You can't buy Happiness...BUT you can buy books~

...a room without books is a body without a soul...

Been a long month already, and it's only the middle of November.

I missed book group again this month. I have not been able to meet with The Ladies to much this year.   More than anything I miss the lively discourse!

We have a discussion and then share in a potluck.
The host is different every month and  depending on how many people are in attendance, is about how many differing views there are, on what we have read.   There are usually about fifteen of us, and it can get quite lively!

***

I was blessed to be raised in a home, where reading was encouraged!  My Father, was the avid reader, we all got our own library cards as soon as we could hold a book... but I fell in love with the escape of it all.

The first time I saw my Mother,
sitting at the kitchen table, nibbling on a sandwich as she turned the pages.  Instilled within me a yearning I can't quite describe.
She had sent all of us kids outside to play, and thought she had the house to herself for a few moments.

The sun, was peeking through the curtains, the windows were open and the breeze from the canyon, was just right.

She was transported~

So engrossed in the printed word, she did not hear me ask for cookies to take outside.  I took that as a yes, and grabbed a couple of handfuls, to share with the neighborhood kids, and my siblings.

***

Dad, always had books on every subject imaginable scattered throughout the house.  It was good fodder for discussion, debate, and heated commentary.   The older I got, the more inclined I was to test my knowledge with that of Pops.  I always came away learning more.  It created within me the desire to participate in the Forensic class in High School.

As I have gotten older, I always have about six or more  books checked out from the library at each visit.  I usually have several reads going on at the same time.

I am weird, I accept that.

It's just that I read according to my mood, and believe it or not, if it cannot hold my attention, or stimulate thought, or if it is written poorly,  I do not finish it.  I simply start on another one.  

I always have something to read with me, no matter where I am.
(Never know if I am going to be held up somewhere, stoplights, traffic jams, construction...waiting on my guy, so I am prepared to be transported, entertained or enlightened.)

My first true love as a writer was Dr. Seuss...but I cut my teeth on Mother Goose, and so did my children.



Plus:  It's the cheapest vacation you will ever take!

A room with out books,
is a body without a soul~

A sister is a bit of childhood that can never be lost SISTERHOOD III

I like me best when I'm with you...

Do you have a favorite memory of when you were young

and all the world was still magic.  Maybe you didn't want the wonder to end, and then one day you woke up, wishing to hurry and grow up

and get on to the next great adventure...

and that was probably the next day, if you were spending it

with someone you most always had fun with?

I was the oldest of six children.
A time did come when

I just wanted to hurry and grow up,

get married

and  start my own family!

Now that I am older, and have petty much raised my

own children, and started on the grand babies...

I have a deeper love and appreciation for all of the tender memories

of my own dear sisters.

Cathy was 5 years younger than me. 

She absolutely delighted me.

Where I was blonde and green eyed, she was dark and brown eyed.

She loved, loved music!

Her first extreme infatuation, happened, with

THE SOUND OF MUSIC, 

she loved the movie, but became transfixed with the music.

One Christmas, each of the kids (there were three at the time)

each got a sweet little wooden, rocking chair.

Cathy, would sit and rock contentedly for hours, 

listening to that musical score.  Over, and over again. 

Mom, got a lot of house work done,

while her little one was entertained in this matter.

To this day, music is a huge part of her life.

We shared in lots of adventures outside in the orchards as children. As adults  she has

become one of my most trusted confidants.

***

Holly, was a lot younger than me, when she made her debut to the Twitchell family.  

She has always been an angel.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, beautiful singer...

and we like a lot of the same things.

Decorating, cleaning house, trying out new recipes.

Music!

One time she invited me as a guest, when she was giving a report in Jr. High.  We taught the class how to apply make-up.  I've always wondered how the boys sat through those 15 minutes.

***

Natalie, "little one born at Christmas"...

She could have been my own child as far as the age differences, and for all intents and purposes, I treated like my own.

 

Mother, had a lot of demons she continually struggled with and was not "present" through most of the emotional growth

of her two younger daughters.

She would go through spells of normalcy, and then have a break down of sorts...and well, being the oldest daughter,

I have always felt like I have been a parent to, two  families.

The one I was born into, and the one I've raised with my sweetheart.

Not complaining, just trying to share a little background.

My Mom, truly is one of my heroes!

Natalie, was affectionately called my "Little Noodley"!

She had a head of hair, that was totally out of

control with riotous curls~

I took her every where with me, even on a few dates.

When I married, I think she missed me the most.

...If  only you sense how important you are

to the lives of those you meet...

 How important 

you can be to people you may never even dream of.

There is something 

YOU

leave at every meeting with another person.

You are the magic* 

I have been trying to decide what I should leave with you today.

You see, I have not outgrown, or moved 

far enough away, to escape.  

I choose to shoulder a certain responsibility

where "others" are concerned.

I truly believe that we are here for the sake of others.

We carry an unspoken responsibility 

because we are members

of the greatest club on earth:

humanity ~

Life with my sisters, who I grew up with. 

Who I

cried, laughed, teased, played with...

worked with,

learned with, have grieved with,

rejoiced with,  and mourned with, has helped mold me

into who I am today.

I know that all four of us, love to have our backs scratched,

and our feet massaged, and that none of us are afraid

of work.  We strive to have a clean and orderly home, and enjoy 

cooking up a hot meal for friends, and family.

A walk through the snow, or hike on a dusty mountain trail, 

shuffling along a beach, or standing on hot pavement waiting for a parade to pass by...

all have a significant place in our

being.

When it comes right down to it, in death and life

we are there for each other in any capacity

that we can. 

That call in the wee hours of the morning, with a husband who is suffering in another PSTD out cry..."come please, come."

The text of utter despair with a child who is out of control...

The surgery recovery.

The writing of an obituary you never, ever imagined you would write.

The visit where together we work through that demon of self doubt.

The planning of parties, and support of Mom in her traditions.

Even though I am the oldest,

I learned at the feet of my Mother, and she at hers, and she at hers.

A sister is a bit of childhood that can never be lost.

Sisterhood, is eternal.

Tomorrow is never promised...SISTERHOOD Part II

...remember, remember this now ~

It has been a week of fulfillment, planning and spending a lot of time on the phone trying to make a project come 

together.

What has been joyful, is most of it has been done with "Sisters"...

Meaning, women.  

Women who have a common interest

in family, friendship, and working

to make a difference. 

My husband and I have been blessed with 10 grandsons

and one beautiful little granddaughter, Ruby.

We love, love, love spending time with them.

Creating memories, sharing, and learning together,

traveling, hunting, working, serving others...

and ~ eating!

When, we are all together, I try to envision how we are

going to be able to keep all of those future YOUNG MEN, full~

Dinner time will hold a new meaning, I am sure.

I'll just ring the dinner bell and call them to

THE TROUGH.

***

Whenever we are blessed with an assignment in service,
I am one of the lucky ones who witness firsthand
the delight of a loving Heavenly Father.

It comes through the smiles of those we serve ~ 

It comes in a freshly load of laundry, washed, folded and put away...

It comes in that extra dozen or so, cookies you load up
and deliver to the bachelor down the dirt road...

It comes in the non-stop talking of women, as they plan an
event that will benefit a soul who is fighting for her very life...

It comes in that little group of children, who you get to associate with every Tuesday, as you LEARN together. 

It comes in the phone call from a friend, who says "YES, I can help clean the church!" 

I comes through that little THANK YOU, showing up in the mail, on the day you were about to loose your mind, and you
realize that "It's worth it!"

It comes in the warm embrace of those who will let you 
HUG them.

It comes in the crazy text at 5:00am from a daughter who just wanted to tell you, she loves ya, and she is so glad you taught her, the value of hard, honest work.

It comes, and it comes, and it comes...if you are engaged in the living of life, and in sharing 
YOUR GOODNESS ~

***

Today, I just want to thank my Sisters, who I inherited in marriage.
They will never really know how they have influenced me
unless, I can try to emulate the good souls they are.

The older Sis, who traveled with me the first time I flew in an airplane.  WOW, the necessity of chewing gum, and staying calm never had more meaning!

The Sister who sets the example of beauty in all that she does,
home, meals, kids and of course, herself.

The Sister, who married young, but has been able to keep up with all of her crazy "Older" Sisters, and who offered
me rest, at a time in my life...when my heart was broken, and I
just needed a quiet place to sleep.

The Sister, who lives where it is warm year round,
and sends me invitations to come and 
visit whenever I want.

The Sister who has raised a family of ALL, sons...and is still
the constant grace in beauty amongst  an overload of testosterone which is always in full evidence.

You have helped me define the reality, of a heart being able to enlarge in love. 

And I thank you~

Live an honorable life.
Then when you get older and think back...
you'll be able to enjoy it
a second time.