Debbie Macomber's Blog, page 24

February 23, 2015

My dear friend Linda Lael Miller stopped by to spend the weekend with me before she headed out on a Caribbean cruise.

At one time Linda and I lived next door to each other in Port Orchard. We walked the high school track every afternoon and traded our chapters back and forth. It was great to have a built-in support system. When Linda moved--always witty--she claimed the neighborhood was going downhill! We've been friends for over twenty years, which is longer than some marriages.

We have laughed our way through years of Saturday shopping, eating out, discussing plots and generally having a great time together. Thank you, Linda!

Freezing outside? But this is Florida!

Wayne and I travel to our Florida home every winter to avoid the rain and cold of the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately, this has been an exceptionally cold year in the northeast.

Boston has something like six feet of snow, temperatures have dipped to the minus level all across the Atlantic states, and now Florida is receiving part of it as well.  Wayne and I woke to near freezing temperatures this morning. The crazy part is that Seattle is warmer than Vero Beach. We're in the 30s and Seattle's in the 50s.

Ah well, it’s great knitting weather!

Welcome to the World, Jody Rose! I Will Forever Remember that Day . . .

This date will forever stay in my mind and not because it's Presidents Day. February 16th is the day I went into labor with our daughter Jody Rose.

Wayne and I had been married about 18 months and I was excited to be a first time mom but a little intimidated by the thought of labor. I asked my mother what it was like and not wanting to frighten me, mom said labor was a little like cramps only more intense. It didn't take me long to realize labor was a lot more intense than cramps!

After Jody was born, on February 17th, I told Wayne --in no uncertain terms-- that if he was disappointed he didn't have a son, then tough because I was never going through this ever again! Famous last words . . . four and a half months later I was pregnant with Jenny Adele.

Lunch with Henry Winkler! What a Great Guy!

I had the most exciting afternoon! Wayne and I were able to have lunch with Henry Winkler who happens to be in town to promote his children's book.

Henry and I discovered that we are both dyslexic. He didn't learn to read until he was 31. I was ten. We had to laugh because we're both creative spellers.

He's charming and funny and an all-around nice guy. My Valentine wish is that the two of us will be able to do a movie project together.

All I need . . .

Before Wayne and I decided to winter in Florida, I wasn't aware that orchids don't need to be planted in dirt in order to grow. They attach themselves to trees and are fed by the air and humidity. Interesting, isn't it? As it happens, Wayne and I live on an island known as Orchid Island because of all the orchids that grow spontaneously around us. I was thinking about this the other day and realized that I too have everything I need to flourish. I have the love of my family, a career I enjoy immensely, a roof over my head and enough yarn to see me through the next millennium. Really who could ask for more than that?

A Bouquet of True Friendships

Today is a special day as I'm having four of my closest writing friends to the house for lunch. Many of you may either know of, or have read, Christina Skye (who's visiting from Arizona), Roxanne St. Claire, Rachel Hauck and Virelle Kidder. We generally get together for lunch about once a month. These dear friends are close to my heart and are my dear sisters in Christ. It's bound to be an afternoon filled with laughter, sharing business news and career highlights, mingled in with plot ideas and just good natured fun. As you may recall, my word for this year is “bouquet.”  This group of friends is one of the many bouquets that enrich my life.

Groundhog Day: Seahawk Shadow

The groundhog saw his shadow this morning, just like I viewed my own shadow last night in the final seconds of the Super Bowl game. Our beloved Seahawks were within a half yard of winning the game when the Patriots intercepted Russell Wilson's pass and all was lost. What followed in the Macomber household was shocked silence and shadows of disappointment rippling over our hearts. The Patriots played a fabulous game and were certainly worthy opponents. My guess is that the sun is shining in New England no matter what the Ground Hog predicted.

Happily Back Home in Florida

I'm back from New York and have sorted through my yarn purchases and created project bags for each one.

Now Wayne and I are gearing up for the Super Bowl and in case you haven't heard, our SEAHAWKS are playing the New England Patriots. (May the best inflated football win!)

That's me sporting a Super Bowl ring in a photo from last year, along with the Vince Lombardi Trophy from the Seahawk's exciting 2014 win. Wow.

We'll be watching the game here in Florida with friends so if you hear wild cheering it's probably Wayne, Bogie and me!  Go Hawks!

New Year New York

I was close to my dad and I learned a lot from him about running my own business. He had an upholstery shop and built furniture. One thing he did was surround himself with top notch professionals. It was a lesson I took to heart and have done the same. I work with an amazing team.

My office staff team and I will be in New York this week for publisher meetings. I'll also be meeting with the producer of the Cedar Cove series and my both my film and book agents. And who knows, there might even be a Broadway show thrown in for good measure. New York has so many possibilities!

The Power of Knitting

I know I inherited my love of craft from my paternal grandmother, although I have no memories of her.  She died when I was around 5 or 6 years old.  My older cousins tell the story of sitting in front of her rocking chair in a semi-circle with their legs folded beneath them and watching her crochet.  What fascinated them most was the fact that she would be rocking and crocheting at the same time, while sound asleep and snoring!  To the best of my knowledge none of my cousins share my passion for yarn and knitting.  The craft as played a major role in my life and while I've received many honors in my life being the spokesperson for Knit for Kids, a division of World Vision, ranks as one of the highest.

Click here to read more about my work with Knit for Kids.

Here are a couple of photos from my trip to Africa with World Vision and Knit for Kids.