Janet Dailey 1944 to 2013 and some personal thoughts reading her books brought to mind

Readers lost another memorable author this year: Janet Dailey.  She was a romance novelist that I favored some time ago when I devoured similar books in the 70s and early 80s.  I cannot say that I outgrew her books  but my current interests  lean toward historical novels,  biographies, autobiographies, mystery, crime or police dramas, etc.  This is not diminish Dailey’s talent but just shows how ones interest may expand over time to include other writers and writing styles.

 Like many people, she overcame scandal but had many faithful readers and followers during that difficult time.  With the thousands and thousands of writers who may be veracious  readers as well, it must be difficult to keep ones writing style “pure” and at the same time consistent without the flavor of another writer blending in by accident or by design.  Personally, I did not keep up with whatever the facts might have been at the time but I do appreciate the fact that she survived to write another day.  This speaks “volumes” about her personally as well.  What I choose to remember is that she admitted to the “infractions”, lost a publisher, but kept on writing.  I am a fan of the other author too but this is not about her but the life of an author worthy of recall. 

 The writings of Janet Daily are and were great for those who relish in the escape to romantic novels BUT who in real life might not tolerate the actions of the men in these novels.  Just like boys will be boys, some men are men: good, bad or indifferent. However some are worth the time and trouble it takes to find the love that for some can only be or best found in books.   Just saying….

 While sharing my personal thoughts about Janet Daily, it brought other fond memories to mind when things were quite different for me. My next door neighbor and I probably read everything offered by this author as well as those by Barbara Cartland, who passed away back in 2000.  We swapped books with each other to save money and to avoid interruptions in our reading pleasures, our favorite pastime.  We were both young mothers and any spare time (which was truly minimal) was spent reading and sharing these “loving” stories with each other.  While at the time, life seemed so complicated with the money never quite stretched far enough, our home was literally failing down around us, our choices in clothing were from second hand stores (there were no Wal-Mart or Target stores back then), Christmas shopping was by necessity on layaway plans with one or two gifts at best, what I remember best was the fellowship shared with another woman and that I still had my reading pleasure to escape from the realities of ever day living. 

 Books with their plots, characters (real or imagined) are one of the many blessings that life has offered me and millions of others just like me.  My situation may be much changed but some things thankfully have not changed, that being my appreciation and love for printed words.

Life is full of facts and fiction so why not enjoy some reading to complement our life, expand our knowledge, increase our awareness or provide the distractions that are so needed in our task of living, not just existing.  No, I do not believe in the happily ever after in fairy tales but I do believe in possibilities that reading creates in our mind that feeds a goal that produces a plan to develop the life we want for our self or more importantly for others. 

Reading, it’s what’s for ….. (Now you fill in the blanks)

Note to self about 2013 family Chirstmas dinner

I write letters to myself when I am sad, disappointed or dealing with an upset.  So here goes….

Our family dinner was today and all went okay.  My son is the only one who lives away and could not be there to share in the family time on the date that was decided for this year.  He has one day off a week and his Christmas work holiday is Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

Perhaps some of them will drop by our home on Christmas Eve next week while he is here.  This is the first time in about 20 years that we have not celebrated as a family on Christmas Eve, hence my personal disappointment.

The “hostess” has both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day at her house.  I have New Year’s Day at my home. My oldest nephew (son of the hostess) has Thanksgiving dinner on the Saturday before Thanksgiving at his home. With these days in mind, I suggested that we alternate the location using my home every other year and that suggestion did not go well AT ALL.  I suggested that Christmas Eve be considered for next year so that Jason could at least attend every other year.  That suggestion was equally and firmly rejected.  She said “No, I want to have it at my house.”   Talk about “not playing well with others”.  Her reaction should not have been a real surprise but I at least thought that she would consider one or both of my offers.  Our mother and other sister wanted to alternate homes as well. We will just need to stay tuned for further (future) developments along these lines.  She must think that Christmas time is like Burger King, “she can have it her way”.

Oh well, my son said that as long as he gets to have time with me (his mother) and visit his grandma (my mother), that is the main thing that matters to him. What a perfect response.  I guess he understands our family dynamics better than me and has learned to adjust accordingly. It seems that the table has turned and I will now learn from him. Not a bad option.

Imagine that. I have been concerned about his not being able to spend time with the whole family and his primary concerns are his mother (ME) and visiting his grandmother.  I can totally live with that. 

Christmas thoughts and the importance of family for 2013

As always this Christmas season my focus will be on special family time with my mother this season, taking lots of family photos and making family friendly memories to recall special times with our mom tomorrow at the family Christmas lunch.   Life is short enough without discounting the importance of being together as a family with the mother who readily loves us, forgives the faults and cherishes the moments of having all of her children together.

Fresh on my mind is that her memory will continue to fade so each moment is a treasure and the group family photos with her will recall the family times that she has always valued so much. My cousins would do anything to have one more minute with their mother, my precious Aunt Dude on the Buck side of my family plus Aunt Esther and Aunt Thelma on the VanMeter side.  Yes, we were all taught to appreciate the importance of family from our youth with our aunts being a second “Mom” and our cousins being more like siblings from another mother.

The definition of family and the significance for some may change over time as a matter of convenience, familial bias or trivial “eruptions” that are blown out of proportion or imagined  which hold little or no value to what is truly important in life: God’s love and the importance and significance He places on family.  

There will always be disruptions but there will not always be times to share with one’s mother so get out of your own mind and make it happen.  Please put aside what maybe foremost in your mind tied to your interpretation of the actions of others that mushrooms into such anger in your heart and feeds confusion in your mind.  This is a season of love and possibilities if only you will open your heart, eyes and ears to what is right in front of you and accept the fellowship extended by others.

Love and forgiveness have no limits and is expounded in the Bible numerous times as well as other secular media options which are inferior in nature but will hold some truths none the less.

Unforgotten Angels memorial 2013 December 9th and “ME”

I was invited to share my thoughts as a speaker (of sorts) to talk about my nephew and my son who left this world way too young, 20 and 27 years old respectively. This event is held annually on the second Sunday of December and is set aside to remember those we have lost to this world: our children, grandchildren, sibling, etc. 

While it was somewhat solemn and directly linked to the emotional hole in one’s heart that cannot be filled with anything or anyone else, each of us deals with that void differently, if at all. Personally, I was accustomed to hearing from my son on a regular basis and afterwards visited the gravesite regularly, sometimes daily. My visits are referred to as going to see him, not saying the word grave or cemetery.  

 This went on for many, many months until reading a book that was highly recommended and loaned to me be a much loved, respected, Godly man… my uncle.  The book is “A Grief Observed” by C. S. Lewis.  At the bottom of one page I read something that hit me hard and really did feel punched in the chest.  I will paraphrase here “visits to the grave keep them dead”.  I read it three or four times before the truth behind the words sunk into my head but more importantly my heart.  I knew then that my borderline obsessive visits to the “site” were robbing me of my joy in the life that he had shared with so many.

 Considering I was told that having children would bypass me, I had two sons born four years apart and for the youngest son, his extremely active life was shared with me for 27 years and five days.  My middle sister had difficulty in conceiving her first born son who was born in 1975 and was lost to us in 1994.

So after reading the book I chose “joy” to recall what was learned from them during the shortened life we had with them.  

 From my nephew Donnie and son Eric, I learned about:

·         Laughter - They did it easily, often and invited everyone around into their world immediately. Their teasing was playful, never harmful. 

·         Hugs - The hugs were huge with arms reaching all around you which made me feel so special and loved. Sometimes they would lift you from the ground, spin you around and park you somewhere else in the room and laughing the whole time.

·         Appreciation for Life – They took nothing for granted and wanted to experience all that God had made for their enjoyment.  They loved the outdoors and never saw a skyline that they did not enjoy.  Eric and I would send pictures from our cell phones of those that we may particularly enjoy.  My other son and I have the same practice.

·         Relationships – They each managed their relationships well, whether family or friends.  They also honored their commitments, however difficult.  They took responsibility for their actions.

From my Eric, I learned other things as well and do apply these “lessons” in my life at every occasion.

·         You can complement someone without lying to them.  I am reminded of the time that someone made an unkind remark about a young girl.  He said that every girl has something beautiful about them and one should tell them but don’t exaggerate it to the point that it becomes a lie, which is equally hurtful.

·         Every person has something good about them, focus on that and it actually makes it easier when you are hurt by that person who might have made it a practice to be ugly to just about everyone.

• There are those who constantly live in a house of drama but don't be part of someone else's drama.

·         Lies kill people. It’s like a cancer that eats you up from the inside.

·         When I am gone, it just means that I will see you later.  This statement came about when we were talking about the time when he father died and he looked at me and said that if he died before me that we would certainly see each other again in heaven.

There is a poem that I read recently that is especially fitting for this day.  This is the last paragraph from “In a Hundred Years’ Time” by Suzanne and Louise Kelman:

Live today and enjoy it.

Grasp every moment you can.

For Life is the eternal race-

No winners, it’s just that you ran.

 

They each ran their race and it was a good and memorable one.  At times at a sprint and sometimes at full speed but with a goal in mind to not just "do" their best but to "be" their best.

To be clear, I am not fooling myself about his faults.  He was no angel and by the time he got things right, he was taken from me. Some mistakes were repeated and one in particular may have contributed to his being no longer here.  

Was he perfect? No.

Was he forgiven? Yes and in Christ I know that I will see him when it is my turn to check out of here. 

For me as we shared our remembrances and hung our butterfly ornaments on the Christmas tree last night, it meant that I would say and did say “SEE YOU LATER ERIC”.

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy

Good read and one of her best works, in my opinion. There are four main characters bringing with them their respective history of parental love, neglect, abandonment, self-importance, protective/sheltered life, alcoholic fathers, driven agendas, and variances in-between.  It clearly reminded me of what it’s like to be a teenager, warts and all.  There is more than story going on and each adds value to their respective friendships: before, during and after.

"Benny" is the only child of what some would call doting parents.  She is the kind of friend that one would want to have, is loyal and forgiving. She is betrayed by those she respects, loves, and those from whom she has learned so much about how to dress, talk and act in situations.

"Eve Malone" was orphaned and raised by nuns.  Her wealthy mother married beneath her station in life according to her parents and dies shortly after giving birth.  The distraught father becomes depressed/enraged with the family of his wife, speaks a curse (of sorts) on her family, then he dies as well.  Eve is forsaken and given to the nuns to be raised.  Her biological family has one redeeming member, in my opinion, with which the adult Eve develops a friendship. After meeting some of her family members, I personally believe that Eve proved to be better off without them and as a result she developed strength of will and a backbone that served her well.  She and Benny were the best friends from the age of ten and truly inseparable until their college days where the story a turn (or twist).

 "Nan" is beautiful and continues to hide her poor background and drunken father.  She knows what to say, when to say it, how to dress and act to achieve her driven agenda.  She doesn’t allow anyone to stand in her way and when she is ditched by the target of her agenda, creates a divisive backup plan with some devastating results.  However, it created what I see as a great ending to the book for each character.

 "Jack" is a doctor's son who has difficulty making up his mind (at times) whose definition of commitment must also be a matter of convenience.  He expects to be forgiven of anything and everything and to be accepted as the life of the party even when not truly welcome.  I initially liked him but my opinion of him did change even though he did agree to do what’s “right” by the “wrong (not wronged)” person.

 This is the fourth book that I have read by this author, who does not disappoint her many, many fans, including yours truly.  There is a film version of the book which I have not seen.  With the history of films destroying the integrity of most books, I will pass on seeing the film version.  However, I am willing to reconsider after hearing from those who have experienced both the book and the film. 

 Final comment and fortunately for me, I pre-ordered her book “A Week in Winter” that was completed just days before her death last year with reader ready for eReaders February 2013 and paperback in 2014. 

"Winter in Full Bloom" by Anita Higman

This is one of the few times where I really did not have a favorite character. I enjoyed each one and for different reasons.  Lily is the main character here and experiences some much needed personal stamina and growth who has always felt somewhat defeated in life from having a cold and indifferent mother for as long as she can remember.  Even her father seems to have barely existed.  

Each character had their own story, just like each of our own friends and friends we have yet to meet. The mother was not generally approachable and had actually “paid” someone to be her friend in her own home. As is my nature, I did wonder what caused her to distance herself from her daughter(s). I knew that I would eventually learn the truth about Lily and Camille's mother and the "real" story about the separation of the twins (Lily and Camille) and it was written in such a way to hold my interest vs. flipping to the back of the book for an instant answer. The twins were separated shortly after birth but Lily was not aware she even had a twin until it was mentioned by her mother during a meeting that was ten years in the making.  Yes, Lily had not spoken to her mother for ten years, not even when Lily’s husband had died the previous year. It seems that Camille was living in Australia, had recently sent a letter to her biological mother and had always known about Lily’s existence.  Lily decides to make a trek to Australia to find this long lost sister and hopefully get some answers since the mother was certainly not forthcoming.

 Lily meets and makes a friend shortly after arriving to Australia with someone else who seems to have come to another country to get some answers.  His name is Marcus, is somewhat unkempt, personable, appears to have a free spirit but insists he is living off the trust fund that he created.  His story includes a deliberate lack of communication with his parents and also a pleasant surprise for Lily. No I am not talking about their predictable romance. Without giving away too many details, I must admit to certainly understand where the story ends without including an ending for his parent’s story. Losing a child, whatever the circumstances, can create a void and serious disconnect with family and friends.  In time one may/can learn to endure the pain of loss but only through open communication, lots of love and prayer, without a blame game or physical separation from those that need to be near you, even when you do not see/understand/recognize that need. Yes, I am speaking from personal experience.

 I really, really liked Camille and her story builds over the course of the book starting in Australia and her new beginning (sort of) back in the USA. She experiences more than one tragedy, one of which breaks open the hard-hearted birth mother, and made me cry.  It is from this accident that we learn the mothers’ story and it is quite a story in itself. 

 With the mother coming into my review now, I also must add that part of me really wanted an expanded storyline about the mother at that point in the book, not that there was anything missing or additional information needed.  The section was complete but to know what she experienced left me wanting more. It was a pivotal point for me and I immediately liked her plus understood her self-protection mode for withdrawal from her children and from affection in general. It was like a dam had burst inside this woman and her desire for a relationship with her daughters, while not spontaneous, did start growing from that point and continued throughout the remainder of the story.  The things that we as women do to ourselves when we are so devastatingly hurt by situations we thought that we could control or people we want to save but cannot, even with the best of plans.

 Hopefully, we will see another book which will follow the life of the sister who Lily’s daughter affectionately calls Aunt Cam. Stories about twins can be especially entertaining (to me) and not in ways in which most of us can relate. In this book, life's lessons for them were different yet the same.

I have read many of her book and we met as members of the Women's Business Forum. She is a delight on many levels and always the lady. As much as I have enjoyed her early writings, this one shows sign of growth and development as a writer. Her characters are better developed and the story lines have greater depth. Of note, I have pre-ordered her next two books which will be released in November and December, respectively.

 I highly recommend her as an author. Her genre is Contemporary, Christian, romance and mystery.

Yes, deceased Pearl S Buck has a new book

Fortunately for us, a complete manuscript was recently found in a locker slated for auction here in Texas. It is her last known work and would have been written during the time that she knew she was dying and was also living in Vermont. The name of it is "The Eternal Wonder" which chronicles the life of a young man (genius) from adolescence, his education, and romance with a beautiful Chinese girl in Paris and New York. It is scheduled for release in October in both hardcopy and digital.

 I read "The Good Earth" in my BPW book group many years ago and it was wonderful. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it. I enjoyed her writing style.  Her understanding  about the human spirit, endurance, traditions, loyalty and children rings true and reigns throughout this book. To say that I learned much about Chinese traditions and China during a particularly difficult part in their history is an understatement.  I was deeply saddened by their “trials” of the family in this book and was also reminded of how petty some are who have much (here and abroad).

Pearl S. Buck was a great author who died of cancer in March 1973. She was a Pulitzer and Noble prize winner, both well deserved.  She was a child born to missionaries, lived many years in China which certainly explains her connection and understanding of the Chinese people along with hardships, loyalty (however misplaced) plus preserving traditions which included cultural beliefs.  Her capacity for loving included children in particular.  She and her husband adopted six children and she started the Pearl S, Buck Foundation to afford opportunities for children in need. 

 You can rest assured that I will be making the purchase of her last literary work "The Eternal Wonder", and hoping that the pre-order option is made available. 

Lisa See and Amy Tan have been providing with me with satisfactory reading options who I feel are in the same caliber as Pearl S. Buck.  Just sayin....

July holds more than fireworks

It is incredible to note so many dates, milestones and occurrences that have shaped us as Americans and women in the month of July.  From fireworks in celebration of our July 4^th Declaration of Independence to including such notables as the women’s rights convention in 1848, the first “physical” step on the moon in 1969 tied to the inadvertent missing “a” which literally affects the meaning of that most memorable sentence made by Astronaut Neil Armstrong on that momentous date, the inauguration of the five-digit zip code, birth date of promoter and showman P. T. Barnum who opened “The Greatest Show on Earth”, birth date of automotive pioneer Henry Ford and probably THE most notable, at times most financially uncomfortable, the creation of the income tax withholding in the US.

On a fun note, I absolutely love to go to the circus, which for Houston, TX, is usually each July. However, I have attended one in the last nine years since I would prefer not to go alone and my nieces and nephews feel that they have somewhat outgrown it since it is may considered juvenile by their peers and I have no grandchildren to parade about. Well … !!!

What is juvenile about stepping out of the many professional demands in our life for no other reason than to become one with the joy, happiness and awe of the visual for what really is for me one of “ The Greatest Shows on Earth”. What is juvenile about the demanding training schedules, strenuous exercise, skills, requisite disciplines and their driven commitment to excellence by each circus performer and acknowledging each through our attendance? What is juvenile about the skill of designing and creating the costumes that dazzle and adorn the performers, EVEN THE CLOWNS? What is juvenile about seeing on the face of a child their fascination and absorption of  the  seamless, graceful, perfectly timed performances of the acrobats, lion tamer, elephants parading, horses prancing about with their acrobatic riders, and etc. that still mesmerize me as I devour a pretzel adorned with mustard, root beer and my “once a year” hot dog.

Yes, I have an absolute appreciation for the circus, whether in the ring or behind the scenes. Now you know that for me the month of July is complete when it includes attending a circus which in Houston, Texas, shortly follows the fireworks and the many magnificent firework displays that celebrate our independence formalized on paper in our Declaration of Independence signed and witnessed on July 4, 1776.

Three M's and Flowers

I love the month of May with Mothers Day, Memorial Day, and that magnificent gift of nature – flowers, flowers and more flowers. 

Please take time this month to acknowledge your mom for the life that she created, that being “you”. They mentor and coach us through childhood and a mother’s love seems to have no limits.  One year I sent a handwritten note instead of the traditional Hallmark card, telling my own mother how much she served as my mentor during my life and the influence she still has on the way that I regard others.

As professionals and business women, we may receive numerous accolades or awards for our accomplishments, but no title or professional designation sounds better to me than Mom. 

 In June 2000, I spent most of an entire day at the Arlington Cemetery and was privileged to observe the changing of the guards at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which commemorates our American war dead from the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Words are inadequate to express how I felt at that moment.  I experienced great pride to have been born here but could not stop myself from crying while watching those soldiers.

You may not have the opportunity to see it first hand, but you can visit our local veteran’s cemetery to witness the Memorial Day ceremony, wear one of the poppies that are frequently sold near that date, and absolutely thank the next soldier that you see in a uniform.
 

Be respectful of the many that have served, remember and honor those who were not able to return to their family, and be supportive of those who we are blessed to have returned.  Be forever mindful of the fact that we are “here” because they were “there”.

Here are two of my favorite May trivia of note:

• Mother's Day became a public holiday on May 9, 1914
• Memorial became a federal holiday in 1971, and is observed on the last Monday in May.

Lastly, I am absolutely convinced that flowers were created for the primary purpose of enjoyment and are to be unquestionably shared along with our memories between family and friends. However, the floral fragrance in my home just gave way to the aroma of the apple pie in my oven. 

Luck or Something Like It by Kenny Rogers

Another Houston native makes it good but as luck would have it and this was not an easy ride to fame which will surprise no one.  However, for once an entertainer who tells a truth (several of them) about his road to what he says is happiness.

He was one of eight children born into the poorest of conditions and lived in the projects, which lends one to believe that one’s birth environment does not guarantee limited career options.   He was definitely not held hostage by his poor beginnings, established good work ethics, and assisted the family financially.  In fact, he said that being poor did not mean hopelessness.

Kenny Rogers definitely believes in marriage.  He has had five.  To his credit he does admit that the first three were 85% his fault, with the fourth marriage they just slowly moved into different directions and his fifth (current wife) is over 20 years his junior

I did find some humor in two of the marriages.

The first trip to the altar for Kenny Rogers was to another Texan with whom he became more than a little “familiar” and as was typical of that time, resulted in a marriage.  I found in comical that the girl’s mother called to demand that he show up on a specific Saturday to marry her pregnant daughter.  His response was a simple “Okay”.  After the baby was born, things did not go well; the parents moved her back to their home.  When Kenny called her to talk about trying to make their marriage work, the girl (his wife) asked her mother about it and her response was “My mom said no.”  Yes, youth is wasted on the young.

During the second or third marriage, the wife was more concerned about Kenny throwing her mink coat out the door to her as she was running beside the car shortly before his automobile accident.  No, he did not throw the coat to her.  He made something humorous about something distressing.  This reminds me of a line in one of his most famous songs, “You have to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em”.   He lived the line before making it famous.

He said that the only time he felt uncertain about his life was when the group by the name of The First Edition called it quits. He felt lost and for the first time was absolutely alone.   He had no job skills and dropped out of college before obtaining a degree in engineering. His ambition kept him moving beyond all else.  He had learned harmony from his sister and learned something from every experience: from singing alone to learning how to walk and sing at the same time to playing bass to the realization the country music was his answer to his music career.  He was ambition driven and headed out to Nashville with little cash and fewer connections.

His career encompasses real friendships with Dottie West, Lionel Richie and yes one of his biggest fans is Dolly Parton.  He received some great advice early on which he kept front and center: 1) your career is a business and treat it accordingly, 2) have a few real friends, 3) get a hobby, 4) have a backup plan for your life. 5) One cannot have success without sharing.  As a result, he has raised millions for charity at his annual tournament held on his property.  He has two published to his credit.  He sold one of his homes for twice what he paid and IN CASH.  He also said that the key to success is “to keep going” and he definitely had a life in motion. 

Now for some really interesting notes:  Sue Reed (friend at BPW) and his family grew up in the same area. She was friends with them and one of his sisters in particular.  My mom worked with the woman who lived next to door to his mom when she lived in Crockett. At my 45^th high school reunion I found out that one of my friends older siblings was a best friend with one his sisters. 
It is small world …. Or is it?

Diplomacy and Diamonds by Joanne King Herring

This is my favorite book read for 2013 (SO FAR).  If you like romance, read it.  If you like history, read it.  If you like non-fiction, read it.  If you want to read about a “real” Texas woman in every sense of the word, read it. If you want to hear about an “alleged” ugly dyslectic duckling turned swan, someone who learned how to turn parties into a purpose, coincidence into opportunity, work across party lines but realized a “truth” in her day to reach a goal and above all how she built her “toolbox” which was used in her crusade of one against communism, this is the book for you.

She made many decisions tied to her Southern roots and without compromising her virtue or integrity:

Marriage # 1 but this was not her first choice.  The parents of the one she originally cared about did not approve of her so marriage was out of the question. However, the father became a friend and supporter of her efforts LATER IN HER LIFE. However, she does not regret her first marriage which produced two sons she adored who became her champions. Her son Robin was the cameraman in her Afghan “experience” that turned into the book/movie “Charlie Wilson’s War” about the fight against communism and what had to be done to get the attention and money needed to help those being killed, maimed, etc.

Marriage # 2 was the love of her life.  Joanne did not need a matchmaker here and it really is a love story. She decided to remarry (typical Southern style for her day in time) for the financing of the future of her sons (initially).  There is no doubt in mind that they truly loved each other. “He” even loaned money to her ex-husband Bob King in an effort to save Bob’s business.  It was repaid in full.  Her husband repaid Joanne’s $1mil loan that was offered unsecured @ zero interest while she a single, unemployed, mother of two young sons. (relationships, trust and communication tools mattered then and still do) It was in this marraige that she received and used her "working diamond" of 20 carats. (In this case, size matters.)  Before his death, she met and befriended those who would be instrumental in her fight against communism. She danced with royalty, was courted by the rich and famous, and it was these same friends who provided a diversion to deal with the loss of her beloved husband.  It was during this time that she met “the” Charlie Wilson, a playboy and politician who loved her, proposed to her but they parted ways as friends after their mission was accomplished, so to speak. In the process, she became an “honorary man” while working in in the Middle East.

Marriage # 3 started out with love but the darker side of the husband was not learned until well into the marriage which ended in her second divorce. She did invest 20 years into the marriage but enough is enough.  In the letter she received from him years later he admitted that the best years of his life were spent with her. However, it was through this experience that she really learned that she had strength to be independent, use skills to become a “paid” consultant, and stand on her own as a single woman.

I learned a great dealt about the people within Afghanistan who have historically supported the USA with money and time.  I was touched by the sincerity of the people in this behind the scenes look at those who were doing and giving their all to fight communism. I learned why this particular geographic region could (may) be pivotal in the control of what happens here and abroad.

This woman definitely has the “it” factor and continues in her efforts to make a difference through the non-profit agency that she began from her love of the Afghan people.  A comment under a photo of her in fabulous evening wear where she is looking back at the camera describes her well in that she may be looking over her shoulder but she never looked back. 

March is Women’s History Month. So what?

I retired from a bank, not from life and still enjoy sharing information as it relates to business and/or professional women.

In that connection, I discovered some remarkable facts of particular interest and this is by no means a complete view of information garnered, just some highlights of my own personal interest.

·    Center for Women’s Business Research. Statistics for Houston in 2004 confirmed that “nearly half of all private held firms represent 50% or more women-owned. These 158,239 firms generate $50.2 billion in sales and employed 324,876 people.”

·    Compare that to current data found on www.businesswire.com : “Between 1997 and 2012, when the number of businesses in the United States increased by 37%, the number of women-owned firms increased by 54%, a rate 1.5 times the national average.” With regards to geographic trends, one of the states with the fastest growth in the number of women-owned firms during the past 15 years includes Texas at 75% growth.

·    Finally I found some interesting facts from The State of Women-Owned Business Report commissioned by American Express OPEN: “Averaging together the ten-year growth rankings in the number, revenue and employment of women-owned firms in the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the country-to look at combined economic clout –reveals …SanAntonio and Houston, TX at # 2 and #3.” The industry trend section reports that “Women-owned firms continue to diversify into all industries.”

This is both amazing and encouraging at the same time.  Consider how any professional membership fits into these numbers and also how each of us serves or is being served by these companies or contacts.  This confirms to me that there is more than enough business to go around for every one regardless of any self-defined niche.

There are countless articles about how women are more inclined to do business with other women. Additionally, women emphasize relationship building as well as gathering facts and may take more time to make decisions in her business.  The quality of a membership, mentoring group, and special interest group lends to that process from giving to receiving referrals and establishing relationships.

Many have heard me say that sometimes it is not who you know but who knows you, and the best way to be known is to get involved.  What are you doing to make a difference and make your communications work for you? 

Funerals can also be Inspiring

Funerals can be sad as we recall someone much loved who is no longer here with us.  However, they can also be uplifting as the one for my Aunt Dude (Julia Buck Francis) on Wednesday.  She lived a life of service and was also known, loved, and appreciated for her resourcefulness while raising her five children.

Her oldest child, Betty Ann Francis Zeamer, provided the eulogy which spoke volumes and touched every heart and tearful eye at the service.  She provided a perfect eye view into the life of her mother from young love, a mother, grandmother, great grandmother and her famous, enjoyed by all, biscuits.  My heart was heavy as I entered the chapel and was lightened by the love-filled words of remembrance for one so special and beloved.  Betty spoke of the dash between the birth date and departure date which I have heard about many times over the years from others. However, in the instance of my aunt, the way she lived “the dash” between her birth and date of death will be recalled by hundreds and only in favor.

She would be most proud to see how each of her children comforted each other during her transition to heaven and in the recent days that followed her departure.  What a joy to share our wonderful memories as children with our many cousins.  I could actually see the love of my aunt reflected and expressed in each of her now grown children whose ages range from 53 to 64, if memory serves.

I am equally proud of my mother who loves my cousins as her own children and looks forward to the many days left that we can all share together.  In the passing of her sister my mother also lost her best friend with whom she could share anything. Some sisters do have that type of relationship but not nearly enough.  

I got home tonight and the first thing I did was make biscuits.  Was I hungry? No. Was I remembering my Aunt Dude who shared a tip or two about making biscuits? Absolutely.  Were they as good as hers? No way but who can really duplicate perfection.

She may be leaving us but ……..

My mother called earlier today and is beside herself with anxiety and soon to be grief. Her sister, our beloved Aunt Dude (Julia Evelyn Francis) is transitioning into hospice care. She has been battling cancer for many years and now our final days with her are upon us.  She is and has been a faithful Christian Woman of God and has said many times over the last few months that she is tired and ready to go to her heavenly home. We are never ready to let go of those we love, even our family members who have been so dedicated to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through words, actions and deed but have endured many years of cancer related treatments, pain and discomfort.

Growing up, many a summer my sisters and I had some of our most memorable moments with her at her kitchen table, playing outside on their multiple acre homestead out in the country which included what we thought was the most awesome swing ever made from an old feed sack tied with a rope attached to a big tree near the porch, and I will never forget the "singings" at their church and sister churches and the yearly ones at the Oak Grove decoration over Memorial Day weekend. We wanted to see her immediately after crossing the Arkansas state line but visited with our grandparents in town first.  In fact, my mom and dad would ALWAYS SAY “I’ll whip the first one of you kids that asks to go to Aunt Dude’s while we are visiting with your Grandma and Grandpa.”   We did not understand that Mom wanted to visit with her Mom and Dad first. We just knew that Aunt Dude was a short 30 minutes away (which seems like an eternity once you are finally in the car again).  Our cousins were actually our best friends when we were growing up.  We could not afford to talk on the phone often but we sure wrote letters on a regular basis.

I learned to cook by watching her every move in the kitchen and even churned butter which was a real treat for this city girl.  She made the best biscuits EVER and could whip out a meal for her brood and our family faster than most do now with all of the modern conveniences at our disposal. We could hardly wait to get to her house to shell peas or anything else from her garden that she “saved” especially for us.  She always remembered how much I loved her canned pickles and would save me a jar. Even last September she gave me a jar along with some squash relish that also has no equal on any shelf anywhere.

Her sweet spirit, beautiful voice in song, unlimited words of wisdom and support, contagious  laughter, her ability to tell a joke like no one else and her soft spoken heart-warming Arkansas drawl do not have a match here on earth. Her capacity for love and forgiveness seems limitless and she always had time for me and to talk with me. 

Her reward in heaven will be greater than our grief but for now it is hard to accept or acknowledge the fact that her days here with us are at a minimum. Praise God for the life she lead and praying for the comfort that only God can provide to those of us who remain.

I am not sure when we will leave for Arkansas for a visit while Aunt Dude is still aware of her surroundings. She is naturally heavily mediated to help with the pain.  My mom was crying so desperately and is not in a position to make any decisions at the moment. My mother is what one would call a worrier and her anxiety level is on overdrive, as one would imagine. I am equally concerned about my mom and her emotional well-being. She and Aunt Dude talk almost daily. My mom is 80 years and is also on the decline in a few areas.  This loss will take its toll on her as does the recent news that her youngest brother has cancer with the treatment as yet undetermined. 

Yes, this message is long but my heart is full and words keep spilling from my fingers.

Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

Yes, it has finally happened.  Russia and our USA push “the” buttons which lead to the physical destruction of the majority of each country and surrounding areas.  Imagine life without electricity, telephone communication, gasoline for your cars, batteries, and inadequate water and food supplies.  Add this to the basic nature of man, that being survival and at whatever costs which will not be limited to robbery, theft, murder, violence at every level plus the effects of radiation and how to limit further exposure.  The crash of 1929 pales in comparison; there are no banks LITERALLY and cash has become meaningless. 

Imagine no President, Vice President, etc., key military and intelligence personnel,  and the responsibilities falling onto a cabinet member who just happened NOT to be Washington, DC, a major metropolis or military establishment that was bombed. Imagine no longer being a super power but more of a territory and even that cannot be confirmed by any degree at the moment. Imagine being in a somewhat remote area which has not been adversely affected by the H-bomb or direct fallout.  However, someone still needs to be in charge of making decisions and establishing order and making new laws from which to govern.

Yes, we won but at what cost? The recovery would be 1000 years in the making.

The countries today are no longer limited to Russia and USA but this book is absolutely relevant and is highly recommended.  Original copies of this book may be difficult to find and were not available on my NOOK but lessons plans and related study notes are available.  I borrowed a copy from my friend and fellow book group reader Mari Davis and will be returning it to her at BPW book group next month.  I can understand her reluctance to share this copy from 1959 but it would be worthwhile to find a copy for own personal enjoyment.

I enjoyed every page of this book and particularly the writing style.  Keeping in mind that it was written 1959, I was thrilled to miss the gutter talk, body stripping, and literal violence.  I know what is happening without those types of details.  Why clutter and pollute our minds with the unnecessary!

The Amish Bride by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould

Each of us can recall the time we thought we knew better than our parent(s) as to what and whom our future should include.  We placed our own interpretation on events and conversations but believed them to be the “only” truth or possibility. A young girl (Ella) is somewhat determined to force a future which includes plans to join a church primarily to marry a young man she has known most of her life.  She is a Mennonite and he is Amish.  Her goals include going to school to become a baker and has dreams of owning her own store but will becoming Amish be the beginning of the end those dreams? Circumstances create a distance between them from Pennsylvania to Indiana and they appear to be determined to be together.

This book speaks to a family and a history that does not become clearly understood and questions are left hanging for decades until a diary written in some kind of code by a great-grandmother can be deciphered. At the request of Ella’s grandmother, she takes the diary to discover its secrets.  What she learns in the process opens her hear to understand other things about herself, the questionable infant death of an unbeknownst uncle (her grandmother’s only son), and also her own mother which leads Ella to finally forgive her absentee father. 

Ella’s future changes, however, she does realize all of her goals in ways she did not see coming AT ALL. 

Being “Plain” does not mean being simple minded or boring. It does however include commitment to God, family unity, and being equally yoked.  Personally, I believe the same and I am neither Amish nor Mennonite.  Each religion has a written reference. For me it is the Bible so feel free to check out the love chapters, more commonly known as the Corinthians.

Dear Abby

People, young and old alike, lost someone precious today: the original Dear Abby. She had millions of followers and there may be some who may not realize that she took to task the shoddy advice column of the San Francisco Chronicle back in 1956.  This stay at home mom took ownership of the concerns expressed in the letters to that newspaper and how fortunate we are that the paper recognized her talents which resulted in the column that we know today.

Most of my dearest friends grew up reading Dear Abby and it may have been one of the first articles we read when opening our newspaper. Her twin sister we grew to love as Ann Landers.  Each used pseudonyms but in every other way they were the real deal in my opinion.

As a young woman and even today the articles are relevant and impart both common sense wisdom and words to the wise.  I realize that the “Abby” of long ago has morphed onto someone else and I am glad that current media has not chosen to forego the column.   I will enjoy it while it lasts.

By the way, “my” Dear Abby is conveniently located in the Houston Chronicle Star section which also includes the Jumble, Daily Crossword and Hints from Heloise which are also some of my personal favorites.  Even though retired, I like to keep my mind working on SOMETHING.  Life is good and may God bless the memory and be with the family of our beloved Dear Abby who in real life is known as Pauline Phillips.

Fresh Start and New Beginnings

January always brings to mind fresh starts and opportunities, new beginnings and moving past the disappointments from the previous year and attempting, where possible, to correct the whatever and lastly, but more importantly, to acknowledge or thank someone for something every single day.

When reviewing the news from last year, it served as a reminder of those who can no longer share their life with us in the present.  However, we can share in the joy of their accomplishments and what they have contributed to our lives in the form of family, food, fashion, fun, or being female. 

On a personal note, I was told by a beloved family member and much later actually read the same thing that the way you start the beginning of your year is the way you will spend the rest of that year. Hence, I begin my new year with family and friends and have for nearly 30-years.  My New Year’s Eve and the previous two days are spent feeding one of my passions … cooking.  On New Years Day I serve the same menu and make many, many pies to use as gifts. (This year I made 36 pies.)  As family and friends arrive, I request that each child followed by each family select a pie as my gift to them for deciding to begin their year with me, in my home. Any remaining pies will accompany our shared meal as the “grazing” period begins sometime around 1 p.m. Before retirement I rented a moonwalk which was setup in the backyard with easy viewing from a kitchen window and the back patio. One of the men might bring horse shoes or washers to setup near the moomwalk.  Yes, I choose to spend my New Years Day with people that I love, admire, and absolutely enjoy/relish/covet their company. 

How we spend our time and who we spend it with is a choice that I readily make each day and count each person as an added benefit/gift to my life.  We encounter enough that we cannot control both personally and professionally.  I freely admit to loving life and value each part of my life from the gene pool to zip codes. 

This is a new year, so enjoy your life, make an appointment with yourself to have fun, and exercise wisdom to make choices that create value to your life and the lives that you impact or encounter each day in 2013.  Share yourself.