I was a good mother today -- no blogging, just driving, standing in lines, snarling at kids, waiting for kids, snapping at kids, following after kids as they ran to join another line. . .yep, that summer ritual of a theme park. Today I hauled five boys to Lake Compounce. You must have one of those nearby? A slightly less-than-Disney-perfect [thank goodness] theme park?

This one has Garfield the cat as its mascot. The workers looked like teenagers who were counting the minutes until they could be released back into the captivity of school. The whole place had the worn, seedy look of a summer park in late August.

The fun is over and tomorrow we'll be finishing up essays. All three have 'em . . .. which brings me to the gist of this post:

I know we JUST had a contest. But let's do another, this one will end in a week. Exactly a week, on September 2 -- the day my kids go back to school. And since they're being tormented by these essays, let's torture you, too. The themes of your 55 word stories will be the same as the ones assigned to my poor darlings: "A Book I've Read" "The Best Day of This Summer" and/or "What I Did this Summer." You're allowed to create fiction, of course. Oh, and maybe a topic I remember writing about (far more open to brown-nosing) "What I hope To Accomplish in the Year Ahead."

I don't plan to have contests all the time. And I certainly don't expect to get another great response.  But this one is irresistible to me. People willingly writing on these themes? Wow! Tomorrow I have to get out the seatbelts to strap my babies to their chairs and the whips to force them to write. Why oh why can't teachers think of better topics, such as "The Perfect Murder" or "How to Succesfully Rob a Bank". . .We'll have to try for something better next time.

This week's prize: Maybe a blank composition book? Or a package of number two pencils? I'll think of something. Just don't be surprised if it's sox and a book again. YOU are the creative ones around here. Oh, and I'm gonna have an official contest at my website eventually. A real one! But not yet. I'll let you know.