Sun. morning, October 26, 2008

Hi, Everyone,

Well, I think I am on the mend and getting better but is is taking some time. The pneumonia, plus the bronchitis, laryngitis (voice is still not back yet all the way), really knocked me down. Now it is "catch up" time to get things done that I had to postpone doing while I was sick! Poor hubby came down with a bad cold and cough last Sunday, so between the two of us, it sounds like a T-B clinic around here!

I have conversed (they did most of the talking which was hard for me!) with friends, relatives, and neighbors over the last two weeks, and many people are so sick. I guess cold weather is a blessing and we will be getting some of that starting today. Cold Arctic winds (40 mph.) expected today and snow on Monday and Tuesday! Whoa! It is only October. Hope this isn't a sign of things to come. I have many book signings coming up on Saturday's throughout November and even into December. Sure hope the roads don't get bad for traveling. (I felt really bad about cancelling two of my book signings, but it was for the best as I just was not able to be there being so sick.)

Yesterday, hubby had to go into school for the ACT tests for the college-entrance students. When he got home, we had chili, and then went out to split some wood with the gas-powered log splitter we purchased last fall. Well, when he started splitting a huge log, liquid starting running out of the shaft above the log. He said it was hydraulic fluid. It did this for a little while, and then subsided. But after cutting up a bunch of pieces, he shut the machine off. The hydraulic fluid was low in the tank. Not sure why it did this, but said it might be the seal/gasket was dried out from being stored inside the garage since last fall. He's going into town this morning and get more fluid. If that doesn't do it, he will have to have the splitter serviced or call them to find out what is going on. We sure have a lot of wood to split, and this will put us behind before the winter months come upon us.

An author friend of mine, Joyce Bishop Morris, (author of the "Sweet Annie Series") and I are creating a new web site for self-published authors. We decided to go with the freewebs.com and have started putting it together. I worked on some of it last night. For now it is "under construction" but hopefully we will get it going soon.

I received an email from a reader of my books a couple weeks ago. She said she is having a difficult time with the aftermath of her abusive relationship. This is not uncommon as the abuser puts the victim in a "major guilt trip". I have emailed her back several times, and will call her soon. She is going to come to my presentation/book event at the Malvern Branch Library on Tuesday, Nov. 18, to meet with me. I'm looking forward to it greatly. I will be taking along valuable information to give to her and also to pass out for anyone wanting to learn about domestic violence and abuse. The more a person can educate themselves about it, the less likely they will become a victim!

Hubby and I sure miss our Kinky-B-Bob. He always came down to the basement with us in the evenings before supper, and when we had a fire going, he would sit on my lap. He really loved doing that. Tooter, the one cat left, seems lost at times. She cries now and then, and I believe she is lonely.

The CCAPL bazaar was a good success. We raised close to $1800.00 for our land/shelter fund. We even went to an auction for some land on Sat. the 11th, of October, but it went higher than the cap we set to bid for it. Oh, well. We won't give up. There is some land out there for us. When it is supposed to be, it will be. Meanwhile we will keep striving to attain our goal of raising money to purchase land and get that animal shelter built!

Lots to do today so I must get going. Thanks so much for stopping by and for your uplifting emails! I surely do appreciate every one of them!

Thanks everyone. Be blessed and have a great week!

Warm regards,
Becky :)