January 31, 1942

This is a photograph of my very beloved Grandpa & Grandma on the day they were married, January 31st, 1942.  They had been married 63 years when Grandma passed.  Of course, I cannot comment firsthand on their early years, but I can on their latter years.  The two of them were still totally cracking each other up into their 90s.   Grandpa passed at 96 1/2 with his extraordinary sense of humor completely intact.

 

Duane & Callie Mae

May we all find such happiness.

     

All Hail Mother Nature

I'm trying to be asleep right now, because I need to get up in less than five hours, but instead I've been listening to the rain.  What a beautiful sound.  The sound of rain at night- there is something about that.  Living here it is a very rare sound- so it sounds all the more beautiful.

Earlier there was also thunder & lightning which are even more rare than rare rain.  And then to top the whole thing off- it hailed!  Hard.  And man was it LOUD.  I was on the phone & couldn't hear the person on the other end.  Freaking amazing.   Loved it.

Of course, my doggy friend does not share my feelings about all this weather.  She hid under the table, and then as I was moving around trying to get the best view of Mother Nature's spectacular show poor Bean was trying to hide underneath me.  Perhaps, if I were an elephant that would have been a good place to take cover, but as you know I'm not an elephant.  Elephants can't type.  Though, they do paint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

MLK Day

When did Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday (Observed) become MLK Day? 

I remember when KFC was Kentucky Fried Chicken, and I'll tell you what- they're not fooling me just because they stopped saying the word fried out loud.  I'm actually sad that IHOP no longer goes by its full name, The International House of Pancakes, because I think there is an untouchable epic quality to a designation such as that.  Thankfully, I just peeked on their website to ensure that they had not also abandoned The Rooty Tooty Fresh N' Fruity, and it is listed under Signature Favorites.  Now, I'm wondering if Denny's still has Moons Over My Hammy on their menu, but I can't keep doing this all day.

I actually came in here to post this great quote that I just so happened to see in a book last night:

 "We may have all come on different ships, but we're all in the same boat now."

                                                                                             -Martin Luther King Jr.

Propositioning Publishers

(I didn't forget about you.  Sorry if you've missed me.)

I like this 2010 business- full of surprises.  And as I do say, Life is a surprise party! 

It being 2010 and all, I have a literary agent now, and have been given the homework of writing a book proposal to send out to publishing houses.  The only proposing I think I've done to date has been proposing a toast.  Not quite the same.  So, I am raising the bar on raising a glass, as it were.

You'd think that after having written a book you wouldn't have to propose or suppose what a book would be like if you were to write one when you've already written it- ya know?  Cuz, there it is- that's what it's actually like.  Apparently though, there is protocol to be practiced when a person propositions a publisher.  Mmmm hmmm.


*Happy Birthday today to my Aunt Gail!  She's not a publisher, but that in no way diminishes my desire for her to have a wonderful day. 





 

26.2

I just finished watching a documentary about marathon running.

...gets one to thinkin'

Bears Have the Right Idea

I've often thought that bears are much smarter than we give them credit for- take this hibernation situation:  Eat a whole bunch of food, get really cozy, sleep through all the inclement weather.  Turns out bears are geniuses.

      

Happy 2010!

This is a photo I came across from New Year's Eve in Sydney Harbor.  Woweeee!!!

Wishing you a happy & healthy 2010!