A New Turn - and maybe new shoes

So, many people have asked when Richard and I (mainly Richard) are going to write a book. Richard does have a flair for writing, but sometimes he needs to be prodded a little bit. I have a serious shoe and yarn addiction and somewhere in my future, I see a vintage Airstream. I have decided it is time to start prodding and so, I am going change the focus of this little blog. When I started it, I was writing to help me deal with the death of my son. As I posted earlier, writing did not prove to be very helpful. There are so many painful memories of watching Jacob and our family deal with his illness. Some of these I am just not ready to share, yet. Perhaps one day. Instead, I decided to just start writing. I teach children to write and I tell them everyday.... "writer's write everyday." So that's what I am going to do - write. I also tell my students that writers write about what they know. I am going to follow my own words and do just that - write about me, my family and friends, my grief journey, my yarn and shoe addictions, my love for the North Carolina mountains, my somewhat complicated relationship with God, etc.

I have also decided to invite Richard to start writing on this blog. You see, for those of you who don't know Richard, he can be a perfectionist in anything related to technology. He will literally spend HOURS finding the right picture, font, anything related to the graphics of a piece before he will write. I, on the other hand, don't really care. I find worrying about that stuff is paralyzing to the creative process. So, in my effort to get him writing and publishing a book that will make LOTS of money, I am going to assume all responsibility for how unattractive this blog looks. I just want him to write.

In the days before Facebook, we had a Carepage site that we gave updates about Jacob's health on. Richard has some beautiful things written on there. He has also written some other things that he is saving for that book. I figured that in order for that book to happen, he needs to be prodded to get it out there.

So......to the few people that actually take time to read this little blog, I am asking you to leave a comment to Richard. You can beg, plead, cajole, bribe - ANYTHING to get him to start writing. I'll figure out how to get his words into a book. My mom has even said that she hopes he will write a book before she dies. Now, for those of you who don't know my mom, she is 83 years-old and is not in the best of health - (not to pressure you or anything, honey).

Also, if you are reading this and aren't signed in, puleeze consider signing in. I just want to see who is actually reading this stuff. I also want to see your picture on the side. I am so fortunate to have friends from the many places we have lived and I want to keep up with you all.

Okay, I have lots more to say, but the dogs are dragging their leashes around, so I guess I better go walk. There is no prettier place to walk than the mountains of North Carolina. As the t-shirts and coffee mugs say, "The mountains are calling, and I must go." It was actually John Muir, for you perfectionists out there.

 

This picture was taken of Richard and me on the bridge of Tallulah Gorge in Georgia. What you don't know is that I am not particularly fond of swinging bridges and I am faking a smile and hanging on to the rails for dear life.

This is my granddog "Elphie." She is spending the week with her Mimi in the mountains. Elphie is named after one of the main characters, Elphaba, from the play "Wicked."