Home Remodeling

Dear Mom,

Hubby and I have been redoing the upstairs where all the kids had their rooms. Empty nesters now. Whooo-hooo! I suggested we make the upstairs a "creative space" still keeping the rooms as bedrooms, but making use of the area. A writing room for me, an art room for hubby. Another room themed as music, and the loft will be a library.

It became apparent while doing this that hubby and I have different ideas. I got a little cranky. Oh, I've been known to get a little crabby from time to time, but hubby says I never get on his nerves. I got on that man's last nerve with this adventure (and we've only just begun). I was downright annoyed because I really wanted MY way. I usually don't care. Hubby is clearly the decorator. I have no sense, no fashion, no vision, no artistic style when it comes to decorating. Seriously. Hubby missed his calling because he definitely does. Hubby equals museum style. Me equals helter skelter.

But I did have something in my head when it came to these creative spaces. It's hard for me to verbalize what's up in that brain of mine, especially when it comes to "decorating."

Hubby did say, "I'll give you this... you do have an imagination." As a writer, I took that as a huge compliment even though I'm thinking that's not how he intended it.

After we got through kids, both mine and his, I figured we could make it through anything. I think now I better add: Home Remodeling.

Birthday Dinner

Dear Mom,

I've probably mentioned this before that Suzanne, Ruth and I have birthday dinners. We sisters take turns and cook dinner for the one or the other on their birthday - or as close as we can get. Since I have a December birthday and there is always so much going on that month (who could imagine), that we postpone mine until... whenever.

We celebrated a few weeks ago at Ruth's.

Here's the table setting - the silverware was yours.

I was so excited to eat what Ruth made that I didn't get any good pictures of the meal.

And here are the three of us - Ruth (left) and Suzanne (right) thought they'd hide, which they did...

... but here they are in full view.

And Obie (one of Ruth's pooch) wanted in on the action:

Two Anniversaries

Dear Mom,

Today is the second year anniversary of the start of this blog to you. It is also the 42nd anniversary of your death. I started this blog on the 40th anniversary - Forty Years Ago Today.

It's hard to believe that two years have passed since I started writing this blog to you. I can remember being afraid to start, but then when I thought of you, all fear disappeared. Sometimes that's all it takes to push fear aside and go right through it. Just look what I've accomplished by not letting fear take hold.

If we could sit and chat, I'd ask you - "What were you afraid of, that you did anyway? What were the results? Was it worth moving through the fear?"

There's the old expression, "Where there's love, there is no fear." I guess that's a good thing to always remember. Because what's better than love?

Loving you on this day, and every day.

Writing Contest

A friend shared this writing contest with me and now I'm sharing it with anyone interested.

It's from Southern Writers Magazine. Here are a few details taken from the site:

Give us your best and be a winner in our first Short Story Contest!

You asked for it, and we're doing it. This summer we'll publish a bonus magazine of Southern short stories by our readers, and we want you to be in it. Whether you're already a well-known novelist, or a newcomer ready to get in print, the Southern Writers Short Story Contest is your chance to make your mark on the big world of short stories.

Any family-friendly subject is welcome, and the guidelines are simple:

And for all the details and guidelines, y'all head on over to: http://www.southernwritersmagazine.com/contest.html

What? More Letters?

Dear Mom,

In the month of February I had been rising to the challenge of writing letters, every day. In fact, I mailed out a total of 90 pieces (letters, cards, packages) and I received a total of 25.

I also created this notebook to keep it all organized. I still have room to add more letters, should some trickle in. Since I have extra pages left, I will keep adding names to those I write. I still owe some folks some return responses. Seems like a few of my friends felt a little slighted when I hadn't written them, so I'll add those to the list as well. Inside the notebook, I created little pockets so that I could put the letters that I received in them. I glued in the favorite photos from my walk to the mailbox.

On March 1st I walked down the driveway to deliver a letter that I had written earlier in the month, wanting to send it during this challenge, but I was waiting for a looney (Canadian money) to cover any postage for forwarding the letter on to someone since I couldn't locate an address. I'll be curious to see what happens with that letter, if anything.

Now that the challenge frees up a little time, I can devote more time to my novels, most of which are in epistolary form. I mean, hey, letter writing is my thing... which is why I write you. That and the fact that I love and miss you.

Oh and here are some pictures I took as I walked the driveway as it didn't seem right not to carry the camera with me. I noticed things growing out of the driveway.

And this picture captured my attention as this little bubble gurgled from under the blacktop. It reminded me of the song on the Beverly Hillbillies - you know where "up from the ground came...." I must have snapped a bazillion shots trying to catch the bubbling action. You really can't tell, but oh well. You'll just have to take my word for it.

It was the only wet spot on the entire driveway.