Thanks

Tomorrow is my favorite holisday because it doesn't involve gifts, and I am particularly grateful this year because my family already had it on Sunday! My brother and his kids were here for the holy Ohio State Michigan game, so I ( yes, I) cooked a turkey and made dressing and green bean casserole. The dishes are done. It's over. Which leaves me a whole big holiday weekend to bask in the happiness of it all. I bought my new calendar today, before the Staples rush, and am beginning to think back on how we've spent this year. Together. Sharing stories. Getting to know one another. I am so thankful for TheRememberingSite, for Sarah, and all of you. We gather at this one spot and continue our own pilgrimage.

A keyboard is a keyboard is a keyboard..

I caught some of a movie about Cole Porter and his wife, Ashley Judd, on TV a few weeks back. It's called "It's De-Lovely" or something. I missed the opening credits. What I mostly saw was Cole Porter Kevin Kline sweeping into the drawing room in flowing silk robes and a martini in his hand. Then he'd sit down at his piano and try one thing and the other, just like you or me or anyone at their desk, and sigh and think and stare off into space and let the music focus itself and flow out.

This inpired me. I have always been interested at people's work habits, most especially their desks. One of the drawing cards of moving to Virginia Ghost Town City is because Mark Twain's desk was there. Seeing this piano as a desk, and seeing Cole Porter pick and peck and sit and pace and drink his martini until he played what he had to play that day...well, I loved it. Especially the martini.

Turning your keyboard from a Have To to a Want To is wonderful place to be. Pretend you're Cole Porter. And play.

Dr. Good

Yesterday I took my mother to a doctor I had not met before. My mother knew him, though, and always spoke about how "lovely"he was. He was very gentle with my mother, swift and complete with the softest of touch, and then he began telling us this story.
The President had been in town the day before. The doctor had been offered an invitation to meet the President of the United States in a small group, face to face. But the doctor was headed to a conference this weekend, and he had sick people in the hospital. He felt that checking on and treating his patients was his number one priority ; he didn't have the time to do both things and he didn't want his patients to worry while he was away. So he skipped George You-Know-Who and took care of his patients.

How many doctors do you know who would have made that choice?
How many people do you know who would have made that choice?

My mother was right, again and of course. This doctor is a lovely man.

68%

I read a statistic in my paper this morning that did not surprise me but made me proud.

According to sources from BusinessWeek, Fortune, Marketwatch.com, Playboy, The Washington Post and The Week, 68% of Americans see their lives as worthy of a book.
I see it as 100%, but I've been on it longer.

Everybody's life is worthy of a book. And here at TRS, we have the mechanism to make it easy for everybody to write, share and publish it the most beautiful form.

All you autobiographers out there, thinking and typing and dreaming away, so thrilled to be working together. Our ilk is tottering on the edge of critical mass. I feel like planting a flag.

We welcome all comers. We know you can do it. Your story is in you. We are here to help you get it out and onto the page.

Here is where I've been

Hi Debby,
CYL/I spoke to Wede this AM and she told us that she is "in
heart failure." Of course, the first thing that I asked was what
could we do for her and/or for you. She
doesn't even want to go there until she sees her cardio-Mike on
Wednesday and finds out "what this really means." I know she hasn't
felt well for the last few weeks
and have tried to keep in touch every few days. But it sounds harder
for her now to even spend much time on the phone and I don't want to
intrude/waste her precious
energy.
What do you make of the situation and will you let us know what
you/she will want? I am going to assume that she will get better
because she is so positive about
everything. But you have been the dream-come-true daughter for any/
every parent and I know it is consuming, that you wouldn't have it
any other way. Since I'm not
a mind reader (nope, not part the CSG curriculum for me but Wede got
pretty good at it) and want to support you all however we can, please
keep in touch if you have
time energy. Having declared ourselves Wede's real children despite
the delusions of Bob, Debby, Tim, we don't want to let her down as
her health improves or
gets more fragile.
That's the long way around to saying we're here for whatever you
& Lausche need/want. I guess I take that liberty on behalf of
Wede's other real kids too, Peggy


Dear Sibs,

I can't help but answer in Wede's voice.
You are so dear.

Things are looking up on the heart failure front; we were at Shell yesterday and sodiummily, things are going in the right directions. She sounds good this morning, and Lisa is going to add more hours to being there -- so -- again, in Phyllis's voice -- that is all to the good.

We "look forward" to the Murnane visit tomorrow. We've heard the Mosers and the Kaynes -- and maybe Andre'! -- are going to be there at the same time, so I'm bringing my camera. All we need is Grandma Ethel, Dad and Uncle Mort to complete the picture. A nice Spira reunion.

I have allowed the cumulative effect to rise in me, and have been teary this week. But then I made myself laugh when I ran to the car to go once again, and I was singing, like Mighty Mouse, "Here I come to save the daaaaay.."

I so appreciate your support and it gives me strength to know it's there. I know I'm not alone in the I Love Wede Fan Club. Thank you, thank you so.

xox

Sharing

I'm going to be called on to share in a week or so, and I hope I do OK at it. I don't think I am a good sharer -- I'm figuring this out as I roll down this road. Two of my best ( all of my friends are best, but we three form our laughter filled particular Bermuda Triangle in a warm ocean of memories and experiences shared together) Both of their names are Marcia. In fact, both their names are Marcia S. . However, back to sharing, one of my first memories with the former Marcia G until she married the S, is not letting her draw in my dot - to- dot book. This is one of her first memories as well.
And so we have a history here. Friends form your history outside your house.
My girls are coming to my house, and I will try very hard to share, which, as you know, does not come naturally. Openhouse for the hermit and her dog.

Groundhog Sees The Sun

I am sticking my head out from my summer hiding place of laziness, haziness and creative calm. Mercury is heading back to from whence it came and life is feeling livelier. I want to point out to all you biographers that lapses like these are not to be sweated; unless, of course you're sitting outside. Summer is designed for slowing down. If you aren't writing, momentarily, don't beat yourself up about it. But don't allow the lapse to grind you to a halt. It's so easy to avoid the keyboard. Remember, your writing project can be an oasis, too. Dip your toe back in your waters. See how good a few sentences feel, rising like a tide in your head then flowing out your fingers.