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Connect with Jeannie
Category Archives: Family
Mother’s Day
How things have changed.
This morning, I awoke to puppy kisses, my husband brought me coffee in bed, then went out and got me my very favorite breakfast from a local farm kitchen. It’s been lovely and quiet. My kids will be by in a while and we’ll all go to brunch. 
Mother’s Day is a much calmer affair these days. The kitchen stays clean, and there are no art supplies strewn all over the place.
#15
I handed in the revision of my fifteenth book the other day. I can barely believe it.
I think about where I was five years ago. My father was dying, and I was spending long hours at the nursing home, making decisions about his care, doing my best to be his advocate and honoring all his wishes. Writing was a feeble exercise, at best. But I often had my laptop with me just to keep me busy.
The Christmas Tree Incident
We’re decking the halls in my house this week, including erecting a very big Christmas tree in our living room. It’s gorgeous, with ornaments we’ve collected over our twenty-seven Christmases together. But here’s the thing: we don’t have a real tree. Blasphemous, I know. Especially from a Christmas crazy like me, but about fifteen years ago we had what we have come to know in my family as the “Tree Incident.” I’ve told this story before,
A Wonderful Life
My father passed away on June 11th, after a long illness. He taught music for years, and had jobs from short order cook to auto parts delivery person. He lived eighty-five good years. Good-bye, Dad. You will be missed more than you know.
I delivered this address at his funeral today.
As I was thinking about what I wanted to say today, the thing that seemed most important was that the message be positive.
Promises
I admit, I’ve been lax in posting, but dealing with my father’s terminal illness has made me trim my focus. I’ve been working on my book and going back and forth to the nursing home, of course there’s that family of mine. They do need attention…
But on one of my father’s last lucid days, we had a conversation about my writing. He knows how hard I’ve been working at it over the years and he made me promise him something.
