...And Night Falls

One of the best things about getting immersed in a story is, well, getting immersed in a story. The weekend I read Tommie Lyn’s new book, the weather here was sunny and maybe 70 degrees. Mid-way through my reading, however, my house felt like it was 99 with 100% humidity, the result of a Gulf Coast hurricane knocking out the electricity. (Seattle isn't usually affected by Florida storms, but...) I wanted to close the book and dig out my emergency supplies, but couldn't tear myself away from the story.

…And Night Falls is a story of secrets and murder, set in the Florida panhandle in late summer. If you’re susceptible to the thrill of suspense, don’t read this when you’re all alone. The characters have depth, the plot has twists, and a cross-country hide-and-seek game will raise your heart rate.

It amazes me that Tommie Lyn has been writing seriously for less than four years. This novel is well constructed in every way, and she’s just warming up! Look for more armrest-gripping books from her soon, but be careful. She’s got a gift for suspense!

…And Night Falls is but one piece of Tommie Lyn's fine work. For a link to purchase the book and to read her other material, click here. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Memorial Day Photos

Okay, here goes... Let's see how this turns out:

Yeah! It works! I probably haven't used the best methods to get here, but it's a start.

All right, so on Memorial Day I found myself with some time to spare. Wanting to try out the new camera phone, I headed for a little old cemetery in a nearby town. There are huge trees surrounding this cemetery, giving it just a little buffer from the traffic. There's also a beautiful fence around it, but I'm sure the fence isn't nearly as old as either the trees or the headstones.

When I pulled into the gravel parking lot, there were two ladies putting flowers on the headstones. One of them was dwarfed by her aluminum walker. The other, younger, might have been her daughter. They made their way slowly to each of the graves, marking them with single flowers and respectful moments.

I didn't want to intrude, so I began by walking around the perimeter of the yard, taking photos of the trees. Within a couple of minutes, however, my attention was on the mossy granite stones. When I moved around to the front of a row, I was surprised to see the inscriptions.

A Japanese cemetery! There were a few whites buried there, too, but most of the headstones were either Japanese calligraphy or American spellings of Japanese names. The iris left by the ladies was that much more stately and perfect, then.

I love old things. Maybe they give me a sense of security, of endurance. Maybe the classic styling and craftsmanship are what captivate me. In any case, it's the aged stuff that gives comfort to my heart. Architecture, furniture, and the oldest of all, God's creation, are feasts to my eyes and soul.

Coming Soon -- Better Photos!

We've got good news and bad news. Shall we dispense with the bad news first? Actually, the bad news is mostly over now. We didn't have an Internet connection for about a week, so there was no blogging. The good news is that, thanks to a son who upgraded his phone and some creative trading between family members, I now have a GOOD camera phone! It's not the best camera out there, but it's so much better than the free phone I'd had for two years. The photos are fantastic, and I can't wait to share them here... as soon as I learn how to get them off the phone.

The other big thing I've had to learn this week is how to use the new-fangled predictive text tool. I was used to spelling out every word, letter by letter, not using the T9 or whatever it was that was available on my old phone. But this new device has a better system -- and a QWERTY keyboard, too. Argh! The first few days of texting were painful, but I'm getting the hang of it now. I've got to remember to proofread my texts before sending, though. There are a few words that use the exact same keystrokes ("are" and "see", for example) and a message could be meaningless if not corrected. You know, my sons hang on my every word, whether spoken or texted. Yep.

I'll work on the photo thing this weekend, and hopefully will be able to put up some good stuff for you, my loyal reader.

Alternate title for this post: Teaching the Old Dog.

Dr. G Was Right

It's not stress. It's not simply fatigue. And the typeface in my little Bible didn't suddenly change.

I bought my first pair of readers yesterday.

After weeks of mucking around, squinting, and finding better light, I finally had to admit that it would be better to use a little magnification. So much for trying to make my sons say that I seem like I'm 29. (That only worked for a couple of weeks, anyway. Darn boys are too smart for my own good.)

A number of years ago, I lost my sense of smell. Although it had been noticeably fading and changing, it was terrible when I finally lost it entirely. A sinus infection was the fatal blow. I remember standing in the shower, lathering my hair, sobbing because I couldn't smell the shampoo. I opened spice jars in the kitchen, practically snorting cinnamon and cloves, to no avail. I pleaded with God to let me smell again. I mourned all that I would miss out on in life.

Because I know you're already forming these questions, here's more information. There is a family history of anosmia, and I have been seen by an otolaryngologist. There are no tumors or marbles up there blocking the olfactory receptors.

In the bigger scheme of things, it matters not at all that I cannot smell or that I need a little help to read fine print. Once you adjust to a loss, life goes on and there's a new normal. But that period of adjustment can be difficult, and sometimes I still have to remind people that I'm not experiencing things the same way. I've had a number of years of living without smell, and it's okay. So, once I learn to keep a pair of glasses nearby, I'll put them on before I open a book.


Rufus is totally clueless about aging, but Blackie understands. She and I agree not to disparage our gray hairs. "RIGHT, BLACKDOG? WE'RE OKAY WITH THAT, AREN'T WE?" (She's not hearing so well these days.) And my optometrist (Dr. G) knew what he was talking about when he suggested that I'd be making this change soon.

Where Are We?

Sorry for the long, long silence. We're here, all of us, and doing okay. There have been some illnesses (minor) and crises (major, but resolving) that got in the way of personal blogging.

When you're living on the edge, it doesn't take much to knock you off balance. Way back when I was a kid, I had one of those inflatable punching toys with a weight at the bottom. You could punch it, knock it sideways, and it would right itself again. Some days are like that -- almost a constant battle to regain equilibrium. The good news is that there IS equilibrium. I'm thankful.

Spring is springing, birds are singing, the frogs are croaking up a storm at night. Time marches on and the seasons change. It's all good, and I'll be back writing soon. Thanks very much for checking in!