Christmas photos and newsletter Dec. 2015

Merry Christmas!

My tree - 2015

The is the newsletter I sent to family and friends this year. Hope you enjoy reading what's going on with my life as I consider all who read my blog friends!
God bless you this holiday season.

Christmas Cookies

With decorating help from the kiddies

Hello Folks:

It’s been a few years since I’ve written. I hope everyone is well. It’s hard to believe 2016 is around the corner. I’m excited our family will be coming here for Christmas. I’m ready - just last minute cards to do and some presents to wrap.

Ray’s been gone for two years and I’ve experienced many adjustments and changes. I miss him terribly but realized after he was gone how very ill he was the last two years. My own health has improved greatly in the last year. Caregiving isn’t an easy job.

I moved to a condo in last year. I’ve reunited with friends and my church. I’m in a women’s Bible study group and a writing group. I still attend Hocking Hills writer’s group monthly, my forever buddies.

A few of our Hocking Hills

team: Barb, Jill, Tina.

I do book signings and workshops occasionally. Love going to Tamarack in Beckley, WV. My novel Vada Faith, Ezra and Other Stories, a book of short stories, and Dear Anne: Love Letters from Nam, a short story, are available on Amazon.com. I'm hard at work on Missing: Sweet Baby James, sequel to Vada Faith, after taking time off in the last two years to regroup.

Book signing at Tamarack
Always a good time.

The big news is our youngest grandchild - Jill and Jason’s son - Austin, is ten years old.

Tanner, Chase and Mackenzie, the triplets, are 14, growing up way too fast. Jill and Jason moved to Ft. Knox, KY in July. I love having them closer. I’ve gone to watch Tanner and Chase play basketball. They’re really good at it! And, they tower over me! Time flies.

Lisa and Jon are still in Hillsboro. Their son Daniel is living in Nashville. He works full time for Apple computer and does photography for special events. Their daughter Jillian is a student at the University of Cincinnati and does some modeling.

Susan and Gary bought a new home and sold their farm. Samantha graduated from the police academy, from boot camp Army reserves, and from AIT school (military police). She’s a deputy in the sheriff’s department for Pickaway County. Steven is in his second year at Ohio University at Athens. I’m proud of all of them!

My brother in law, Brownie, and his daughter, Deb, and I took a train trip thru WV to the mountains in the fall. The train cars were from the 50’s. A really fun trip.

All I miss about our home in the country is living near Susan and her family and the friends we made while there. Especially our neighbors, the Clarks.

Please know while I haven’t kept in touch, I’ve thought of you often. I’ll never forget our long distance family and friends, who’ve been there for both Raymond and I over the years. I wish you all the best. Love and Blessings!

Lighting a candle for Raymond at

La Salette Festival of Lights

Attleboro, MA
What an incredible experience

The Celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior

A Revolutionary New Diet...

Recently I went on a diet. Like most diets this one was scheduled around a major life event. My daughter's wedding. There would be no shopping for a mother-of-the-bride dress until the pounds came off. Typically I go on a diet on Monday and by Wednesday I've folded beneath the weight of a German chocolate cake. I've been hijacked by as little as a stale pink sugar wafer discovered in the dark recesses of the bread drawer. But this time things were going to be different. I could tell as I went to get the mail and discovered the first crocus of the season. Life was looking up. Even though an icy rain began to fall, my spirits weren't dampened. Not even when huge drops pelted me on the head and I had to dash inside. My latest plan would revolutionize dieting. If it worked for me it would work for the world. I smelled a book deal. I could see myself all made-over and liposuctioned sitting between Oprah and Dr. Oz. It was full speed ahead. Gone were those complex menus...

Building a story vs building a house

My latest book! Dear Writer: Writing a story is somewhat similar to building a house. Or not! Remember this: when we give a piece of our story to someone to read - we expect them to see the whole. It's like building a house and offering a single piece of lumber to another builder. “Here, see the house I'm building.” SOME CAN SEE IT AND SOME CAN’T. Here's the thing: MOST CAN'T. This step is as necessary to me as breathing. I need to give you single boards as I create them. AND I expect you to be a visionary and say, “Why yes. I see.” I need you to see how special the piece of lumber is that I'm using and to see that eventually I'll add more pieces to make the whole. Choose people to read your work who like the kind of stories you write. There are as many kinds of stories as there are houses to live in. If you give a brick ranch to someone who only appreciates a cape cod then he'll have a hard time fitting hims...

MY HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE...

Wednesday, March 16, 2011 High School - Poca High School, Putnam County, WV What year was it? Fall 1960 - Spring 1963 What were your favorite bands, or singers? Sam Cook, Chubby Checker, Conway Twitty (It's only make believe), Johnny Rodriquez. Meatloaf. ELvis. What was your favorite outfit? Straight skirts, blouses, cardigans or jackets, little heels. Other Outfits? Jeans and a white Dr. Ben Casey shirt. What was up with your hair? Everything. I put peroxide on it. Lemon juice, thinking it needed to be lighter. I cut it, styled it, put it in a pony tail or a french twist. Hair was the most important thing in my life in high school. And hair spray, the stiffer the better. Who were your best friends? Patti Jones, Karen Mattox, and Susie Bailey all thru elem school. Then added on Donna Dailey, Sharon "Mouse" Hackett and Janice Wick and many others. Also Bonnie Kerwood who was older than me and lived near me so we hung out listening to records after schoo...

UnknownDecember 17, 2015 at 10:22 PM
Great blog, so enjoyed our time with you and hope you can come out this spring or summer ! Love and miss you ! Deb
UnknownDecember 18, 2015 at 8:50 AM
This is a lovely blog, Barbara. I'm happy that your health has been better this past year. I hope the improvement continues through next year and beyond. Best wishes to you and your family.
Janet,December 21, 2015 at 7:24 AM
Merry Christmas to you, Barbara! I love visiting your blog.
Elizabeth VollstadtJanuary 17, 2016 at 8:19 PM
Sorry I haven't commented for a while, but I really enjoy reading your blog. I received this as a letter, too, and am so glad life is getting better. Wishing you and your family a truly Happy New Year!

Writing - the ups and downs

Search This Blog