frazzled & frumpy

My dad had back surgery last week.  The Sunday before, we gathered at my parent's home for dinner. Dad sat and explained the surgery. How they would open his stomach, push his organs aside and work on his spine. They would put everything back and sew him up. Then, after turning him over, they would open his back and work on him from there. He explained this rather casually. I'm sure he'd heard it so much and was used to it. For me, I was shocked. It seemed so incredibly invasive. I know he needs it, he's been in chronic pain for a very long time. But it just seemed like so much. I went in to see him after the surgery was over. I stood next to my sister and looked at my father. He was pale and frail. The man who had carried me on his shoulders as a child, provided for us, led us in family prayer, and seemed to have an answer for anything, had been reduced to laying on a bed, his breathing labored, eyes closed against the pain. Time can be cruel. It beats us d...

It's October baby! You know what that means, right? Yep, it's Apple Jack Month. I know you're all stocking up, getting ready to celebrate. Because, who doesn't love a bowl of Apple Jacks? I'm always a bit overwhelmed by all the awareness that's forced upon us. You know, thanks to these movements we're all more aware of breast cancer and autism, which is good. But, sometimes, I think we go too far. For example, this month is also Adopt a Shelter Dog month. Ok. Important. But, International Drum Month? Or Popcorn Month? I mean, does Popcorn really suffer from un-awareness? I can totally get behind Cookie Month. In fact, I think we should all share our favorite cookie recipes. And, if anyone wants to share some actual cookies with me, I'm totally ok with that. I find it really funny that October is National Vegetarian Month--and also Eat Country Ham Month. Guess they've got everyone covered. I think we need a month for tired moms. Let's ...

I had a birthday last week. The big 48. Depending where you are in your life, that number may seem big or small. To me, it simply is. I had one friend tell me that every birthday is a celebration because you're still here. So true. And I am grateful to be here. To be me. This year has seen changes, as they all do. Here are a few things about who I am as a 48 year-old- I am a mother to four adults, two teenagers and two children.   Seven still at home. I'm...lucky? I am a soon-to-be grandmother. (Can't wait to hold sweet Phineas!) I am a writer. This is hard to say some days when the minutes seems to be sucked up into some huge time-swallowing beast. But, I'm trying. I am a wife. Almost 23 years now. Lucky me to be married to the Handy Man who spoils me. I am a part-time worker. I've been working at a dry cleaner for two months now. I work while the kids are in school. I really like the job and the people I work with. I am a teacher. With my sem...

One of the women in my writing group has been giving us daily writing prompts with the challenge to write for 10 minutes on that prompt. This is a great exercise to get your writing juices flowing and I love the way the story unfolds as you write. Also ten minutes is not much time. Even I can fit that in! This was the prompt for Wednesday- And this was my freewrite- Enchanted Forest Lauren sat still. Completely so. Nothing moved. Not the leaves around her. Not the bugs in the bark at her back. Even the air seemed to pause, miniscule water particles frozen in place. “Laurie.” The name touched her ears as a whisper. Still she didn’t move. “Laurie, I know you’re here.” Her lungs were full of breath. They ached for release. Lauren denied them. “Come out and all will be well.” Right. She’d believe that as soon as faeries stopped flying. Footsteps against the mossy carpet echoed like thunder in the quiet forest. He wasn’t close. Not nearly as close as s...

It's September. Those words are like a sigh for me. The heat of summer has slipped away. There are hints of new color on the trees. And, the kids are back in school. For me, fall is a new beginning more than any January. Maybe because of my birthday. Maybe because of the school year. Maybe just because the feel of cooler air and the sight of the autumn ballroom energizes my soul. Whatever it is, it makes me happy. New beginnings are good. We all need them, imperfect humans that we are. It's about being better, doing more, and forgetting the failures or disappointments of the past. There are goals to be set- new heights to reach. This is what keeps us going. The push that comes from a fresh start. Think of what you could do. And, isn't autumn as good a time as any?

I am not a competitor. The last time I tried to play organized sports was the tryouts for 9th grade basketball. During practice I tripped over my own feet and twisted my ankle. (If I had a middle name, it would not be Grace.) {But I don't have a middle name.} [That's a blog post for another time.] Anyway, my competitive spirit was squashed along with my cheap tennies. I'm a lover, not a fighter. But when it comes to my writing, I'll make an exception. I'll even go to war. What kind of war, you say? Pitch War. First, I stalked a bunch of people online. (Not just any people. Mentors for the war.) I may or may not know where they went to elementary school and their favorite drink. Also, I know what genre they write--that's a bit more pertinent. I also got active on Twitter. Sort of. It still confuses me. I'm a twitter-twit. Then, I worked like a mad-woman to polish my manuscript and query letter . (Six years ago, I didn't even know what a ...

I am a reader of books. I am a writer of books. I love books. From my earliest memories, I loved books. I spent hours reading and imagining myself in the places and lives on those pages. I read about Helen Keller and Ann Frank. I read novels that took me to faraway lands and on fantastic adventures. Books are magic. Today, with rain pouring outside, Noah came in my room, flopped on my bed and said, "There's nothing to do." "Let's go to the library." This brought an immediate smile. As the recent owner of a library card, Noah bugs me almost daily to go. While I perused the CD's and wandered the non-fiction section, Noah ran (don't run!) back and forth from the children's section to show me what treasures he'd found. At one point, he positioned himself at a computer so he could look up a book. And, then, he showed me the encyclopedias he'd found and I explained what they are. ("Before we had the internet, this is how ...