was/is a hit with Jernee.
As I was making the batch, I placed two teaspoons on her dinner mat for her to taste-test, and she slurped it up as if it would be her last meal.
I smiled. Batch #1 of homemade dog food had passed my baby’s palate test, and I could bask in the pure essence of DogMomhood knowing I was stepping into the light of something huge for both of us.
The first batch lasted for about two weeks. Knowing what she could eat and what she likes, I began to research a few other safe foods for dogs for future recipes:
Salmon
Carrots
Eggs
Apples
Bananas
Pumpkin
The above foods are considered safe for dogs to eat, and I will be incorporating them into future dishes for my sweet, aging girl.
When you have a senior dog, and you are in tune with their health and well-being, you are going to do whatever you can to keep them on a healthy journey as they age.
I am doing whatever is necessary to give my girl the relief she needs while managing to keep her active and alert, too.
The Next Batch Was Small But Jernee-Approved
On Sunday morning, February 12, 2023, I made a small batch of a salmon-based dish because I knew the first batch of food would be finished/gone later that evening.
In Batch #2 I put: salmon, scrambled eggs, white rice, and green beans. Did Jernee approve? Yes, she did!
Jernee’s Batch# 2 homemade food: salmon, scrambled eggs, rice, & green beans. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
I prepared the salmon the night prior by simply cooking it in the oven — no seasonings — just its natural flavor. After it cooled, I let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. I cooked the rice, scrambled eggs, and green beans on Sunday morning and mixed everything together. When the batch was at room temperature, I placed it in the fridge.
I intended to have The Little Monster savor this dish Monday morning and Monday night as well.
She has fallen prey to my luring abilities with these homemade dishes, and I think it is safe to say, she will not be reversing or converting back to actual dog food.
I am okay with this.
Homemade Treats and Batch# 3 Are Life Savers
Jernee, I’d say, isn’t too hard to please, she just has . . . limitations of which I have to be aware, and that makes cooking for her hard. However, I am making my way along this journey smoothly, and with each batch, I have made thus far, The Little Monster has enjoyed them. So, I am doing something right.
Enter sweet potato, apple, and banana treats . . . I didn’t taste-test them myself, I did not! That may or may not be a lie.
These goodies are like candy for Jernee. I place one in her food in the morning and one in her dinner in the evening. She devours every morsel and leaves not one crumb in her bowl.
Homemade sweet potato, apple, and banana treats. Excuse the scratches in my favorite frying pan. It cooks the same! Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt
The treats weren’t hard to make at all. I simply took some cooked sweet potatoes, diced apples (Gala), and sliced bananas, and mixed them together. I formed them into little balls and baked them in the oven at 400° for 20 minutes. I allowed them to cool for 30 minutes, then placed them in the fridge overnight.
She loves them!
Batch #3 of her actual food is probably my favorite blend of all things delicious. I bought a Freshpet Select Tender Chicken (and veggies) roll and made some ground beef, brown rice, and green beans. The tender chicken roll already has carrots and a bit of brown rice in it as well, so I did not need to add any more veggies to this batch.
So far, this batch seems to be her favorite when gauging the excited dance she does before every single meal versus the slightly kick-step she did with the previous two batches. It is really quite a sight for sore eyes!
This behavior proves that Jernee is benefiting from the homecooked food and treats more than the store-bought dry and wet foods.
Will This Be Our Go-to From Now On
As long as her digestive system seems to be on the up and up, I will continue to make various dishes and batches of homecooked meals for her. I doubt anything will change in the future as I have noticed taking this route is saving me some money as well. A 4lb bag of the Wellness CORE Digestive Health for Senior Dogs costs me $22.46 after taxes.
Add her Freshpet wet foods and Blue Buffalo small biscuit treats, and I would typically pay around $52.00 as my monthly fee. With this method, I am saving close to $18.00 per month so far from my calculations.
Listen, I will take every bit of savings I can get these days. It’s a win-win for both of us. She’s happy with the recipes I am concocting and I am happy with the results — a happy senior dog who seems to have a better digestive system from the change.
Another day of love for lovers is here, and I am unbothered by the frenzy and unfulfilled purposed people struggling to find the best gifts for others they half love Monday through Thursday, and find themselves wanting to be rid of by Friday.
I smile. I smirk. I know where it all ends, and sadly, where it will begin again, and I say, “I don’t need Valentine’s Day to express my love for another — to let them know I truly care. If I love you, you know. I tell you. I show you.” And I get stares that seem to skitter about from the eyes and roll off to skim through my thoughts.
I said what I said. And I meant it.
My mother is the only person who can call me and say, “Happy Valentine’s Day,” and I don’t flinch or cringe — she has done it for decades now. Ain’t no stopping her. The pressure that comes with this day is abhorrent. I have seen people take their last $50.00 to semi-splurge on things their loved one didn’t need.
And here we are, living during a time when four gallons of gas will probably cause you to get evicted. Do what you want with your money, I know what I will be doing with mine.
This day reappears yearly, and it’s the same charade setting itself up on bended knees to knock every participant down and out before they can utter half-hearted “I love yous.”
Commercialism at its finest.
And you’ll succumb. You’ll buy the roses. You’ll book the restaurant reservation. You’ll get the diamonds and pearls and toe the line of bankruptcy to fulfill an empty heart that only really needs you — that only really needs . . . love.
I’ll try not to put my foot too far in my mouth, because I am loving a woman who will one day have me running out to find the best thing suited for the whole of her — of who she is — Valentine’s Day, included among all others.
If it’ll draw that dimpled smile from her face for eleven seconds, I’d succumb, too. But for now, I don’t need Valentine’s Day. It can’t have what I have and won’t give me what I want — what I need.
I’ll sit back and watch and wonder how much longer we’ll dive into the moneymaking day of love that still manages to leave people depressed when the day is done.
We are knee-deep in its throes . . . bound to sink in its making faster than we ever could in quicksand.
A Cornered Gurl 
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