I just gave you a little hint about my big dream Ever since I was a bitty baby I have wanted to be an honest-to-goodness beauty queen I even know the wave It’s side to side nice and slow with a dazzling smile I practice all the time because everybody knows beauty queens need to have a perfect wave I’m Kylie Jean and I’m going to be a beauty queen Just you wait and see
This morning when I wake up I see that Jack Frost has visited All of my next-door neighbor Miss Clarabelle’s flower beds are dusted with a white icy glaze Ugly Brother looks out the window with me He really wants to go to church with us You need to stay here silly doggy I tell him Ruff he replies One ruff means no Two ruffs mean yes Now go lie down Maybe I’ll bring you a treat I tell him Ruff ruff he barks Then he turns around and heads for his doggy bed The frost glitters like diamonds as Momma Daddy T J and I head out to church Mr Weatherman had told us we would get some winter weather and he was right Because of the cold air I get to wear my very favorite coat It’s a deep dusty-rose pink with white fur trim around the hood But even with my warm coat on I am puffing out little clouds of air as I breathe After church our whole family heads over to the Catfish King restaurant Usually we go to Nanny and Pa’s Lickskillet Farm for Sunday dinner But because our family is so big
only some of us can eat inside The rest have to eat outside Nobody wants to sit outside today in this freezing weather Inside the Catfish King we have to wait because we are a very large party and Sunday is one of the busiest days But I don’t mind The air is warm and rich with the smell of delicious fried catfish Our whole family is piled into the corner of the waiting area sitting on benches and chatting T J says Lil Bit give me your coat and I’ll go hang it up I look at T J but I don’t hand him my coat I want to keep it on It’s my favorite dress coat I think I’ll keep this on I tell him Give T J your coat please We don’t eat with our coats on says Momma T J holds out his hand I slowly take off my coat and give it to him He walks over and hangs up the coats and then sits by our cousin Lilly T J and Lilly are talking about what they’re going to order Lilly says I want tartar sauce with mine Tartar sauce ruins a piece of tasty catfish says T J In fact the best way to eat catfish is plain They move on to talking about the homework they have to do for school tomorrow Meanwhile I stand by Lilly’s younger sister Lucy My cousin Lucy and I walk over to look at the community bulletin board by the door Some people have posted signs on it looking for lost pets and items There are also flyers advertising things for sale and sharing local events I see a flyer for the upcoming holiday parade It’s only the beginning of December so the parade is still almost four weeks away Below that flyer is another one that catches my eye Hey look at that flyer with a giant blue cat on it I say Now I’m not talking about the kind of cat that has four legs and says meow I mean the
swimming kind with long Granddaddy Whiskers that likes to tuck into the mud of a riverbed It’s a catfish It’s a fishing contest I say Winter is the best time to catch big blue cats in Texas Lucy reads The Winter Catfish Classic Team Fishing Contest will be held on Arrowhead Lake in two weeks The team with the catch that weighs the most wins The prize is a brand new boat and a chance to meet Rick Allen Rick Allen is a famous fishing celebrity Everyone knows all about him He even has his own show on TV T J s ears perk up and he stops talking with Lilly He walks over and looks at the sign I’m going to enter that contest and win he says Dad you can be on my team Daddy walks over and says I’m in Sounds like a good time son Now my ears perk up because I was thinking of entering the contest too I lean close to Lucy I really want to enter the contest I whisper But T J just asked Daddy
