sugar rainbow

december 2014
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Charlie Grimsley (29 years), Cara Grimsley (24 years), Rachael Darling (8 years), Lulu Grimsley (4 years), Jake Grimsley (1 year)

narrated by: Cara Grimsley

We’re still working opposite shifts, which I’ll admit is nice for Jake. Once he gets into preschool though, I’m hoping that Charlie will have been promoted to a day-shift police officer. I haven’t found the job shift from bartender to police officer to have any perks, other than the uniform. He gets paid less, and still has to work a second shift. Charlie reminds me that this is a career with potential, and tending bar is only a job.

He waits at the bus stop with Rebecca, who lives kitty corner to us. Since it’s outside our front door, he could easily wait inside, but Jake loves going outdoors, and the girls like waving at them as they get off the bus.

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blissfully ordinary

january 2013
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Charlie Grimsley (28 years), Cara Grimsley (23 years), Rachael Darling (7 years), Lulu Grimsley (3 years),

narrated by Cara Grimsley

After Duke died, Rachael wanted a new dog, bird,or kitten; she didn’t really care which, as long as she could have a pet again. I’d never been fond of the big dog to begin with, and I wasn’t jumping on the train to replace him. So we made the agreement that if Rachael got her grades up, that she could have a guinea pig.

kicked in the bum

August 2011
Cara’s previous update/next update / Annie’s next update
Cara Grimsley (21 years)

Dear Charlie & Girls;

Thank you for sending me photos of Lulu, it looks like she had a wonderful birthday. I miss all of you like crazy, but I’m proud of myself for doing this. I’ve never been on my own before, went from childhood to motherhood, though I’m technically not alone here.

filling life with meaning

March 2011
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Charlie Grimsley (26 years), Cara Grimsley (21 years), Rachael Grimsley (5 years), Lulu Grimsley (10 months), Duke (dog)
(Meredith Traver – 49 years, Hazel McCarthy – 29 years)

Tim dragged him here. It wasn’t that he didn’t like poker and the bar scene; it was just that his time with Cara was dwindling. It was also possible that marriage had tamed him; he liked staying home and watching movies with her. His brother was right though, soon he wouldn’t be able to go out easily. Soon Cara would be gone, and he’d be doing the solo gig with the girls.

So he laughed when he noticed others were, and watched his brother make friends with strangers, and stirred his drink when people looked at him.

make it better

november 2009
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Cara Darling (18 years), Rachael Darling (1), Duke (dog)

Cara buys the groceries, tickles Rachael’s tummy, and feeds Duke. She’s alive, but it doesn’t feel like living. Just a few short months ago, her and Stephan were celebrating their daughter’s birthday, talking of marriage and moving out of her step grandma’s house. Now she was being kicked out of her dead, step grandma’s house because the family wanted to sell it, and her boyfriend was dead too. The fire took almost everything from her; she hadn’t felt this lonely in her life. Even her mother kicking her out of the house cause they didn’t have room for her or the baby wasn’t as terrible as this.

ultimate sacrifice

april 2009
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Milla Traver (67 years), Cara Darling (17 years), Rachael Darling

*warning – picture heavy*

“Bleh, bleh, bleh-bleh!” If I have to hear anything more about my over achieving, violin playing cousin Lorelei, I’m going to jump off a cliff. Gran is talking to her on the phone and I can over hear her syrupy sweetness, and oh how Gran gushes over her. If Gran really knew that Lorelei snuck out as much as I used to, I imagine that’d knock Lorelei down a peg or two.

As it is, I have enough on my plate with Rachael. My mom and step dad, Ethan dumped me here with my step dad’s mom while they lived happily ever after with my half-siblings. Two sets of twins, back to back. Mom is nuts. She’s actually going nuts, and financially they are strapped, and space wise they are just plum out of fresh space. They took my room from me and used it for the new set of twins, and here I am. Living with my step-grandma, who gushes over her real grandkids like they spit petals.