Haitus

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines haitus as “a: an interruption in time or continuity: break; especially: a period when something (such as a program or activity) is suspended or interrupted.”

An example of word usage is: I am taking a hiatus from all things writing for an undetermined length of time.  

Often times, one may discover challenges seem insurmountable, the course convoluted, doubts and confusion overwhelming and the way forward unclear. Such is my juncture. Therefore I am taking a writing hiatus.

Susan

 

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Upside Downside

 

 

If there is an upside to downsizing, it is finding little treasures that you had long since forgotten you had. Thus, rummaging through a box of memories one day, I found a tiny book that had completely slipped my mind. (Not a hard thing to do nowadays!). Its has generated many laughs and much conversation.

Insults and Comebacks somehow made it into my box of cards from grandchildren and embroidered hankies from my grandmother. Don’s ask me why. I picked it up, gingerly opened the first page and didn’t stop laughing until I got to the end of the book. I normally do not like insults, and I really don’t like saying nasty things to people, but this was in the anonymity of my home and with no one personal in mind, so I figured it wasn’t hurting anyone.

Check

Question. When is it a bad time to be writing a novel? Answer. When I am supposed to be writing a blog post.

On the fourth Monday of every month my alarm goes off at 8am. It reminds me that I have a blog post due that day. Usually I head for my computer and start composing an installment. This week is turning out quite differently.

Is This Your Lemon Pie????

Let me take you back a few years.

My friend, Sandy, could bake up a storm. She could look at a recipe and know immediately that she could make an award winning copy of whatever confection she had just read about. She was young and knew that there was nothing culinary she couldn’t accomplish.

Once again…..Heeeeere’s Willie!!!!

A few months ago I introduced you to my beagle, Willie. He’s a rambunctious creature, stubborn and sweet—sugar and spice as they used to say. He, like most of us, has his faults, but we chalk them up to personality disorder (probably a result of feeding him table food) and move on.

What Bartlett Says…..

 

When I was young—a long looong time ago— my Mother relied on two books to raise my sister and me. The famous Dr. Spock Baby and Childcare book about raising perfect children was not one of them. Her choices were her Bible (of course) and her Bartlett’s. As in Bartlett’s Famous Quotations.

Words! Words! Words!

My growing up years in North Dakota were idyllic in the sense that our parents more or less left my sister and me on our own. It was the time in history when kids played outside from dawn to dusk without interference from adults. A quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich at noon and we were good to go for the rest of the day. We were sent into the world with certain instructions however. “Wear shoes!” “Stay away from the river.” “Don’t chase strange dogs.” “Leave your sister alone.” “Be home by dark.”

Two and Counting…

 

Two years ago, as I pressed the “publish” button and sent my first Paddlecreek article into cyberspace, my hands were shaking. It’s scary to put your thoughts out in public. Well, some things never change, as my heart will beat a little faster when I push the “publish” button for this column these many months later. It’s an overwhelming and heady feeling to think we can communicate with like minded people that we haven’t met…yet. Happy Anniversary to us!!!!

From Beagles to Books

About ten years ago, two months after our beloved beagle, Annie, went to that big dog bone market in the sky, I decided I could no longer bear living in a house without a dog. My daughter, married and and mom to my two perfect grandsons, concurred and began “shopping” via the internet at  local Pet Shelters.

“Mom,” she would say. “You should see Precious. What a doll—I think she’s perfect for you.” I’d check Precious out on-line and say something like “nah uh—no Great Danes.”

Seeing It All…Maybe

As of today, the 23^rd of December, 2015, I have officially seen it all.

I drove into a perfect parking place at the local St. Louis Bread Company, and decided to finish listening to a wonderful Christmas carol playing on JOY FM. We were in the midst of what we used to call a “gully washer” in my home state, and I hoped that by staying in the car a few minutes more maybe the rain would slow down a bit and I wouldn’t have to regret the fact that I forgot my umbrella at home.