Home & Family

What was Lost is Found Again

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P1020585Oh, the little things . . . just back from a week in Colorado, and I’m so happy to have all of my personal belongings.
See, I had a couple brain cramps and missing items – which is definitely out of character for me. I’m usually very organized, and not only do I keep track of my own stuff, I pretty much do the same for the rest of the fam.
So, egads, in one trip I lost my good sunglasses and my car key, neither of which are cheap items to replace. And replacing the key would be a pain. (The friend I was with when I purchased the sunglasses would probably say the same for choosing a new pair!)

As we were on our way down the beautiful Eleven-Mile Canyon near Florrisant, Colo., I suddenly realized I didn’t have the glasses. We’d just spent more than an hour meandering up the canyon, stopping along the way to take pictures, look at the creek, explore nature, etc. After searching purse, backpack, car, bags, we determined that I must have dropped them somewhere along the way. Great. How to trace our steps and stop at all the same pull-offs, find the same rocks and scenic spots we’d been to? I was feeling pretty annoyed and not terribly bright, but as luck would have it, my husband was able to look back through the photos he’d taken and determine approximately when I’d last had them. Believe it or not, we actually found the stop, and the rock that my daughter and I had earlier perched on. There, indeed, were my glasses, just hanging out on the rock! Note to self: keep track of your stuff!

Fast forward a few days. My car key goes missing – a day and a half after I’d last driven. OMG. Trying to figure out when I’d last had them, and all the places I could’ve dropped them or left them was ridiculous. I called restaurants and stores, tore through the house and car, dumped my purse, computer bag and backpack more than once, and still did not come up with the key. By now, I’m feeling like I must be in the early stages of dementia, Alzheimer’s or some such degenerative disease. This was not like me. So I spend a couple of days fuming and fretting. The last two times I’d been to Colorado, I ended up having to replace the windshield on my car after a rock popped up and cracked it. Was I destined to have a car-related expense on every trip?

The morning we left, I’m feeling around in my purse for the house key, and realize there’s a small hole in the side of the pocket where I kept the key. I figured I must have poked at it so many times in my hunting, that I’d caused a rip in the fabric. In the car a few hours later, it hits me. If the tear had been there before, could my key with fob and keychain have worked themselves through that hole? If so, the key would not drop into the purse, but in between the purse and the lining. Would I not have heard or felt them? No, indeed. We stopped for a fast-food lunch, and as soon as I could, I wiggled my fingers down between the purse and lining. Sure enough, there was the key. Whew! Not only was I relieved to have the key back, I salvaged my reputation, and could put to rest fears of senility! (Sincere apologies to all the people I had hunting for that dang key!) Very glad to not have to add getting a replacement to my list of post-vacation tasks! 🙂

Feeling the love

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P1030093Over the weekend I had the joy of celebrating my son’s 19th birthday. Today, I’m taking dinner to the family of a two-year-old boy who’s battling leukemia. It’s a hard thing to get my head around. And I’m feeling so many emotions – most of all I’m so grateful for a strong, healthy kid. I’m also grateful for the love, kindness and encouragement that little boy’s mom showered on my son thirteen years ago. You see, she was my son’s first grade teacher.
I imagine everyone remembers, and hopefully loved, their first grade teacher. I remember mine with fondness. First grade was the first year my son was away from me all day five days a week. Kindergarten was a half day, and preschool was only three days a week. This was a kid who I had to pry off of my legs when he was in preschool. He’d cling and cry for me not to leave him. This, of course, was traumatic for both of us.
So first grade was significant. And having a fun, caring teacher who connected and bonded with my son was a huge relief. He had a great year, and we’ve remained friends with this special teacher. Now she has a son of her own. I can only imagine the fear and sadness she’s feeling as her precious boy undergoes painful, unpleasant procedures, in and out of the hospital, being poked and examined. Such hard things for a mom to watch.
I want to help, but there is so little I can do. So I offer small gestures and acts of kindness, and big prayers for healing for this adorable kid who always has a smile on his face, and is so very loved and cherished by his family.

Darlene

Fund Tyler

Cuteness overload!

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Zoos and aquariums have long been on our family’s list of places to go on trips and vacations. While I haven’t specifically recorded each one, it’s very close to at least one in each state!

It all started roughly twenty years ago when my daughter became almost obsessed with animals. We’ve been to zoos in the rain, snow and blazing heat. If you ever have the chance to go to a zoo on a nice winter day, do it! One of our best ever experiences happened right after Christmas when there was snow on the ground, but only a few people around. The place was quiet, and we had it almost to ourselves. No fighting for position, no large groups of school kids, and the animals were active and interested.

I added two new zoos and another aquarium to the list in the past couple of weeks with a visit to the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, the Indianapolis Zoo, and the Cincinnati Zoo.

I know a lot of people are either dog lovers or cat people. I’m really neither, but I do enjoy zoo animals. I don’t know how anyone could not smile at the adorable face of a red panda or the amusing antics of river otters and penguins! Here are a few of my most recent zoo encounters. Feel free to contribute photo captions that come to mind! 🙂
Enjoy!

-Darlene

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Road tripping and state skipping

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It’s the last day of the big road trip with my daughter . . . five states in five days! The ultimate goal is to move her from North Carolina to New York, but many detours along the way! We’ve seen woods and mountains, taken tours and scenic drives. Fun restaurants and shopping. We’ve been way up high in the lovely Smoky Mountains, and way down low in the Mammoth Caves of Kentucky. A few wrong turns and cloudy days, but mostly fun times! The years of this kind of freedom will be fewer and fewer, so we’re trying to enjoy it as much as we can.

Today we’re heading to the zoo, then it’s on the road again — on the road to the Final Four!

More blog posts to come! Happy weekend, everyone!

Darlene

 

I have a grown-up

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holding EToday’s a funny day – a day of memories and a few mind-boggling gulps. Thirty-two years of marriage, and a kid twenty-four years old. Same day, eight years apart.

Of course it happens to everyone who has kids, that how-did-this-happen, where-did-the-time-go kind of awe mixed with sadness and maybe a little panic.
Wow. My daughter is 24, a double dozen years. The panic, of course, is what it means in terms of my years, not hers!

I think back on the first twelve years, and it’s astonishing how many things happened during that time – from learning to talk and walk to starting school right up to the brink of adolescence. And this last dozen – incredible changes like, um, growing up! Twelve years doesn’t really seem so long, but those years represent the angst of middle school, the drama of high school with its activities, achievements and learning to drive. Graduation. And then college. The years of figuring things out and exploring options. Another graduation. All of the years of college done and gone, already part of her past. Amazing.

Now she’s on her own, working, paying most of her own bills. 🙂 That part is quite exciting. So is the next chapter for her, which begins in a few short months when she’ll begin a PhD program that will set her on the path to becoming a scholar in the field of marine biology. Very cool stuff, so while I lament the passing of so many years, the wrinkles around my eyes and those few extra pounds, I look forward to what’s ahead . . . more birthdays, more milestones and more memories as time marches on!

Scuff marks and memories

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dart posterizerdI’m thinking about painting the basement walls. In fact, I’m looking around at our basement, and thinking it needs some work. Not just paint, but patching, sanding, freshening, and new carpet.
The basement has seen some action over the years. Many a school project has been constructed downstairs. The cats reside there. But mostly . . . there have been boys. Boys have logged many hours down there. It’s the place where my son and his friends hung out on weekends – because it’s home to the big TV and Xbox, the Pac Man arcade game, and the ping-pong table.

As I assess the condition, memories bounce in. Birthday parties . . . Superbowl parties . . . video game marathons . . . sleepovers, movie nights, and more. There’s a visible patch on one wall where my husband tried to repair a gouge in the sheetrock. Yeah, that was the time the ping-pong paddle flew out of one of my son’s friend’s hands and smacked a hole in the wall.

On the other wall, there are a series of pockmarks, a whole group of tiny indentations that make the wall appear dimpled. Well, that’s where we hung the dartboard. No, we weren’t expecting every hit to leave its signature behind.

Going up the stairs, I can see that the door and casing are severely scratched. It took me a minute to figure that one out. It happened a while back. My daughter’s Odyssey of the Mind team built a “vehicle” down there – a contraption large enough that one of the team members would control it from inside. Guess what? Once done, we discovered it was slightly wider than our basement door! Luckily, it had some give, so with a little pushing, shoving and finagling, we got it out in one piece. But, again, it left its mark.

While it’s definitely time for some freshening up, it’s also kind of fun to look at the scuff marks and enjoy the memories. Like the laugh lines on an old person’s wrinkled face – those scuffs and scars represent good times. Times worth remembering that I sure wouldn’t trade for a polished and pristine showroom.

Enjoy the moments!

Darlene

Home Alone

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quiet streamIt’s the middle of the afternoon. I’ve done my exercising and some housework. I’ve checked my email and social sites, and responded to a few items. The bustle of the morning is over, and it’s quiet. Really quiet. Except for the low hum of the heater, I don’t hear anything.
I’m alone in my empty nest. Unless I have a surprise visitor, which is highly unlikely. I won’t see another person for several more hours. And I’m perfectly all right with that.
Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to see my kids walk through the door. I love weekday lunches out with friends. I’m not entirely anti-social. But I really do enjoy the quiet solitude I have on a regular basis. I like having time to think, to write, to not hurry. It’s not the same quiet as being alone in the woods or the stillness of a fresh snow.  I can see the busy street, squirrels and birds outside the windows, but still, there’s a sense of peacefulness around me.

People are sometimes surprised that I don’t have the television on. Or the stereo. Something in the background at least. Nope. What I don’t need is noise in the background. I like the silence. I missed out on a weekend home alone this year. For the past few years my husband has been a chaperone on a ski trip for our church’s youth. And both kids have been on the trip. Now that the youngest kid is in college, that didn’t happen. It was something that I looked forward to almost as much as they did. It’s funny, my husband will avoid coming home to an empty house. If I’m not going to be home, he’ll dream up errands, or go get a haircut to keep from coming home. Have to say, I really don’t get that.
After years of working and raising kids, keeping my eyes on the calendar, and rushing from one activity to another, it’s nice to slow down a little. It’s kind of amazing how few things I actually have to do. I’ve given up all of the school volunteer activities. Been there. Done that. And done it some more!
My calendar isn’t entirely empty, but as I look at the boxes for the rest of the month, I see a lot of blank space. The squares that are filled in? With the exception of a couple of doctor’s appointments, the things written on my calendar are things I want to do. A wine-tasting event, lunch with a friend, an interview with a librarian, a writer’s group meeting. Fun stuff!
There are, of course, things I miss about former years, and the busy-ness of raising kids. but for the most part, I think I’ve adjusted to the change in my life this year. I’m okay with quiet. I don’t mind a little time alone. It’s kind of nice to hear nothing but my own thoughts!

Relaxation or procrastination?

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P1040375I’m sitting here in my living room looking at the snow outside and debating whether I want to write, read or go watch a movie. I could take down my Christmas decorations. I have plenty of time today. But it sounds like work. It is work. It involves hauling all of those boxes back up from the basement, loading them up, and hauling them down again. It’s messy work, too. Even though the tree is still taking in water, it’s losing needles – and not just a few. Taking down the tree will involve a lot of vacuuming. Definitely in the work category.

It’s a cold, bitter day today, and taking down the decorations always leaves the house looking a little cold and bare. No need to add to that, right? Besides, the poinsettias still look lovely, and the extra holiday pillows are cheery. I’m thinking I’ll warm up my tea, then curl up and enjoy another week of holiday decor. 🙂

2014: An intersection of fiction and real life

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P1040474I have to say most of the time I’m not all that giddy-excited about ending one year and starting a new one. Most years have been pretty good. I suppose, though, it’s a good time to take a moment and reflect.
A couple of weeks ago, I went through the year in photos to create the annual custom calendar for my dad for Christmas. Turns out, we had a lot going on in 2014. As a family, we went places and did things. We had a once-in-a-lifetime event.
The biggest event of the year was my son’s high school graduation. Not only did that mean we were sending our awesome son off to college, it meant my husband and I became empty nesters. That’s been very strange, and kind of sad. But it’s also been fun to see him mature and thrive, to deal with new situations and responsibilities. For me, his graduation also meant the end of an era – years and years of volunteering in the kids’ schools. No more band concessions, book fairs, debate boosters, tennis banquets, etc., etc.
It was a year for vacations that included spring break in California and a trip to Joshua National Park near Palm Desert. And our daughter was able to fly in to join us. Made our annual trek to Colorado in July and then headed to the east coast in October for a little beach action and visit with our daughter who’s now out in the working world. Lots of fun times.

Of course my real life intersected with a life of fiction! In 2014, I published my fourth novel. Have to say that is really cool. There were times I doubted I could finish even one. I strengthened ties with critique partners, sold a few more books, and created a new website. I met other authors, made connections with retailers and readers and librarians. As Three Writers of Romance, my critique partners and I were guest speakers and spotlighted in a local magazine.

Looking to 2015, I see a lot more activity. I’m kicking off the new year with my fifth novel – yes, FIFTH. “Second Wind,” the second book in my Women of Whitfield small-town trilogy, launches Jan. 10.
The months will zip by, and once again we’ll be in California for spring break. This time, we’ll get to see our son play college tennis in an invitational tournament there! Hopefully, shortly after that, our daughter will be accepted to a PhD program and will take a huge step in furthering her education and career. The pace won’t slow down at all in April, as my husband and I will join a friend at the Final Four in Indianapolis (Come on, Jayhawks, let’s get it together!), then I’m scheduled for a book sale and signing at a women’s event in Dallas.
In what promises to be a highlight of the coming year, my book club is planning a girls’ retreat in a lovely natural area near Branson, Mo. I’m going to need those four days to unwind, rejuvenate, relax and write. A change of scenery always seems to get the creative juices flowing.

I can’t say what the second half of the year will bring, but I know I can count on a busy schedule. I’ll look forward to seeing what opportunities unfold for my kids. I’ll keep writing – hoping that 2015 will be a two-book year. I’ll attempt to keep up with the changes in the publishing industry, and working to connect with readers. I’ll probably fight with technology and be overwhelmed by social media and marketing.
My goals for the year, I suppose, are to enjoy the travels and times with my family. To eat lunch out with friends as often as I can. To read, and to write books that resonate with others who love to read and get lost in a world of fiction.
Happy New Year and happy reading to all!

Let the festivities continue!

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Well, Christmas is over, but the festivities are not! Crossing my fingers in hopes that the weather will cooperate this week, and I’ll be able to attend two annual holiday events that are always full of merriment and camaraderie – get togethers with longtime friends with whom I have a history.

Tomorrow night is supposed to be my book club’s holiday dinner, dubbed the traditional salmon feast and winter solstice celebration. Last year we rescheduled three times, and finally gave up. It just wouldn’t have been the same in July. I ended up handing out the cute little individual gourmet teas I’d purchased as partxDSC_0715y favors at a random book club meeting several months later. Not the same at all.

On Friday, I’m supposed to have lunch with three friends I used to work with in corporate America. We bonded twenty-plus years ago over bad bosses and a ridiculous working environment – oh, and words. As writers and editors, we have common talents and interests. Now we have so many experiences in common. Kids and college are some big ones. Many years ago we went our separate ways, but we’ve kept up our annual holiday luncheon. We try to kick off spring with a Mother’s Day lunch, and until recently, we added in a family summertime event. Alas, the kids are almost all grown now and the last summer soiree was just us girls and spouses.

The forecast for Friday is a wintry mix. Temperatures are supposed to plummet. Our event is to take place at least thirty minutes away (that’s on a good day). We’ve rescheduled twice, and I’m hoping the bakery will indulge me one more time when I call tomorrow and change the date for the required chocolate dessert I’ve had on order. But mostly I’m hoping we can make our little get-together happen. I’m looking forward to laughing over the memories and stories that will undoubtedly surface, and to hearing updates on the college kids. And this year, for the first time, to hear about wedding plans. The first of our children is engaged.
More memories to be made. Fingers crossed!