Bits and Pieces

Wow, chilly here! Freezing last night and to be colder tonight. Then hopefully we can have warmth and see the sun return for a little Indian summer. The trees are beginning to turn now, a dash of color here and there when we feared they would just dry up and vanish this year.

Yesterday was a bit chilly to feel too comfortable at a ballgame. Personally, I would rather have been at home near my tea pot and a cookie! But being a good wife, you know what that means. Dragging a wheel barrow of stuff to the stadium, looking at the field while your mind thinks beautiful lines of words, and waiting for the university band to perform at halftime which also shouts out HALFWAY THROUGH THIS ORDEAL! J

PSU had some tailgating issues a few weeks ago and have tightened up security. For the first time ever, I had my purse checked. I was shocked, but not as much as the checker when she felt the weight of the thing.When she pulled out gloves, hat, hand warmers, cowl, a new writer’s magazine, a small notebook (well, you never know when inspiration will hit!), two pairs of glasses, and a bottle of water, she said, “I give up. Forget the bottom and go on in.”

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Our small writing guild is trying to grow. A new member put us on Facebook a few months ago, but visits are sparse. We are trying to have a once a week writing op that is for fun and oh, so tiny. Last week it was write 50 words about something that is special to you. If you have some free “line time”, please visit and leave us something. https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/groups/266894820055092/?fref=ts

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My birthday is on the horizon. DH has been working in secret to make me something. Because we will be gone on my birthday, he wanted me to see it now. Whala! A leaf burner. There is a long story behind this burner, but the real gift was not something for me to do work with, but that DH planned the project, secreted his work, and gave it in heartfelt manner.

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I can’t help but read three or four books at a time. Different moods call for different stories or material. I had plenty of reading material started when I paged through Prague Winter by Madeleine Albright. It is fascinating and all books are stopped until I finish this one. Amazing. It was hard to get through the first couple of chapters because I struggled with Czechoslovakia names and words. The author gives quite a bit of history and then begins to go into detail about 1939 when Hitler takes over the Slavic countries, one by one. Why anyone every trusted him after the first few lies, I don’t know.

We all study WWII in school, but Albright makes me really see so much. One thing is how she paints the British people. My, those people were strong and determined. I have a whole new respect for them…and for Churchill. The author was reared a Catholic but found out at age 59 she was Jewish. Her story unfolds along with that of  her homeland, Czechoslovakia. Readers watch as her family members are annihilated in camps.

Inspiring read!