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Genre: Hysterical Fiction
Word Count: 100
PIN MONEY
“Drat. This is my favorite skirt.” Dale noted her unraveled hem. “I left my sewing kit at home.”
Rochelle dug through her purse. “Here you go.” She handed a safety pin to her friend. “Temporary fix.”
“Thanks.”
“Ever wonder who invented the safety pin?”
“No. Do you?”
“Glad you asked.” Rochelle grinned. “William Hunt, a little-known inventor from Martinsburg, New York, created it from 20 centimeters of wire in 1849 so he could pay off a $15 debt. He later sold the patent for a mere $400.”
“Oy!” Dale rolled her eyes. “I just had to ask Encyclopedia Britannica Wisoff-Fields.”
- Note…Where did 7 years go? 7 years ago I was working on my first novel, employed as a cake decorator in a local grocery store and had just begun to write for Friday Fictioneers. I loved the feedback and meeting other writers around the world. Sandra Crook, Russell Gayer and Ted Strutz were among the first to welcome me. I had only been an FF’r for 6 months when Friday Fictioneers creator, Madison Woods decided it was time to move onto other things. I was devastated. Coerced by my husband and two other friends, I begged Madison to let me take the helm. Click Here to check out my first story as facilitator. Thank you to those who participate, reciprocate and have become great friends! ❤
Your historical knowledge is vast and your research indefatigable, Rochelle
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Dear Neil,
After writing all these little historical flashes I think my trivia knowledge is vast. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That Rochelle is a know-it-all in the greatest possible way 😀. Loved the story! The two of you together would be a blast.
Thanks for your efforts. I think many of us look forward to Wednesday. It pushes me into writing about things I wouldn’t normally.
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Dear Tanille,
I can’t believe how quickly the last 7 years have flown by. Friday Fictioneers is such an integral part of my week.
Dale and I have had a few lively Skype sessions but haven’t connected in person…yet. I hope to one day.
Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You do a great job!
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Thank you, Tanille. 😀
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Ha ha – that was fun to read, Rochelle (and educational). 🙂
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Dear Susan,
A few weeks ago I did pick up a safety pin and asked my husband if he ever wondered who invented it. Of course that led to research. 😉 Glad you enjoyed and took the time to say so. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great story. I wonder what he’d have thought of Sid and Nancy’s use of safety pins. 😉
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Dear Josh,
I seriously doubt that William Hunt considered his invention to be used as facial adornment. 😉 Glad you enjoyed the story. Am I the only one who wonders these things? I mean someone invented it, right? Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Oh no, I think of that stuff all the time. Something comes up in discussion I need to look it up. This is the blessing and curse of writing historical fiction, I suppose.
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It’s nice to know…and I’m so not surprised we’re kindred spirits in that way. 😉
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I could see that conversation between the two of you.
You’ve really made FF your own in those 7 years, and helped us make it ours – the one weekly blog challenge nobody wants to miss 🙂 Cool that some people here during the original run still participate.
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Dear Trent,
I ‘found’ Friday Fictioneers at a very dark time in my life. I was hooked from the beginning. And the exercise in word conservation has had an amazing impact on my longer writings. Participants such as yourself make it all the more worthwhile. Reciprocation is such an important part IMHO. I’ve made some very good friends over the years. Dale’s among them. Although we’ve never met in the flesh, we’ve had some good conversations and laughs on Skype. I love technology. 😉 Thank you so much for being part of Friday Fictoneers.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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It is a great group of people and the 100 word format makes it easy to visit quite a few each week.
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I don’t know where the last 7 years have gone, but they went far too quickly. I remember your despair when Madison decided to move on. She birthed a beautiful work in process and I knew you were an immediate fit to become the foster mom of Friday Fictioneers. Your research for the trivia is awesome. You have educated us in so many areas and broadened our knowledge. The safety pin….who else would have made an uninteresting item interesting? You of course. Good job.
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Dear Jan,
Wow! What a comment from the one who’s watched it all unfold. I remember how you read those first few flashes and claimed they were my best writing. Thank you for noodging me to take on the roll of fairy blog mom. Madison has said more than once she’d never have taken the challenge this far. I might never have taken it on had you not been so supportive. 😀 ❤
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I will pin this interesting bit of trivia to my mind in case a question about safety pins ever comes up on one of my pub quiz nights!
Friday Fictioneers is the highlight of my week. It has been for years and will continue to be so as long as I write. Thank you.
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Dear Keith,
One never knows when a bit of trivia will come in handy. 😉 I’m glad Friday Fictioneers is a highlight for you. Your frog renderings are most certainly a highlight for me. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Somewhere in the foggy recesses of my brain I’d heard the safety pin story before, but certainly didn’t remember the details. What a wonderful thing a safety pin is! To think the poor man made only $400 on it is roughly akin to the Indians selling Manhattan for a handful of beads!
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Dear Linda,
Mr. Hunt could’ve been a millionaire, instead he died in the midst of a lawsuit over the invention of the interlocking sewing machine. It seems he was too quick to give his ideas away for peanuts. And what would we do without safety pins? I used a lot of them back in the days before Pampers. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, me too–running the pointed end through my hair to make it go through the fabric smoothly 🙂
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Ha! I did the very same thing. Worked like a charm. 😀
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I love the way you tell this story as a conversation between you and Dale. I can just imagine Dale rolling her eyes!
And thank you for running Friday Fictioneers – it’s a great challenge, and you do an excellent job!
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Dear Penny,
I can see Dale rolling her eyes, much as my husband did when I first voiced my wondering who invented the safety pin. 😉 I love sussing out these little nuggets of history. 😀
Thank you for your kind words re Friday Fictioneers. At times it’s akin to herding cats. But at times those kitties cuddle up in our laps and purr, don’t they?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
First of all, there is no way in hell I would say “drat” 😉 But this is a PG-rated playing field so, I’ll accept the gentrifying of what I would really say 😉
This was so much fun to read and so glad you gave me a role in your story about safety pins. Coz, yes, I do think about stuff like that too and do end up looking them up. However, you are the queen of bringing these to life!
I cannot imagine willfully not participating in FF. Ever.
Shalom and lotsa love without stabbing you with a pin,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
I pretty much know what you’d say. 😉 Tee hee. We want to keep things family friendly, don’t we? And…it’s good to be the queen.
I know there was a weekly Friday Fictioneers challenge before you came aboard the bus, but I can’t imagine it now.
Shalom and lotsa hugs even though I’m wincing from the pin pokes. Ouch!
Rochelle
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I forgot to say how much I appreciate your decision to take over FF, and how much it has helped me in seeing how I need to be less wordy. It’s fun, too 🙂 Thank you!
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Dear Linda,
There’s something vert addictive about Friday Fictioneers, isn’t there? Not for the writing alone, but for the interaction as well. 😉 Thank you for being an integral part of the fun.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes, the interaction. I’m ALWAYS amazed at how many different stories come from one photo!
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This was so much fun, Rochelle! 🙂
I’m one of the later-comers to the FF Family but I’m very glad to have found you (I believe I’d stalked Dale here one day, and decided I liked the atmosphere, and been squatting with yas since!). This is such a great writing community, and I’m very grateful to you for hosting and keeping it going. As for the trivia-mistress – I love these things! 🙂
Left my spin on the pin in Kermitage.
🙂
Na’ama
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Na’ama Y’karah,
You know there’s a town in Missouri called Hermitage? So I laughed aloud at Kermitage.
I’m glad you stalked your way over to this corner of the blogosphere. You’re one of the ones I’ve come to look forward to seeing each week. 😀 As always, I’m pursuit of trivia. 😉
Todah rabbah and shalom,
Rochelle
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Ha! I’m so satisfied you ‘got’ my Kermitage joke!! 🙂
Yep, t’was deliberatage. 🙂
And … I am truly delighted to have found you. It is not just a writing community, but a community. And those are lovely things. Let alone when they have such nice, funny, creative, kind, generous people in them — like you and many others I’ve come to know. Tis a gift, it is! 🙂
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So I’m not the only know.it.all in people’s lives? It’s nice to see there are others of my illustrious ilk
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Dear Larry,
Not sure I’d call myself a know-it-all so much as a trivia nerd. I know enough to be annoying. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’m exactly like that too Shalom
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Haha! Love it, and I kept my coffee cup on the table, just in case. Encyclopedia Rochelle would always be handy to have a around. Who needs google when we’ve got you?
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Dear Eric,
Ah shucks, no coffee snorts. 😉 Were it not for Google I’d know nothing. 😉 And then I know enough to write a story. Don’t ask for dates or details beyond that. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love the little facts you teach us in your stories… and this is really a cool little invention.
So I remember how I joined Friday Fictioneers just two weeks before you took over… I had only been blogging for a few months, and came upon Friday Fictioneers through twitter friends… then I stumbled on dVerse, a site I now run… I have learned so much during my years of writing… the only things remaining is to follow in the footsteps of others who publish their very own books (I have participated in three anthologies though)…
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Dear Björn,
I do remember we weren’t too far apart in our time of participation. Truly. What would we do without the simple safety pin? In fact, I wonder what they did before William Hunt invented it. We’ve come a long way, haven’t we? Thank you for sticking with FF all this time.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Let me see… I’ve made the ones in fig 2 & 4. In fact, somewhere in one of these boxes I should have a couple of Fig. 4’s still from my Gr. Gram. Hmmm, let me see, as I recall I started with Fri Fic back around 1999-2000 while I was still in college, just learning how to write again. At first, the 100 words was an extreme challenge just to write. As you can see, I’ve gotten better. When I started, I was on Blogger, then you convinced me to go with WordPress and I’ve been hooked since. I am so very thankful to have met you all and to have had these years as friends-over-the-cyber-air. I wish I still had a copy of my first stories…I’m sure they were nightmarish. Thank you, Rochelle, for being such a wonderful hostess and good friend. It means the world and more! 🙂 ❤ ~Shalom, Bear
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Dear Bear,
I remember your early days of FF. However I don’t think it goes back quite that far. Nonetheless I’m glad you joined. You’ve certainly someone I consider a friend. Thank you for being so supportive in so many ways. (BTW -What the Heart Wants is being looked at by an agent. We’re hoping.) Miigwetch and Todah rabbah.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hard to remember… seems like forever to me… a good forever, that is! 🙂 So glad to hear about the book. I hope they pick it up and publish it for you!
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Happy 7th Anniversary and a heartfelt thanks for all you do. Much like your story today, you are the pin that holds us all together 🙂
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Thank you for such a wonderful comment/compliment, Iain. You’ve added a smile to my day. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You’re very welcome 🙂
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I’m always interested in things like that, too. My problem is my attention span. “What was I going to look up?” Or I look it up, satiate my curiosity then forget all about it. Now, I know Wiliam Hunt invented the safety pin. Next week, it’ll be William Hurt invented acting, which can’t be right. I still enjoy your educational stories, and I’m a little jealous of the facts you retain.
I am glad you took over FF. I can’t imagine it without you. Madison left before I was born. Well, before Nobbinmaug or NobbinBlog were conceived. I enjoyed your story from seven years ago. It was the perfect metaphor for this undertaking. When my grandfather died earlier this year and I stopped blogging for a few months while I was dealing with cleaning out his house and rearranging mine with the furniture I inherited, it was FF that got me back into it and back into writing. Thank you for keeping it alive and Sascha Darlington for talking me into trying it. I’m happy to be on this bus.
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Dear Nobbin,
Until you clarified I was going to say you’re a very gifted 6 year-old. 😉 I’m very glad you’re back to blogging and chose to share it with Friday Fictioneers. Your story this week is truly wonderful. Kudos to Sascha for convincing you to join.
Honestly, my “vast knowledge” is made up of bits of trivia that I researched for a story. Many of these bits I retain long enough to write a story. Don’t ask me for dates, either…I’m terrible with those. But this story did come out of my musing one day while using a safety pin. Two years ago I did a similar story about paper clips. https://rochellewisoff.com/2017/07/05/7-july-2017/
In any event, now that I’ve revealed my deep dark secrets, thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dale is right, you do seem to be a fount of all knowledge!
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Dear Liz,
More like a fount of useless (and nonetheless, fascinating) trivia. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Have you ever considered going on a quiz show? You might do well!
Thanks very much for hosting this – I’ve lived in many different places and it’s hit and miss as to whether there are local writing groups – so having an online community has kept me writing when I might not otherwise do it at all.
Lauren
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Dear Lauren,
I do enjoy an occasional episode of Jeopardy and enjoy playing Trivial Pursuit. However, TBH, my not-so-vast knowledge is limited to what I research for stories. Great conversation at parties. 😉
I’m happy you’re part of this group. This exercise in word conservation has helped my own writing so it pleases me to know it does the same for others. Not to mention, I’ve made some friends I’d never have met otherwise. 😀 Thank you so much for being part of it.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve enjoyed my time here at Friday Fictioneers and have appreciated your always encouraging comments, Rochelle. I raise a glass to you in toast for another 7 years. Cheers!
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Dear Lisa,
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment. I raise my glass and touch it to yours. L’chaim!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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❤ 🙂
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Ha, she walked into that one! Fun 🙂
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Dear Ali,
She should’ve known better. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Always something to learn, always a delight to visit. Well done, as ever, Rochelle. And congrats on your anniversary. The thing I remember about those days is how inspiration never seemed to be in short supply. Happy days indeed. And thank you.
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Dear Sandra,
I’ve always appreciated the way you welcomed me into the group. It was exciting back then and filled a void for me at the time. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The encyclopaedia Rochelle is right, a brilliant little tale Rochelle and I think i recognise the Dale from this wonderful little band of tearaways! Excellent as ever!
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Dear Shrawley,
She is THE one and only Dale. 😉 Thank you for your kind words. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Agreed!!
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I can’t imagine a time without the safety pin.
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Seriously, James, who can?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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You are the reason i keep coming back week after week to FF. Simply the best mentor, tutor, inspirational figure, friend and of course writer par excellence. Thanks one more time. And, but of course, another delightful story from your fabulous stable, dear Rochelle.
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Dear Neel,
What lovely things to say. I only hope I’m truly worthy of the compliments. Thank you very much for being part of Friday Fictioneers.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice info. Safety pin may look ordinary, but it is an enormous invention. Inventor himself probably did not realise the enormity of his achievement and sold it for a princely sum of four hundred dollars.
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Dear Abhijit,
The safety pin was only one of William Hunt’s many inventions. I’m sure he didn’t realize what a marvelous invention he’d created. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Hahaha great little story. I can just picture you both, smiles and tone of voice too !
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Dear Laurie,
When Dale and I Skype we do sound pretty much like that. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Love your safety pin anecdote – can just imagine you and Dale chatting away! It’s a shame that so many inventors have sold their patents for so little over the years, too poor or too lacking in vision to see what the enterprising buyer sees, that their invention will become ubiquitous. Congrats for seven great and glorious years, Rochelle. Can’t imagine FF – or WordPress! – without you x
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Dear Lynn,
The safety pin is such a humble, everyday thing that we never think about. It occurred to me one day that it had to have come from somewhere. 😉 Dale and I have enjoyed many Skype sessions…can’t wait to one day make it a physical reality.
Thank you for your wonderful comments and being such an important part of Friday Fictioneers. I can’t imagine WordPress without you either. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Aw, that will be so lovely, the day you finally meet! I’ve come close to meeting a handful of UK based bloggers but something has always come up. Such a warm place to be, with like minded souls. Thank you for your kind words – I really do enjoy out interactions. Very best wishes
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fun story! Congrats on 7 years!
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ps so glad you took on Friday Fictioneers. It’s always been a great experience and I can’t imagine it without you!
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Dear Sascha,
Frankly, although I’ve toyed with quitting a few times, I can’t imagine Friday Fictioneers without me either. 😉 Thank you so much for your sweet comments and compliments and for being a part of it. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Happy anniversary.
Another fun piece of history. Stay sharp, Rochelle.
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Thank you, Patrick. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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This definitely sounds like a conversation between you two! Proves the point that behind everything, there is a story.
Though I’ve only had the good fortune to be part of FF for a year and a half, i know a good thing when I see one. And we are very lucky indeed to have you at the helm. Thanks for all you do,Rochelle!
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Dear Andrea,
Actually Dale and I have had some great face to face chats thanks to the internet. None in person…yet.
I’m so glad you’ve become part of Friday Fictioneers. Thank you for such a lovely comment. You’ve filled my morning with smiles
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Seven’s a special number, congratulations on all you have accomplished! Lovely story! Safety pins are incredible gadgets. As someone who travels a lot, they’ve come in handy in so many ways. =)
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Dear Brenda,
A safety pin or two is a good thing to keep in one’s handbag. (And I’m usually without. 😉 ) Thank you so much for the congrats, etc. I’m so glad you’re a part of Friday Fictioneers. After all, I don’t do it by myself. Our reciprocating global community is what makes it work. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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And, this community means a great deal to me. =) Thanks again!
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Nice story and I love it when you teach me something new! I always enjoy your stories. Safety pins – I never even thought about it’s history – Great story!
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Dear Nan,
These things sort of pop into my head. I was unpinning my tablecloths at a recent art fair when I turned to my husband and said, “Ever wonder who invented the safety pin?” To which he replied, “No, but I’m sure you’re going to find out.” 😉 How well he knows me. Glad you enjoyed the story and the history. Thank you. 😀
Shalom,
Rochelle
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A fun take on the prompt, Rochelle. I wonder how many stories there are featuring you and Dale, including those written by other Friday Fictioneers. 🙂
Congrats on your Friday Fictioneer 7th year anniversary!
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Dear Mags,
I’ve done a few with Dale and me. I know a few others have been posted as well. No idea how many there are. 😉 Thank you twice.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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My pleasure, Rochelle. You and Dale are a famous duo! 😊
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I love this stuff; the little things we take fro granted and don’t give much thought. They had to come from somewhere! Thanks again for making history so entertaining.
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Dear Dawn,
If only my history teachers had made it entertaining. I might’ve gotten better grades. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I had the greatest history teacher in the 10th grade. His name was Colonel Barret. Booming voice, arms flailing. He loved history and he loved teaching. I was very lucky to have him as a teacher.
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Love the embeddes history lesson. You could write a book of history stories, Fast Facts.
😀 Shalom,
Ronda
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Dear Ronda,
Not a bad idea. I might have to look into a flash history anthology. Could be interesting. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
PS Still doing a happy dance inside my head. 😀
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Happy anniversary and congrats!
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Thank you, KRC.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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