ANOTHER THANKSGIVING

On Thanksgiving, all our immediate family--except for granddaughter Bailey who works in Montana--celebrated at our home. We loved having 20 family members plus one family friend feasting on a gigantic and delicious Thanksgiving meal, a meal Ron and I lifted nary a finger to help create! We filled up on ham and turkey and green bean casserole and candied yams topped with healthy marshmallows made by 16-year-old Sarah, other veggies, fruit, and numerous pies.

Four sat at the kitchen counter.

 

Seventeen sat at the dining room table. Next year Anna 

will pass her chair/tall stool on to Levi who has 

occupied the high chair for three years.

 Dog Bosley enjoyed himself, too.

We feel blessed to have most of our family living near us, love that they enjoy visiting with each other, care about one another. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the grandchildren, who range in age from three years to twenty-two, interact with each other. And I am so thankful we were able to be together for another Thanksgiving.

White After Labor Day?

Funny how things happen. Fellow Lake Writer Becky Mushko met Lynn Dudley, president of the Piedmont Writers Group, while they waited in line at a wake! Lynn asked Becky to speak to her writers group. Becky did, and mentioned my name to Lynn. Then Lynn saw me on Hal Hubener's "Cover to Cover" TV show, e-mailed me and asked if I would speak at her writers group. I agreed. I'm so glad I did.

On August 25^th, my husband and I drove to the Piedmont Art Museum in Martinsville, Virginia, to speak to the Piedmont Writers Group. I like talking to book lovers and fellow writers. And I love to sell books. But I really enjoy meeting the people who come to the talks and signings. And the ladies I talked with that evening were a lot of fun. A couple wrote poetry, some mysteries, some essays, some short stories, and one is writing a cookbook. Margaret Adkins had published Echoes, a book about her life. I’m looking forward to reading it.

Piedmont Writers Group

We talked about cramming bodies in porta-potties, keeping time lines straight, and the need to tie up all loose threads at the end of a book. We discussed other stuff, too, such as writing conferences and workshops, finding agents and publishers, the pros and cons of self-publishing, and the need for writers to join a writers group.

Outside Macon Bookshop in Lynchburg

On Sunday, August 30^th, I traveled to Lynchburg, Virginia, where I signed books from 1:00-3:00 at Macon Bookshop, which is a block away from Randolph College (formerly Randolph-Macon College). Students from the college poured into the book store to purchase text books. Most spent upwards of $200.00 each on texts and didn’t have any money left to buy my books. But I did sell a few, and bought what looks like a great book on bookkeeping. My husband, our two sons and their families stopped by. Son Ronny bought an interesting-looking book about the canals on the James River.

Four of my 12 grandchildren and me at Macon Bookshop

Perhaps you noticed in the pictures that I was wearing the same outfit at both events. Perhaps you are asking why. The reason is because every Southern gal just knows that you don't wear white pants or white linen jackets after Labor Day! Don't ask me why, you just don't! And I really like my white linen jacket and want to wear it every chance I get before Labor Day. I bet I could wear it to bed and my husband wouldn't tell anybody. Hmmm. That's an idea.

What Do You Get When . . . ?

You take one Lake House,

Add:
10 sets of sheets and pillow cases
1 crib sheet
19 sets of towels and bath cloths
Miscellaneous beach towels
1 jam-packed refrigerator/freezer in kitchen
1 jam-packed refrigerator/freezer in basement
1 chest freezer in pantry
1 15-ft. long dining room table (8 leaves inserted)
2 120-inch tablecloths slightly overlapping to cover table
1 really busy dishwasher
1 double-oven stove with 5 burners

Mix in:
12 grandchildren (1 in heaven, 11 in house) ages 1 3/4 yrs. to 15
8 really fun adults
3 most unusual dogs
1 docile and contained guinea pig
5 loving neighbor's cats

Stir in:
1 1960's rowboat
3 kayaks
1 1953 Grumman canoe
1 dory (rowing canoe
1 pull-behind tube
1 paddle boat (neighbor's)
1 pontoon boat
1 old dock
19 life jackets

Blend in:
Card games (i.e. FanTan with poker chips or Cheerios. Questions? Ask me.)
Board games
Coloring books and crayons
Books
Toys
Story-telling
Singing

Top with:
A gazillion peals of laughter and even more giggles
Thousands of hugs
Love, always, too much to number
Prayers
Memories

You Get . . .

(drum roll, please)

ROSEVEARE FAMILY WEEK 2009!

A LONG Table!

I never dreamed we'd be able to seat our three children, spouses, and ten grandchildren at a single table. That's eighteen people! Until this Christmas, the eight adults would sit at the main table, the three oldest grandchildren on the bar stools at the kitchen counter, the next six at the children's play table Ron made for our kids eons ago, and the baby of the year in the high chair. This year seventeen of us gathered comfortably around our new eight leaves LONG dining room table. Johanna, the baby, perched in the high chair within spoon distance of her daddy's hand. If she'd been old enough we could have made room for her at the table with us.

Next year we will either include Johanna at the table or bring in a second high chair. You guessed it! We're having another grandbaby for a total of 11 here on earth. Daughter Christine and her husband Daniel announced the exciting news during the holidays. We're thrilled.