02 January 2017

2016, Looking Back


Let me see if I can recall or at least look back at a some of my blog articles of 2016.



Winter, a year ago

Image may contain: 4 people, people smiling, suit
Last January, I had the fun of driving to Fort Worth to attend the wedding of my only granddaughter, Jackie Lee. Also experienced the agony of my left knee locking up and staying locked the day before the wedding.

I did get to the wedding but I had to ride in a wheelchair that I had to buy and had to be pushed down the aisle and all around during the reception. Not fun, but the wedding was fantastic and Jackie and A.J Vaughn are settled in their house and jobs.

Jackie is teaching English and coaching Freshman Girls Basketball while A.J. manages a restaurant where they both worked while attending college and where they met.

Spring

In May, I did a Proud Mother act and asked my son, Phil Lee if I could reprint his article about his new discovery of Vinyl records. How he bought a turntable which did not have an automatic arm or the convenience of stacking several vinyl records on the player. It was however, quite revealing when he learned how much better listening to vinyl records as compared to digital recordings once he hooked up to a great sound system. All the nuances on the vinyl that you actually missed on digital. Of course, the ease and convenience of digital music is nice but if you want to really hear and enjoy bands that you enjoyed in the earlier days then listening to vinyl is just another way to have a great experience.

Autumn

In late September, I had the wonderful grandmother experience of watching my granddaughter, Jackie coach her Freshmen Girl's team in a basketball tournament. It was one of those, and I don't know what they're called, maybe progressive or round robin. Where as long as you keep winning you keep playing until you ave played three games. There is only about a two hour rest period in between games and you don't leave the gym. You hydrate, snack, go to restroom and then are ready to play again. Jackie's team the Lady Rebels won the first, second and the third games and in doing that, won the tournament. Their first but don't think it will be their last.

I did write about attending Bouchercon in New Orleans. I had not been able to attend a mystery con for 10 full years so was so excited to get to go and see old friends and make new ones. Bouchercon is the huge con for writers, editors, agents, booksellers and fans. The fact that it was set in New Orleans was exciting. I had not been there in maybe 30 plus years and it it still an awesome city. The food is fantastic and the people gracious. These cons are planned and executed by volunteers and they always do such a wonderful job. My hat is off to all the vols this year and especially to the person who does the programming. It's not easy to deal with so many author egos, all wanting to be on a panel and hoping to gain a little free publicity and recognition. So Kudos to Judy Bobalik and Jon Jordan. If you get a chance to attend a mystery con like Bouchercon, then by all means go. Volunteer to help if you live nearby.

Winter again

Now my final event of this year I went to Nashville for Christmas to spend four wonderful days with my daughter Karla Lee and my oldest grandson Riley Fox who now lives in Portland OR and I had not seen him in three and a half years. Also go to meet his lady love, Coor Cohen which I had not met before and we had a great visit. Spent a little time with Cason Fox, my Alien, my grandson, whom I wrote about a few years ago when he lived with me for several months. Met two of my daughters great friends and their mothers, which was fun. And time with my daughter is always special and it always goes by much too quickly. However, I try to adhere to the old saying that relatives visits are much like fish, after three days you must throw them out.

2017

I don't know what 2017 will bring us. I'm a bit discombobulated from the election and  angry and sad. I'm hopeful that things will not be as bad as I worry they will be. It seems like kindness and consideration of other people has gone out the door. But I hope and will try to rely on good friends like the writers here and writers all around the country that we can keep working to give love, honor and kindness a chance.

I hope 2017 will bring each of you, good health, happiness and many, many book and magazine sales.

Happy New Year everyone.

9 comments:

  1. Happy New Year to you as well! A busy year you've had, and I hope the new one treats us all well (or at least better than we might expect).

    ReplyDelete
  2. All good wishes for 2017 for you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy New Year to all the Sleuthsayers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm glad your year included so many high points, Jan. I hope 2017 is even better for you and for all the SleuthSayers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy new year, Jan! We also bought a wheelchair & were lucky to find one that could accommodate Mr. Elizabeth for only $100. Our daughter was married in October & the wheelchair made it easy to go to the wedding ... we still could have gone but it would have been way more difficult for him.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow, Elizabeth. I had no idea. I don't know what questions to ask, if any at all, but I hope you and Mr. E have a great 2017.

    Jan, you do keep busy! I bet your family is very proud.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you Leigh. He's a big guy, is on his second pacemaker & is diabetic with neuropathy, meaning he can't feel his feet. He drives a car with hand controls & is about to be evaluated for a stair lift to be installed in our home. I don't want to sound like I'm in the middle of a pity party, but here's hoping the Orange Cheeto won't dismantle the VA, because that's where he gets all his medical care.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We're rooting for you and your husband, Elizabeth. Cheeto… (laughing)

    Are you on Facebook?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks everyone for the nice comments and good wishes for 2017. Things are a lot more scary than I like to even think about. For many of us. I don't like to be political here so I won't say much .more. But please all of you if you're worried about Medicare, veterans Benefits, Social Security and the Affordable Care Act then please write yourcongressman. Or if you're stuck with GOP Senators only like I am please contact a Democra.

    ReplyDelete

Welcome. Please feel free to comment.

Our corporate secretary is notoriously lax when it comes to comments trapped in the spam folder. It may take Velma a few days to notice, usually after digging in a bottom drawer for a packet of seamed hose, a .38, her flask, or a cigarette.

She’s also sarcastically flip-lipped, but where else can a P.I. find a gal who can wield a candlestick phone, a typewriter, and a gat all at the same time? So bear with us, we value your comment. Once she finishes her Fatima Long Gold.

You can format HTML codes of <b>bold</b>, <i>italics</i>, and links: <a href="https://about.me/SleuthSayers">SleuthSayers</a>