December 8th, 2008

The last couple of weeks I set my usual writing assignments aside to embark on a number of ventures. I directed the annual Christmas in Bethlehem program at my church, spent time with my parents who were here, and traveled to see my brother at Terminal Island in Long Beach. I call it “visiting life.” It was an emotionally draining time and I feel like I’ve aged several years. No amount of makeup can hide the toll the situation with my brother has had on me. My skin is starting to lose its elasticity. I took a nap on a corduroy bedspread. It took six hours for the lines to come out of my face. But there’s always food. I ate too much over Thanksgiving. I always make too much food, especially one item, like 700 or 800 pounds of mashed potatoes. With that much potatoes I have to push them during the meal. “Did you get some mashed potatoes??.They’re hot. There’s more in the oven?some more in the garage. The rest are at the Johnsons.” I continue to work on the last bit of the Buffalo Bill Cody book and am looking ahead to the launch of Thunder Over the Prairie. I hope over planning for the event will help the book to be a success the first week out. How this title does will decide the fate of my writing career. I like my job and would like to keep doing it for some time to come. Everyone has a purpose in life. If mine isn’t writing, perhaps it’s watching television.