And yet another book, My Father, Hermann Apelt

My new book about my father is on the way. The manuscript is finished,  edited, and sent to the publisher. It is such an exciting thing to publish a book. Though this is my fifth book, it is just as uplifting and enlivening, as well as frustrating as before. but once the final version (Is there ever such a one???) has been sent, the feeling is great and now starts the end phase, the printing process. Soon I'll have my book in my hands. I still don't know, how it'll look, how the pictures turn out, how it will be accepted. I know that my family will love it. My two daughters Doris and Barbara helped me all the way with their editing skills. Doris will host a big party for my 90th birthday in April. That party (about 35 relatives are coming from all over the world) will take place in New York, at the beautiful apartment of my daughter and her husband Charlie Michaels.  My four children will be there and even my husband Leo is coming with me. (He is not exactly the traveling type.) Meanwhile, while waiting for my book to come out, I keep busy with other things, my German classes, my bookclubs, my big garden, and (the least desirable task), my household.

Being 90 years old (Ithink the word is "nonagenerian") isn't so bad, really. Somethimes you look back on your long life with many ups and downs, but mostly you live in the present, only hope the best for the future.This severe winter did havoc on the the forest around our cabin in the Sierra. Still many fallen trees are lying like matchsticks around and my husband Leo has to find some helpers to clean up the mess. But all that will pass and life just goes on.

Last July we had our second great grandchild, a little boy named Justin. Now Brianna has a little brother. She'll be two in February and she can say her brother's name and many other things, more words every day.

I let you know how the big party in April is going.

Castro Valley, Jan. 19, 2011