I'm afraid that at age 8, little Cali, the girl I mentor, is headed down a very slippery slope. In telling me about her Christmas present, she told me one was a secret, but she could tell me... fake cigarettes. We talked about it some, but her mother and two older sisters both smoke, so that doesn't make it easy. Then she mentioned that she loves body piercings and that one of her sisters gave her some plastic rings that clip onto her nose and lip. Now that's just frightening!

Later she said that her new year's resolutions are to exercise more and eat healthy. She's a bit round for her age and if I had to guess, so are mother and sisters. Then when we went to the cafeteria to get her lunch, she got the whole tray, but bought two brownies because she said she didn't like any of the food. And she wasn't kidding... all she ate was brownies. I did manage to get her to try a grape and a piece of potato, but she wasn't having it. So we talked a bit about healthy eating habits, but I think it's probably pointless. I'll keep at it anyway.

P. S. Brother Charles commented yesterday that I may help in solving a murder, so to stay on the case. The body may not be discovered for months (although I haven't heard of a missing person either), so I'll keep my ear to the ground.