Out of Staters Once Again

So, today I had brunch with cousins I had not seen in many years. They live in Ohio. 

There's a pattern here. Texas, Indiana, Alabama and now Ohio. 

Pretty impressive, especially since I ain't living on the beach or something.

These are my second cousins and their brood. I had not seen one since 1987, when my grandmother (her great-grandmother) died. None of us could determine the last time we'd seen her brother.

So, Brother Of Many Surgeries, Other Brother, Daughter and myself gathered with the eight of them this morning and spent a few hours laughing and getting tearful down memory lane.

But why now? Why this year? It seems interesting to me that suddenly I am seeing folks for the first time in over twenty years from all over the United States.

That's a stretch, I guess, but it feels that way. I am bedazzled and befuddled.

And wished I was a dozen pounds lighter, if I take a minute to be vain.

I'm not sure any of us have seen each other clearly, anyway. 

We are looking through glasses colored with childhood memories.

Wanna Buy a Book?

Selling books is an interesting thing. I've sold 18 in the last week, plus I checked at a store in a near by town and they'd sold 7 of the 8 they purchased from me.

That's wonderful. That's how I get to get another one published. You have to know your books will sell or they won't get published.

But that's not where my heart is. My heart is in writing.

Don't get me wrong, I want my books to sell, duh.

I have limited physical abilities, and I wish to spend most of them writing.

One thing I love about the sell, though, is people. I get to read out loud sometimes, and boy, I love that. I guess I'm a ham. I love to make people laugh (and cry;I admit it). It's a magical thing that happens between the reader and the listener. I've been on both sides, I love both sides.

During our whirlwind company coming last week, Husband took it upon himself to tie folks down and make 'em listen to me read from "Out on a Limb of the Family Tree".

They laughed. A lot.

Whew!

So, if you want me to come read to you I will. There are a few rules: I won't read to you if you are naked (like in the bathtub). I won't read if you are drunk (although singing for a drunk crowd one time brought me wild applause, whistles and a standing ovation), and I won't read if you won't pay attention.

Fair enough?

Then, if you like, you can read to me.

What?

Sick.

Obedience training for the dog (or is it for us?)

Hard proof copy of new novel coming in and finding problems...not knowing if it will get here before Christmas.

Taking Mother to the doctor.

Daughter getting whatever it is I have. (Mongolian Strangle, I think).

Cats being terrified of dog.

House in uproar.

Wrapping presents.

Having a Christmas Party  Sunday night at the house.

Not having any cards mailed.

Insurance Co. giving us a hard time because they made a mistake.

Company I've done business with for years giving us trouble over a faulty item.

Film at eleven.

Company's A'Comin'!

Yesterday, we peopled our house.

This is a fancy way of saying we had company. Husband used to watch "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" and some rich old coot said "I love to people my house."

Now, I don't reckon I'm a rich old coot, at least I know I ain't rich and I don't think I'm old enough (yet) to be called old, and I think coots are always male, aren't they? Anyway, it's obvious I don't know the correct definition of 'coot', so let's move on.

There is something nice about the anticipation of company coming. The hustle and bustle, the food preparation, the making sure there's enough clean forks and that the glasses don't have spots on them. 

And: my house is really clean. It was so nice this morning to walk through my clean house and just sigh contentedly.

I know it won't stay that way for long. Probably as I sit here nastiness is creeping around the corners, filling up the corners and counters. Oh, well. That's life, as they say.

For another, it's nice to see your house through other people's eyes. I don't mean seeing that the bedroom needs painting, or the smudge you missed on the kitchen floor (which needs replacing, by the way).

No, I mean how they smile at your whimsical stuff, admire the fire laid ready to light come fall, things like that.

I like how everyone gathers in the kitchen, and everyone is talking at the same time, and when they fill their plates they tell you how good it is. 

I like the laughter, the genuine merriment that comes from people who are friends and love one another.


And most of all? I like it that we can pray together, for one another, and mean it.

Do I hear an Amen?