Writing Classes are coming and So is Christmas

Carol Crawford is teaching a week-long class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in January 2024. Oh, how I would like to be there for that class. Carol is one of my favorite instructors of writing.

The Art of Creative Nonfiction, 

January 14 - 19, 2024, 

on the John C. Campbell Folk School campus.  Here's that link:

https://folkschool.configio.com/pd/1749/the-art-of-creative-nonfiction?st_t=2077&st_ti=2516&cid=2527&returncom=productlist&source=search

She promises to teach some online courses in the coming year and I will definitely sign up for one of those.

I plan to teach on Zoom this winter, January - February. Since I am not in the mountains for a while, I am happy I can take classes and teach online. I will 

give more details after Christmas.

I have a busy week ahead and one of the things I must do is take my car in to get repairs. I bought this pre-owned car a few months ago but I have found out the car had problems in the past that are showing up again. 

I did not know this when I bought this Toyota, and I am going to have to confront the dealership about it. Send me some good vibes, Readers. I don't like to do this kind of thing, but I will.

Beautiful Triptch by Gay Moring is displayed every Christmas

I hope you all are enjoying the holiday season. I used to get excited and anxious with Christmas shopping and guests for Christmas, but now my holidays are much simpler. I miss having family for Christmas dinner and holding the Beall family Christmas at my house. Barry's mother would drive down from north Georgia and stay a few days with us after we built our house. She always bought her homemade chili that was so good, and usually a chocolate cake. Barry's brother, Richard, and his sister-in-law would drive up from Florida for a weekend. I enjoyed them so much. 

Life is different now, but it is still good to be with my family, much smaller now.

Christmas - The Season Begins

The Christmas season is upon us. Stores are filled with shoppers, but I am not one of them. 

Many people I know are sick with flu, COVID, or other viruses and I don't want to be one of them.

Recently in my mountain town, the Methodist Church had to cancel or postpone their Christmas cantata because so many of the choir were sick. Recently my county and the county next to mine were both mentioned as being very high risk for COVID. Out of all the western NC counties these rated highest in the number of people sick with coronavirus. I was there last weekend and we only ventured out one time to have lunch with a friend. 

I am not surprised that this region is still getting ill. Many of those living there were deniers of COVID when it first began to spread. We were told this fall and winter would be hit hard with all this illness because people had quit wearing masks and were gathering inside for parties and family reunions. In Clay and Cherokee Counties many never wore a mask and many were sick and died. 

I have had COVID-19 twice and was very ill but because I did have the vaccines the second time, I did not end up in the hospital. For that, I am most grateful. I am a high-risk person because of my age and health issues, so I must be careful. My friends and family try to keep me from being exposed to the flu and other respiratory ailments. 

I still wear a mask when I go out in public, but where I am now, in the city, I can order from a restaurant and have my meal delivered curbside. I only go to Publix or Target where I can ride in an electric cart and I wear a mask. Thanks to my family I am not lonely even though I don't go out much. 

Barry's last Christmas standing in front of Gay's decorated fireplace. 

I will continue to enjoy this beautifully decorated house thanks to my sister and her husband. 

In the last decade, I have spent the holidays with Gay and Stu and often tell them Christmas begins when I walk in their front door. 

We have many happy memories of Christmas when our parents and siblings were still with us. Wonderful meals, family reunions with local aunts and uncles and cousins, and always spending Christmas day together at Mother and Daddy's house. All of them are gone now except for my sister and me. I am glad we have those dear memories to reflect on even when they bring forth tears. 

I notice my nieces and nephews share their memories of their childhood Christmases on our family Facebook page. I sometimes can't believe I held them when they were babies and now some of them are grandparents. Where did those times go? How did they go so quickly? 

The last week our days have been rainy and miserable, but we expect some nicer days to come. As long as my loved ones remain healthy, I am happy and hope to see some of them in the coming months.

Stu plays Santa on Christmas morning. He loves Christmas, too. 

I hope your holiday season is going well and you are enjoying life. Stay well and be grateful. 

Celebrate Christmas 2020

Last Christmas, 2019, I was attending a book party at the Morings.

On this Christmas Eve, I want to wish all my subscribers and my readers a Wonderful Christmas. 

If you are with loved ones tomorrow, I hope all are careful about the virus. If you are alone as many are, celebrate this special day as you wish.

I am with my sister, Gay, and her husband, Stu, who always celebrate Christmas by decorating the house, putting up a beautiful tree, and by attending church services. This year we will attend by watching the service from Alpharetta Presbyterian Church on TV. I will open the emails from my pastor who sends out the liturgy to members of our very small church in Hayesville. He also gives us a link to beautiful and moving music.

Two family members plan to take part in live nativity scenes even though the weather is dreadful.

Gay and I will skip the drive-through for this event because we hear that the rain we have had all day could become black ice tonight. 

My greatest hope is that 2021 will be a year of healing for all of us. Love thy neighbor even if you have different beliefs, different opinions, and different lifestyles. 

To help the healing, please follow all the guidelines that are proven to prevent COVID 19. Remember your family, your friends, and your neighbors need your protection. Be sure to get vaccinated when the opportunity comes. I know I will.

I look forward to taking more online writing courses and teaching online in January. No matter how much we think we know, we can always learn more.

My best wishes to you for a healthy and happy new year.

Gay makes Mother's banana pudding. Looks good, doesn't it?