Sherry Raby's Blog: Life Is a Smorgasbord (For Writers), page 2

Newest releases:

Link to the preview of:  When the River Rises

https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1203205

 

The link to:  Just Fourteen

https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1203208

I’ve been busy with my writing, and taking care of Mama.  My life is full.

Mama is sick this week and I wish I could take her place.  There is nothing worse than watching someone you love when they are sick.

She is a stubborn woman and when my sister or I mention going to the doctor we get an adamant, “No!”, but if she isn’t better soon, she’ll be there or the emergency room.

I’ve got a lot to do, and needed to share.  I’ve been keeping an eye on all you, my friends, have written, and wanted to let you I am still here.

WAS I MISSED???  

I Was Nine Once

I walked in on a conversation between my 90 year old mother and 9 year old granddaughter.

“Things have changed so much.”

Samantha picked up her head and looked at Mom instead of her laptop.   “What Grammy?”

“When I was nine, we didn’t have things like that.  We had to entertain ourselves.”

“Why didn’t you watch TV?”

“We didn’t have TV.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Mom chuckled softly.  “We didn’t have electricity.  When I was nine…”

Sam put her laptop on the table and was curiously staring at Mom.  “No electricity?  Didn’t your Daddy pay the bill?”

Mom laughed.  “We didn’t have a bill to pay.  We didn’t have any electricity in our house.  We didn’t have it in our house until we were almost 14.”

“How did you get water if you didn’t have electricity to run the pump to get the water?”

Mom put down her coffee.  “We would walk to a spring almost a mile away, carrying pails, so we could get water.  Then my  mom would put it in a big pot to get hot and we’d pour it into one big tub.  The youngest would get their bath first, then on up by age, and we all used the same water.”

Sam’s curiosity was really eating at her.  “How did you go to the bathroom if you didn’t have water.”

“We had an outhouse in the back yard.  That’s an outdoor bathroom.  We’d bundle up, put on our shoes and hats, if it was cold, and run down through the yard.  It didn’t matter how cold, hot, rainy, or snowy, we had to go there.”

“Yuk!”

Mom laughed.  “It’s yuk to me now too, but it wasn’t then.  It’s how almost everyone I knew lived.  It was normal.  I remember running outside if we heard a plane go over, just to see if it had a message on a banner trailing behind it, it was like going to a circus.  Life has changed so much.”

“What did you eat Grammy?”

“I was in a three room school.  It had all the kids from town there.  At lunch time we would run home to get our lunch.”  She sadly looked out the window, then glanced over to me.  I was frying hamburgers for their lunch.  “We would sit down to bread with lard and sugar, or if it was berry time, Mom would crushed the berries with a little sugar and pour them over the bread.”  She smile.  “That was my favorite.”

“I like strawberries on cake.  Nina taught me how to bake a cake, but Mommy does hers from cake boxes.”

“No cakes.  We couldn’t afford the sugar, milk and eggs for such luxuries as a cake.  If I stayed home from school, and I hated school, so I played hooky quite often, I would bake ten loaves of bread before my mom got home from the farm.”  She started to get up.  “I remember how excited we were when Dad would bring home government cheese and powdered milk and powdered eggs.  Then my mom baked a cake.  That was a once a month treat.  Or, sometimes, Did would be lucky to get someone on his train who would give him their food basket to take home because they were stopping at a place that made food.”  Her head shook as she talked.  “They were rich to us.  They could ride on a train, and buy food.”

“Were you big then Grammy?”

She wobbled slightly as she grabbed for her cane.  Her rheumy eyes trying to focus on where it was, and her arthritic joints protesting, she slowly raised from her chair and moved from the table.  “I was nine.  It was 1935.”

She walked back to her bedroom and sat down.  “Life really has changed since then.”

 

 

Busy

I’ve been busy lately.

I spent 12 hours yesterday learning a new program.  I cut and paste.  I created links.  I downloaded.  I created programs.  I even tried out ChimpMail, which was fun.  (I love the name)

I made a mess.

I cut the wrong thing and pasted it where it should never have been.  Then I posted it.

I created links that were supposed to take me to a special site.  I tried the link and it took me to my Word program and asked for my password.

I downloaded almost a full gig of info to find out I was downloading the wrong program and ended up deleting it.

ChimpMail was supposed to be so simple even a monkey could use it.  Just call me Cheetah.  (As in Tarzan??)

I created a program that was so out of sync, even a computer expert wouldn’t have been able to fix it.  Or my husband!!!!

So…I’m back to square one.  At least I got one link right, but the attachment isn’t there.

Deep sigh!   ***!!??**&@#!

https://books2read.com/author/sherry-raby/subscribe/1/61821/

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Connections

I heard from an old friend this evening.  It’s been almost twenty years.

I would have thought that it would be just a matter of opening a message, but I felt my hands shake and my heart hammer.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read it.

I figured it would just be another connection for one of my books, then I looked at the name.  It couldn’t be?  How would he even know how to find me on here?  It had to be coincidental.  Didn’t it?

I am very much in love with  my husband.  He is my best friend and my all time favorite person.  I also cared for this person very much at one time.

He was the one who helped me to find peace with my horribly messed up marriage.  He reminded me I was a beautiful and desirable woman.  He showed me that making love shouldn’t hurt, but be mutually enjoyable.

I read that e-mail.  The simplicity of it so unlike the person I knew.  He told me that I was and still am an exciting and charming person.  He had read my book, and recognized the situations, knowing it had to be me.

After the hands stopped shaking and the heart quit pounding, we had a conversation about what was going on in our lives and I realized I have missed his friendship.

I know we’ll never see each other, but hearing him say he still thinks of me, for that moment, reminded of when I was much younger.  I remembered when I was a flirtatious, irresistible woman and I remembered how it felt.  I realized that it’s okay to be friends with the opposite sex, even if at one time you may have had a relationship with him.

I’ll tell John about him tonight, and I’ll smile when I tell him.  I’ll even tell him about the amazing compliment he gave me.  And when I go to sleep, it will be John’s arms around me, but he’ll be there in my heart again, which is the only place he belongs, and he’ll always be.

Welcome back, my friend.

 

Change

Did you ever look at something for so long that all of a sudden you don’t know what it is?

Did you ever lose touch with someone just to hear a voice that instantly brings them to mind and makes you smile?

Did you ever have someone you loved die, yet even just a television show or movie can recall to memories all those great times you had together?

Have you ever looked at your significant other and realized how much they have changed and not recognize them?

The people we see everyday sometimes seem to be the stranger.  I looked at my husband across the table the other day and took a second look.  What happened to the man with the wide shoulders, muscled arms as big around as my thighs, wash board stomach and jet black hair that hung around his shoulders?  Who was this somewhat flabby man with greying hair, now cut short, and slightly bent over.

Then he smiled at me.  All the changes disappeared.  Here was the man who fought for me even before we really met.

We met on the internet and for two years we talked almost everyday.  Eventually the typed words became spoken as I trusted him enough to let him call.  He always teased me that he should be dating me and my answer was always, ‘You aren’t ready for me yet.”, and we’d laugh.

My ex was harassing me and I had needed to call the police, and my then friend, now husband, offered to be my champion.  “Let me come and f— him up!  Just for s–t and giggles.”

“No!”  I laughed at him.

When we met it was a surprise.  I had never seen his picture and he nearly scared me because he was the text book biker, till he smiled and laughed.  It was love at first sight, but I already loved him.

We’ve changed.  I’m not the svelte beauty I was twenty years ago.  If I’m honest with myself, I would have to admit, that I’ve gained  more than a few pounds.  My hair has gone from deep chestnut to silver, but my heart is young and it still melts when he smiles at me.

I may not recognize the outer shell at all times (mostly when I can’t find my glasses, like when I have them on top of my head. 

Shameless

I’m about to do a most shameless act at this point.  I am trying to not only get people to read more, but to hopefully read some of my own writings.

Though not always good, they can be fun and interesting.

I am also trying to promote a new book which my granddaughter, who will be nine in four days, wrote and is very proud of.  If I Were a Cheetah by Samantha McElwee

Please check it.  Whether or not anyone buys is their business, but please know (which most of you already know) all proceeds from childrens’ books goes to children’s charities. St. Judes and Shriners

Thank you

1:20 AM

It’s 1:20 AM and I am not tired.  I guess the question is:  What does one do with their time when everyone else in the house is soundly sleeping, all that is but you, and you don’t want to wake anyone?

My answer to that is to sit here and quietly think.  I think:  What could I write that may possibly be interesting to someone other than a sleep depraved crazy woman?  Why am I still awake when the rest of the local area, since nearly all are farmers or Mennonite who don’t have electricity, are sleeping in their beds?  What could I possibly write that may bore even myself to the point where I could put myself to sleep?

Not very many answers are coming to me at this time.  Except:

I’m home from Florida.  When my daughter and I left, there were three people and a three week old kitten that had been abandoned by its mother and adopted by my sister, all taking the 18 hour trip via Route 95 along the Eastern seaboard.

On the way home, there were two people and two very rambunctious full-bred, eight week old, fifteen pound blue-nose pit terrier puppies in the back.

Being they were puppies, my daughter and I had a feeling that like all babies, they would sleep most of the way home.  Boy, were we wrong!

About half way through the trip, they decided to exert their dominance over one another.  Did I tell you one was male and the other female?  The male has a very quiet, leave me alone demeanor.  The female, Atlas, is quite the tigress.  She is always inciting some kind of angry behavior from the male, Cooper.

We took them out to do the potty thing somewhere in North Carolina.  They walked on a leash like they had been doing it their entire lives, instead of the first time.  It came time to get back in the car and, with our help, they went right back in.  We decided to let them stay outside of their kennel for a little while so they could stretch their legs.

About ten minutes later, Cooper was beginning to whine and then bark quite loudly.  I unhooked my seatbelt and looked back.  Atlas had pushed the door of the kennel shut and was sitting in front of it so Cooper couldn’t get out.  Like that wasn’t enough, every time he would put his paw out threw the front, she would snap at it then turn her back to him again.

My daughter decided to put them in the kennel, together, and put a blanket over top so they could, hopefully, sleep.

Wrong!  The kennel started to ‘walk’ across the back seat.  It was rattling and there were some horrific noises coming from underneath that blanket.  It started as yips, went to barking, to growls, and then truly painful sounding yips.  “We better pull over and check on them.”

My daughter decided all was well and five minutes later they quieted down.  When next we stopped, I refused to open the kennel to let them out.  “I don’t want to see an eyeball in one corner, a tongue in another, and one dead dog laying in the middle or possibly, if it is at all possible, which I highly doubt, having a zombie dog jump out at me.” She did the honors.

There were two delightfully happy puppies waiting for their release.  Both were looking at us with an air of innocence.  The radio was playing Alice Cooper’s ‘Welcome to My Jungle’.

I think that pretty much sums up our adventurous trip to and from Florida.

Happy Reading Everyone! And to all a good night! HaHaHa

Route 95

Does anyone remember Jim Croce?  If you do, do you remember the song, ‘Rapid Roy’?  And the lyrics toward the end, ’95 is the route you were on, it was not the speed limit sign.’?

That song was from about 40 years ago.  Jim Croce was one of my favorite singer/songwriters and the roads were navigable.

The last couple of days were nothing like the song.

My daughter and I spent nearly 16 hours on Route 95 traveling from N. Virginia to N. Florida.  Normally, once you get on Rt. 95, the trip should be shortened from the first 14 hours, four of which was in PA and Maryland, to about ten hours for the remainder.

You then add another two hours for potty breaks and drink retrieval, add another hour or two to stretch muscle tight legs and a quick drive thru meal, and then just general traffic problems through Washington D.C, Richmond, VA, and anyplace else there may be congestion.

However, when you throw in a three week old kitten who needs fed every two hours, and another person who requires several more stops for potty breaks and muscle stetchings and just to give a tushy a break breaks, it makes the trip longer.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love traveling with my daughter; we used to do it all the time before I found John.  I always used to enjoy traveling with my sister.  Now that I’m older, and my sister is older, the fun isn’t quite as fun as it used to be.  Age has put its toll on more than just our older bodies.  And this brings up another query.  Does anyone know when they put toll booths in the middle of some areas of Route 95?

All in all, the trip was enlightening and it was fun, but it was long.  We left at 8PM Thursday evening and arrived at 5PM Friday evening.  My daughter and I had not slept since early Thursday morning, and she even less because she worked till 3AM went back to work at 7AM and worked till 4PM.  All with  no sleep. So, till we reached the border of Florida we were punch drunk, myself more than she, and wondering who was doing the better drugs, which happened to just be sleeplessness for us all.

And….we get to look forward to starting it all again on the ride home Monday morning.  Someone please explain to us the concept of ‘airplane trips’.

Happy Birthday Jenny.  Thank God forty only comes once in a person’s life.

St. Judes/Shriners Children’s Hospitals

I am currently doing a fund raiser to help St Judes Childrens’ Hospital and Shriner’s Medical For Children with Cancer.  This is my way of saying thank you to the ‘Powers that Be’ for giving me healthy children and grandchildren today and pray they will continue to be as such.  I hope that if they don’t, someone will have made it possible for them to receive the expensive life saving treatment they could need as I am trying to do with the help of my granddaughters.

I know I’ve told you about my children’s book, but the proceeds from this book is going toward these two funds.  With Christmas coming, it may make a nice present for your child, or one you may know, and think of how you may be helping these kids.

My granddaughter is the inspiration for the book I currently have on market, ‘Sammy Sees A Squirrel’, and she helped me write ‘When I Was Three’ which will be coming out in the next two weeks, as soon as my granddaughter Sabrina is done with the illustrations.

I also have a book for teens coming out about Sabrina’s first experiences with boy, and the only reason it isn’t on the market is because I am struggling with a better title.:)  All are and will be available in all Amazon and CreateSpace markets.  They will be coming to select books shops in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll keep you posted on them.

These three books will all have their proceeds go to my kids favorite charities.  We are also going to personally buy 50 copies of each for Samantha and Sabrina to hand out to the children in our local children’s hospital when they have their Christmas part for the children who are in the hospital and in the Ronald McDonald House.

Please, find the time to pick up a book and help the children.  If you know anyone with children of the age who would enjoy these books, please tell them about the good they will do.  These three books are not for profit books, but they may help save a child’s life.

Thank you  &  Happy Reading.