Carlene Havel's Blog: Carlene, page 9
November 6, 2012
Does Technology Rule?
I'm always surprised when the tortoise outdistances the hare. Take, for example, a new superhighway linking San Antonio and Austin, Texas. It's a marvel, with wide straight roadways and an 85 mph speed limit. The first crashes were not caused by alcohol, drugs, racing, texting, excessive speed nor any of the other usual suspects. Nope. Pigs. Herds of feral hogs keep wandering onto the highway at night, and it's nasty when a fast-moving automobile collides with a slow-moving hog. It's weird, unpredictable, and soooo south Texas. Maybe the developers of "Angry Birds" can do something with this idea.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
November 5, 2012
Where is Home?
Home is a short, simple word. Yet it carries enough baggage to outfit a marching band. It can mean anything from a master web page to the goal of the runner on third base.
For those fortunate enough to have a happy childhood spent in one location, a visit to the old house can fire up a constellation of wonderful memories. How wonderful it must be to spend Christmas eve in a girlhood bedroom of years ago--perhaps still frozen in time with white furniture and a canopy bed. Home is represented by a physical place for some, but for many others only the concept has substance. Home is often a dream of the place we want to be, a place where we are welcome, secure, and loved.
As my father sinks deeper into Alzheimer's dementia, he constantly expresses the wish to go home. Sitting securely in the place where he lives surrounded by kindness, he often asks questions such as, "Where am I? Do I live here? When can I go home?" He asked those same questions inside his own home, before he moved to what is euphimistically referred to as memory care.
Occasionally Daddy gets up in the middle of the night and starts packing, preparing to go to a destination he cannot describe in any way. Often he will assure me his own long-dead father dropped by to visit yesterday. On another day, he will peer at me blankly and say, "Who are you?" Soon, he's back on the issue of wanting to go home.
It's some comfort to realize Dad will someday go to that eternal Heaven where finally he will be at peace. When he walks through that door of no return, he will again recognize who he is and where he is. He will know he is home at last.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
For those fortunate enough to have a happy childhood spent in one location, a visit to the old house can fire up a constellation of wonderful memories. How wonderful it must be to spend Christmas eve in a girlhood bedroom of years ago--perhaps still frozen in time with white furniture and a canopy bed. Home is represented by a physical place for some, but for many others only the concept has substance. Home is often a dream of the place we want to be, a place where we are welcome, secure, and loved.
As my father sinks deeper into Alzheimer's dementia, he constantly expresses the wish to go home. Sitting securely in the place where he lives surrounded by kindness, he often asks questions such as, "Where am I? Do I live here? When can I go home?" He asked those same questions inside his own home, before he moved to what is euphimistically referred to as memory care.
Occasionally Daddy gets up in the middle of the night and starts packing, preparing to go to a destination he cannot describe in any way. Often he will assure me his own long-dead father dropped by to visit yesterday. On another day, he will peer at me blankly and say, "Who are you?" Soon, he's back on the issue of wanting to go home.
It's some comfort to realize Dad will someday go to that eternal Heaven where finally he will be at peace. When he walks through that door of no return, he will again recognize who he is and where he is. He will know he is home at last.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
November 2, 2012
Look Deeper
While Dad drove us across West Texas. my bored little brother and I sat in the back seat--restlessly watching miles of cactus roll by. "Hey, we're not far from Ballinger," Dad said. "I'm going to show you kids where I grew up." He turned off the highway and drove along, all the while recounting the hardships of growing up the son of a dirt farmer during the Great Depression.
My grandfather did his best for many years to make a living growing cotton. In those days, children were valued for their ability to contribute labor to the farm. "This land is no good for anything," Dad said, waving a hand toward the passing landscape. "Too dry and rocky. I can remember lots of days when all I did was haul rocks out of the fields all day long." We rode on, Mom lost in her own memories, Dad extolling the softness of the city life we lived. "Smartest thing your grandfather ever did was get off this farm and start selling insurance," he told us.
My usually talkative father grew silent as he slowly navigated a dirt road. He stopped the car on the narrow shoulder and went to stand by a barbed wire fence. Anxious to be released from the prison of the back seat, my brother George and I went to stand beside him. There was no crop in the fields. Instead, about 20 feet apart, as far as I could see, machines we called "pumping jennys" were pulling oil from beneath the dry, rocky ground.
"Let's go," was all Dad said. We piled into the car and went on to our destination. As far as I recall, my father never spoke of that trip or the worthlessness of the old farm again.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
My grandfather did his best for many years to make a living growing cotton. In those days, children were valued for their ability to contribute labor to the farm. "This land is no good for anything," Dad said, waving a hand toward the passing landscape. "Too dry and rocky. I can remember lots of days when all I did was haul rocks out of the fields all day long." We rode on, Mom lost in her own memories, Dad extolling the softness of the city life we lived. "Smartest thing your grandfather ever did was get off this farm and start selling insurance," he told us.
My usually talkative father grew silent as he slowly navigated a dirt road. He stopped the car on the narrow shoulder and went to stand by a barbed wire fence. Anxious to be released from the prison of the back seat, my brother George and I went to stand beside him. There was no crop in the fields. Instead, about 20 feet apart, as far as I could see, machines we called "pumping jennys" were pulling oil from beneath the dry, rocky ground.
"Let's go," was all Dad said. We piled into the car and went on to our destination. As far as I recall, my father never spoke of that trip or the worthlessness of the old farm again.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
November 1, 2012
Half Way There
Bonjour, Mes Amis. Fidette's little paws are on the keys today because my owner is poring over commas and word choices. Oui! she is going final edits on Daughter of the King, in hopes it will be released soon. Little did she know when the typed "THE END" on the last page of her manuscript that she was only half done writing! Alors. what do you expect from a woman who buys canned air and bottled water? While she labors over whether to say undercut or undermine, you should have a few bonbons and read her finished work, "A Hero's Homecoming." It's available at
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
, also at Amazon and Barnes & Noble on line. When you discover this is your favorite book, be sure to give all the doggies in your neighborhood a milk bone on behalf of Fidette. Au Revoir!
October 31, 2012
Telling Stories
My grandparents were common folk. Yet their ordinary lives made for some wonderfully entertaining stories. My great-grandfather claimed the automobile put him out of business. What business was that? He would laugh, slap his knee, and reply, "I was a horse thief." Stories of Model A Fords, switchboard telephones, and chopping cotton put life into bygone days. Watching Grandpa roll his own cigarette, sharpen his razor on a leather "strop", milk the cow, and slop (feed) the hogs are precious memories. But the best times were after dinner, nestled in someone's lap, hearing a story that began, "Now back in '32 I tell you times was hard..." No doubt living through the Great Depression was tough, but hearing it retold was sheer delight.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
October 30, 2012
Tea-Brewing Day
My parents drank coffee every morning, but never allowed their children to indulge. Consequently, I fell in love with hot tea. Imagine the shock of the barista who offered me a sample of cappuccino, only to be told I don’t like coffee. Then why was I waiting in line in Starbucks? To try out their chai latte, of course.
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Maybe so, but this little apple must have rolled some distance. Both my parents love coffee, country music, and picnics. I understand the coffee-tea split, but have no idea what spawned my adoration of opera nor my dislike of eating in the park.
For my tastes, there’s nothing more satisfying than brewing a teapot full of berry-flavored tea and curling up with a good book. I’m not always able to have that kind of day, of course. Often I can only dream of staying in my jammies enjoying tea and romance. Many days are more like a picnic…fighting off the ants, swatting gnats, and baking in the sun.
When you have a chance to relax and read, check out "A Hero's Homecoming". It's on this website http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH... , but also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble on line. It's a sweet romance about the collision of a Christian psychologist and a soldier who's an athetist. Yet each finds something admirable about the other. You'll find a few twists, lots of chuckles, and perhaps a few tears along the way. Much to be preferred over a picnic!
Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Maybe so, but this little apple must have rolled some distance. Both my parents love coffee, country music, and picnics. I understand the coffee-tea split, but have no idea what spawned my adoration of opera nor my dislike of eating in the park.
For my tastes, there’s nothing more satisfying than brewing a teapot full of berry-flavored tea and curling up with a good book. I’m not always able to have that kind of day, of course. Often I can only dream of staying in my jammies enjoying tea and romance. Many days are more like a picnic…fighting off the ants, swatting gnats, and baking in the sun.
When you have a chance to relax and read, check out "A Hero's Homecoming". It's on this website http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH... , but also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble on line. It's a sweet romance about the collision of a Christian psychologist and a soldier who's an athetist. Yet each finds something admirable about the other. You'll find a few twists, lots of chuckles, and perhaps a few tears along the way. Much to be preferred over a picnic!
Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
October 29, 2012
The Storm
This morning a huge storm is battering the northeastern coast of North America. Without the frightening media coverage I would have no idea what’s happening. Here in South Texas the weather is cool, crisp, and beautiful. It might be easy to forget what others are enduring, except that I have friends in Pennsylvania and Washington DC. And so the storm remains with me, disturbing the calm of my own weather.
This seems to be how my mind works. I hear of a tragedy and am momentarily interested. Then the emotion fades—until I see the picture of a crying child. Suddenly the tragedy that seemed remote becomes personal because of one little girl’s face. So it is with the Frankenstorm. I cannot process the scope of the raging winds and surging water. But I know Jan and Joan and their families could be in danger. If you believe in prayer, please remember my two friends along with every other person facing this storm. It isn’t a news story about a giant hurricane cum nor’easter. It's about millions of individual human beings like Jan and Joan.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
This seems to be how my mind works. I hear of a tragedy and am momentarily interested. Then the emotion fades—until I see the picture of a crying child. Suddenly the tragedy that seemed remote becomes personal because of one little girl’s face. So it is with the Frankenstorm. I cannot process the scope of the raging winds and surging water. But I know Jan and Joan and their families could be in danger. If you believe in prayer, please remember my two friends along with every other person facing this storm. It isn’t a news story about a giant hurricane cum nor’easter. It's about millions of individual human beings like Jan and Joan.
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
October 27, 2012
Cool Kids' Book
I love Saturdays because they're different. The schedule may be tightly packed, but it won't look like my itinerary for any other day of the week. On today's docket: attending a book signing by my friend and fellow author Victoria Peace Green. No, that's not a pen name! She has a great kids' book just out, "Give Me Five for Faith, Fangs, and Feathers." It's a devotional book for children 8 and up. Victoria incorporates interesting facts from the animal kingdom to guide "tweenagers" along the devotional path. You can see a trailer for this book at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt0Qdb...
If you think you're smarter than a fifth grader, check out some of the interesting animal tidbits in Victoria's book! The publisher's website is
http://www.tatepublishing.com/booksto...
. I'm thinking this would be a great stocking stuffer for some special kids this Christmas. I know Victoria because we go to the same church. She's the real deal.
October 26, 2012
Travelling Man
I married a man who loves to travel. It's easy to know whether or not he wants to take a trip. The answer is either "yes" or "when do we go?" He's a pro at setting up itineraries, even reviewing restaurant menus on line to plan food stops along the way. My flauting of timed schedules leaves him flummoxed. While he's on a tour bus, I'm happy to walk around, stroll through a park, eat in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant, and see what merchandise is offered in the local hardware store. Some of my best travel memories come from the unstructured time I insist on. What a wonderful encounter I had with a group of Parisians in a coin-operated laundry. After laboring over a phrase book to translate the sign on a cathedral door, my magic decoder made me laugh at "Watch Your Step." I stood outside to formulate a detailed question, to which the shopkeeper responded--in English--"Certainly, madam." For me, these people memories are far superior to climbing over ancient ruins! However, a momument is the star of a precious moment--flying over the Statue of Liberty on the approach to Kennedy Airport. This usually brings tears to my eyes. Why? Because Lady Liberty is a powerful symbol of home. The first time I saw her, she welcomed me back from a two-year absence from the US. Like the old song says, "there's no place like home."
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
Carlene Havel,author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
http://www.prismbookgroup.com/AHerosH...
October 25, 2012
Harmony
To my ear, there is no solo as lovely as the sound of a duet, quartet, or a singer backed by a full choir. There's something indescribably beautiful about the contrast and blending of many voices--something the most magnificent soloist can never achieve alone.
Likewise, after years of sewing, I'm convinced there is not one bolt of fabric on this planet that cannot be enhanced through combination with a complementary swatch.
A red rose is stunning. Acres of roses would be beautiful as well, but for most of us not as pretty as a flower garden where the roses are surrounded by daisies, gladioli, and other colorful blooms.
My point? There's nobility in harmony, synergy in cooperation. When mom said, "Two heads are better than one," she knew what she was talking about.
Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
available at http://www.prismbookgroup.com/(/b>
Likewise, after years of sewing, I'm convinced there is not one bolt of fabric on this planet that cannot be enhanced through combination with a complementary swatch.
A red rose is stunning. Acres of roses would be beautiful as well, but for most of us not as pretty as a flower garden where the roses are surrounded by daisies, gladioli, and other colorful blooms.
My point? There's nobility in harmony, synergy in cooperation. When mom said, "Two heads are better than one," she knew what she was talking about.
Carlene Havel, author of "A Hero's Homecoming"
available at http://www.prismbookgroup.com/(/b>
