* HAPPY NEW YEAR *

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2019. 

I looked back at my posts for this year...and there were only 16! 

SIXTEEN for the entire year!

I thought that must've been a mistake...😲

~~~~

I'll try to do better next year!

* NINE DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS?! *

Yes, Virginia there IS a Santa Claus....and yes, Becky is still alive and kicking! 😉

My 5 talks at the assisted living centers became only 3; I missed one because of illness, and the other was cancelled due to a large snowstorm we had.

I was a bit rusty in talking, but it seemed to go well. People laughed and smiled at the proper times.

I brought door prizes, print-outs of helpful online sites for writers, and lots of books to sell.

I sold Five Books 😞

Oh well... it was a great experience and I met some wonderful people. That's a gift in itself. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have I mentioned that Ron and I are moving again?? In August, we bought a used double-wide mobile home in a lake community and hope to actually move in next month! It was a mess and we're totally rehabbing it and it will be like a brand new home. If I'd never seen some of those make-over shows on HGTV, I would've never agreed to buy it. It was that bad! I'll share some before and after photos after we've moved in!

I'm not sending snail mail Christmas cards this year...first time in over half my life, but I just couldn't find the time or energy to do them. So, please don't think I've forgotten you, I wish all of you a

Very Merry Christmas!

May 2019 be a year of good health
 & happiness for us all!

* AN EXCITING WEEK AHEAD *

Hello Everyone! 

   On September 3rd, I wrote the following: 

I've been very busy with the most unusual tasks....I will share all of them with you soon!

I didn't want to post anything until I was positive things were going to fall into place, which they have. I've been asked to speak about my writing, to a group of people at five different assisted living facilities in the St. Louis area! 

The first one is THIS Thursday, November 1st and I've been very busy getting my notes together, printing hand-outs, preparing gift baskets for door prizes, etc. 

It's been quite a while since I did any speaking, but I'm pretty sure I'll fall right back into being a gabby gal. 😃 (I hope!)

Kind of a long story as to how this came about, and I'll share more of that after my first "gig"! 

Wish me luck!

Just a small portion of the notes I jotted down

 before and during my memoir. 

I have a lot more...envelopes full of them!

Definitely helpful for the sequel, which I'm 

diligently, really working on, writing.

The following quote is SO ME!! 

"This morning I took out a comma and this afternoon I put it back again." -- Oscar Wilde

* Black & White Memories *

This is one of my favorite photos among all the boxes of old prints!

It's my brother Mike and me, standing on our front porch steps. 

I think it might have been after he got home from his first day at school. 

Whether the first day or not, he's holding his red barn lunch bucket

 and his satchel and I'm hugging him. Awww...
(this photo was included in my memoir, too)

I thought I'd post it tonight because I've been searching for the actual print, 

which I haven't been able to find...but was able to print

 one from a digital one on my laptop. 

Thank goodness I took a photo of a photo!

I also decided to post it because Mike's birthday was September 29th. 

He was "X" years old, which is only 15 months older than me!

How time flies. I find myself thinking of old, happy memories more and more. 

I'm sure glad it's the happy ones I remember the most. And when sad ones pop 

into my head, I immediately "change the subject" of my mind!

&

Lastly, a new favorite poem that suits me well. 

Have a fabulous rest of the week!

* I haven't posted a photo of Charlie lately....have I? *

Charlie brings so much joy into our lives!

I think he looks pretty happy, too, don't you?  

~~~~~~

I was snacking on something and he's using his best 

Please share with me, Mom look!

~~~~~~

We've had lovely autumn-like temperatures and that makes me really happy!

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend! 

.... AND AUTUMN IS TEASING ME!

I love autumn, and lately we've had a few days of delightful temperatures and low humidity. 

I know we'll continue to have hot and humid days for a while, but for now, I'm basking in the promise of sites such as these.....

all photos taken by Becky Lewellen Povich
(Most photos will enlarge if you click on them)

* IT'S LABOR DAY IN THE USA *

I'm sure the few people who still stop by my blog are tired of reading things like "I can't believe that it's"... such-and-such month!

Your friendship means the WORLD to me...

I've been very busy with the most unusual tasks....I will share all of them with you soon!


P.S. Have you ever thought about what you would want to do if you came into a large inheritance or won a big lottery? My top answer is: I would travel!! Travel all around the world to visit all you fabulous blog friends!!

Until next time......

* I REMEMBER "TEA CUP TUESDAYS" & "TABLESCAPES! *

Hello All ~

I recently received a few pieces of china from a distant cousin. She said my *maternal grandma had given them to her years ago and now she thought I should have them. Wasn't that thoughtful of her?

(*These belonged to my grandma who lived in Greenfield, Iowa. I wrote about her and grandpa in my memoir and also other relatives who lived there. My childhood summer vacations there were some of the happiest times in my life.)

Fortunately the five pieces arrived from Iowa with no damage! Here are pictures and yes, I am already using them. No more putting away in cabinets to "save" and I don't have a china cabinet to display them in. So I will use them and enjoy them!

There are two small dessert plates. Two small bowls and one large bowl. There are a couple of funny looking spots on the larger bowl. Can you see them? Two small, tan circular thingys, with a black dot in the middle. I have no idea what would cause that! Do any of you? I don't mind it at all because they have been lovingly used for many years....And I love it that they all don't match!

These pretty dishes reminded me of the Tea Cup Tuesdays and Tablescapes I used to enjoy so much. I imagine there are many bloggers still doing them. At least I hope so. If anyone knows of any, please mention in my comments!

Thanks to you who continue to stop by and see if I'm still alive!

Y'all mean the world to me!

* ANOTHER SURPRISE IN THE SKY *

I think more than my love of clouds, is my love of hot air balloons!

They are so majestic.

I really need a camera that will take clear 

and close-up pictures of far-away objects. 

Five balloons floated silently over our neighborhood

 a couple of evenings ago. 

These are the only pictures I got that are half-way decent.

Although I didn't get great pictures, I experienced pure joy in looking up and watching the surprise overhead. 

** I LOVE LOOKING AT CLOUDS! **

Look what I saw in the sky this afternoon!

A Sea Horse!!

** HAPPY 4TH OF JULY **

For something different to post for Independence Day.....

I searched for patriotic cakes

and decided on this one!

I hope everyone had a happy and safe day. 

* CHARLIE CAME THROUGH SURGERY OKEY-DOKEY! *

Thank you so much to all who said prayers for Charlie! 😊

Just received the Good News phone call from our vet!! I could hear the happiness in your voice the entire time.

Vet: "Your boy did fine. In fact he's sitting and barking! Doesn't like the cage!"
Me: "Oh yeah, he wants his momma." 
Vet: "Yes he does!"

I couldn't stand leaving Charlie there. He has terrible separation anxiety and as the technician was taking him to the back, he pulled out of his collar, and came running to me! 

😪

So, they put a different collar/leash thing on him and away he went. I can't believe I didn't cry!! I just kept telling myself that everything was going to be okay...and thankfully, it is!

She wants to keep him until 2:00 pm and then we can pick him up. Guess I'll do laundry and housework and listen to music on my Echo.  🎶     

* QUITE A FEW CHALLENGES *

You know how sometimes it seems like a lot of good things happen all at once?
No, me neither!

But, it does seem like challenges, crises, stressful situations kind of come in bunches. I'm going through some of those right now.

Charlie is getting surgery tomorrow morning to have a cyst removed and checked for cancer. (This is our first doggie to ever need surgery.)

My oldest son, Scott, has been going through A LOT for way too long and doesn't seem to think he needs help.

I've got some health issues that don't seem to be serious, but have been stressful and a bit worrisome.

Well....isn't this a cheerful blog post?!

I just felt the need to share these things tonight and to ask for well wishes/prayers/etc. I will post updates on Charlie as soon as possible, and on any other happenings concerning the above info.

And below are some favorite photos/jokes from long ago blog posts. 

* I SUBMITTED A STORY TO CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL! *

I'm so happy to announce that yesterday I submitted a story to Chicken Soup for the Soul, for their upcoming book about grandparents. It felt so good to write! 😃

I reworked and edited one of the grandparent chapters in my memoir.

They are looking for quite a few stories right now, so check it out! I know y'all can write about your favorite memories!  Book Topics

It will be months before I hear anything, but I'll certainly keep y'all posted. I'm keeping the faith.

I have to share a cute photo of Charlie. I caught him yawning....

and posted it on my Facebook page saying that writing is hard work, 

and it even makes Charlie tired just watching me! 😋

Have a great rest of the week!

* IT'S MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2018 *

(From previous Memorial Day posts.)

Every Memorial Day I take time to remember why we celebrate. Many years ago, it was known as Decoration Day. That's because it was the day families and friends laid wreaths and other patriotic decorations on the graves of loved ones....those who died in wars.

Some men came home from wars, but many others did not. I am alive today because of one man that did not make it home....my mother's first husband. He was killed during WWII, and although that was heartbreaking for her and her two young daughters, my brother, Mike, and I wouldn't be here if that hadn't happened. A few years later, she met and married our father. When Mike and I were born, we already had an instant family....one that consisted of two teenage sisters for us!

During our barbecues, picnics, and parties celebrating the beginning of summer, let's remember why it's possible that all of us are here today. 

I don't write a political blog, but I will say this, if you've never been to Washington, DC and seen Arlington Cemetery and/or the Vietnam Wall, you've missed out on a couple of extremely powerful sights that you will never forget...and you will surely have chills...

"I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, 'Mother, what was war?' "

 ~ Eve Merriam

* ANYBODY OUT THERE FLYING KITES? *

Once again, I'm amazed how fast the days are flying and that it's almost the end of March!

I haven't purchased a kite yet, so I better get going on that. Every March I try to find time to fly a kite, at least for a little while. Usually just get one at Dollar Tree! No one is ever too old to fly a kite!

All is well here. Just been really busy, or really lazy 😀

Guess What?? I've actually been doing some writing again! I found a writing site online that piqued my interest and voila' ..... I hope to get back to the sequel I've been working on.....

I won't be back until April sometime, so....

Happy Easter 

Happy Passover

(I love this song and every time I hear it, it makes me cry.)

P.S. I've stopped watching the news, or listening to it on the radio. I choose goodness.

* A MONTH HAS FLOWN BY *

I can't believe it's been a month since I was here. I'm happy to say that I am well and plan to stay that way for...at least a year!  J  

Not a whole lot has been going on that's worth writing about, and that's another reason I haven't posted for a while.

Things are going well.....I'm happier than I've been in quite some time. Various troubling and difficult situations had been going on with some family members, but I've learned that although I'd like to be able to "fix" things...I cannot.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have I ever mentioned how much I would LOVE to travel? And how much I love mountains even though I don't live near any of them? In addition to visiting friends and family, which I wish I could do much more often than I'm able, there are places I desperately want to see. Some other time I'll explain why I want to journey to them, but for now I'll list just a few.

Banff Resort, Alberta Canada   http://www.banff.ca/ 

Train travel through the Rocky Mountains

Vacationing in New England during autumn 

And in addition, visit my FAR AWAY blog friends - who live all over the world!

I guess I need to start buying Lottery tickets, if most of this is going to happen!