Thursday, September 1, 2011

Catching up...


OK, I have been severely chastised for not keeping this site up better. Once I signed on to FaceBook and got connected to so many old friends, I have not taken the time to do all I was doing in the past. It has been a busy, busy year for all of us in Henley Harbor here on the Southeast Texas Gulf Coast.

1. "Winds over Bolivar," my book about Hurricane Ike's impact on our beloved Bolivar Peninsula, was delivered on my birthday and it hit the road running. We have now conducted more than two dozen book signing events and we are have just placed our seventh order for printed books here at our house. Ted has done a wonderful job of getting them into many stores locally on the peninsula and in Galveston, for which we are grateful. If you have not ordered your copy, you can do so today by simply clicking on Amazon.com

2. Steven began his junior year of high school this year. Where could this time have gone? He and the band he formed when he moved to Texas from Tennessee, Seaweed, released their first CD two weeks ago after winning several local contests. They are very pleased with the response and how their musical careers are going.

3. Nikki, my youngest child, married Clint Jones on July 2, 2011, at his parents' camp in East Texas and she is happier than I have ever seen her to be. They fish (and catch some really good ones) often, and soon it will be hunting season. They live in Mauriceville, which is much nearer to me.

4. DeAnna, my oldest, still works for the airlines and she is active in the church Brent pastored here in Texas. DeAnna sings and teaches a high school girls' class and mothers Callie Grace, my soon to be 13-years-old granddaughter. Jeff continues his work at Motiva.

5. Brent and Valerie moved to Florida where Brent pastors a wonderful church there. They have four children: Quinn, Collin, Madeline, and Grant.

6. Ted has been quite ill for the past two weeks and this comes as a shock to all of us. He had never been hospitalized as a patient until this experience. He has been diagnosed with Sciatica in his hip, leg, and calf and two medicines he was given for that conflicted in a man his age and caused his bladder and kidneys to completely shut down. He was rushed back to the ER and had a procedure and now faces prostate surgery. Please keep him in your prayers.

7. If all is well, we'll be heading to Georgia in early October for four different reunions, all at Unicoi State Park. The Forrest Hills Baptist Church Reunion will be October 1 in the Dogwood Banquet Room and we are excited about seeing old friends. We will host three family gatherings during the week, one for my Cole/Cannon/Long side of the family, one for the Stancil girls, including the ones from South Carolina, and one for friends, before my big Clarkston High School Class Reunion on October 7, 8, and 9. Good friends, good food, good fun and great fellowship.

8. A near hurricane seems to be brewing with one more forming behind this one, so pray we get lots of rain, but no real storm here on the coast.

9. I've been busy as a beaver and have a new book coming out in late September, "Morning Glories," also published by Amazon. This book has been in my heart and soul for many years and is a collection of quotes, inspirational pieces, articles I've written for the newspaper, Scripture, illustrations, and just fun, fun stuff. The reader can go through one a day for all 365 days of the year (and yes, there's an extra one for Leap Year) or read it straight through. I chose the name based on my memory of my Mama Cole's beautiful blue/lavender morning glories at the old white farm house in Georgia where I spent the first years of my life.

10. Much love to each of you and if you are on FaceBook, send me a friend request so we can keep up better with each other. If you are not on FaceBook, consider joining. It took a full year for DeAnna to convince me I should have a page there and I now love it since I have re-connected with so many old friends, family members and church family across the world.

Until the next page turns,
Brenda

Sorry - You must go to the Amazon site to get the page to open for you to read inside. Won't do it on this site.