Updating again

It's been awhile since I have been motivated enough to update my blog...just one of those things I never seem to get to. I now have a goal to do it at least once a week...we'll see how it goes.

Maybe if I make lists, it will help me...so here goes.

1. I really enjoyed our recent trip to Germany to visit my son and his family who are stationed there in the Army for the next two or three years. It was great to spend time with my grandsons. One thing I did was to plant tulips with the younger one, M, who has autism. He had to wait patiently for a few weeks until I arrived to plant the bulbs--parents decided it would be a good activity for me to do with him--but he did it and was prepared with a step-by-step approach to how we needed to do it. I would have been nice if we had had some dirt to plant them in, instead of the garden filled mostly with stones and roots, but we managed, with a little help with digging from Dad. I hope they come up for him in the spring. We did a little traveling, too...here is one of my favorite pictues of Lucerne, Switzerland.

2. I am making good progress on editing my WIP, with the help of an excellent online critique group that makes me write better than I thought I ever could. Most of us are from Florida--the group is through SCBWI-FL, but we do have one talented member from 'up north' who has really been an inspiration to us all...Kate Messner has recently had HER book released and is really going to town with it. Congratulations, Kate.

3. I had a note from my son the other day (the one in Germany) about M...we had given him a keyboard several years ago, and it is still in good condition, sitting in his room. Mike said that M was home one day because there was no school, and was banging on the keyboard as he often does, but then it was different. M was playing 'In My Room' by the Beach Boys...a song Mike didn't even know M. had ever heard. When asked, M. said he just knew it and taught it to himself, denying anyone had taught it to him (which is likely true...who would have done it?) The really neat thing was, Mike said, was that M. played it in perfect four-part harmony. They have just signed him up for piano lessons...I hope the teacher is able to teach him in a way that he will learn best so he will thrive and not be turned off to what he appears to enjoy now.

4. Speaking of kids, they can teach us so much...my youngest grandson (5) who lives here taught us all about 'fog bows.' Do you know what a fog bow is? Check it out here. I DO miss being with kids daily like I was when I was teaching, and look forward to doing more school visits once Knowing Joseph is out, though.5. And last for today, KJ is now scheduled to be out around February 4th, just a few months away. Last I heard, the ARC's were at the printers, so they should be back soon and the long process will continue to move forward. Cindy is right...if they are out then, there will be time to reach the various autism groups by Autism Awareness month in April.

5. And last for today, KJ is now scheduled to be out around February 4th, just a few months away. Last I heard, the ARC's were at the printers, so they should be back soon and the long process will continue to move forward. Cindy is right...if they are out then, there will be time to reach the various autism groups by Autism Awareness month in April.