Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas and a most Happy New Year!

Doug and I are wishing you all the very best health, safety and happiness in the New Year. You mean a great deal to me and I count you among God’s greatest blessings!

We’ve had a busy year what with building our new home and me writing/editing the book I collaborated on with my mom, entitled The Camp Book. As I mentioned before, it’s a compilation of stories from her youth growing up at her father’s cabin in the woods near Canandaigua Lake in Upstate New York. It was intended as a gift book for family and friends who shared their memories of Camp in the book, but some of you were gracious enough to purchase it. I hope you have enjoyed her stories.

I’ve also been focused on writing my next book entitled Cabin Mama Stories. It’s a compilation of stories from my Cabin Mama blog, along with fresh material previously unpublished. As you know, the stories are folksy, down-to-earth and humorous, focused on cabins, critters, being married to a wonderful engineer, raising rambunctious kids, camping trips and other adventures. It’ll be available at CabinMama.com and other online sales platforms in Summer 2024.

Our new house is coming along well. The stucco base coat is on and the heating, plumbing and electric is almost in. We will sell our present home and hope to move in by May. We will only be two miles north of where we live right now. It’s a 5 acre parcel, lightly treed with pines. The property was burned in the wildfire, so we hope our risk of losing another home in a wildfire is minimal.

Sadly, my 91 year old mom and dad were in a car accident on December 6th and my mom suffered a fractured pelvis. After her hospital stay, she was moved to a rehab facility where she is undergoing therapy and care. We tried to make it a good Christmas for them by brining the whole family down to the rehab center where we had snacks and opened gifts. But it’s been difficult for both she and dad and worrisome for my five siblings and the rest of the family. Like Mom said, it’s amazing how quickly life can change on a dime and upset your whole existence. I’d welcome any prayers you might offer for her speedy recovery.

My plans for the New Year include writing yet another new book entitled The CARLA Concept: How to Speak Up, Raise an Issue and Prove Your Point. It’s a non-fiction book about interpersonal communication and confidence building strategies. I’m planning to publish it in the Fall and will keep you all posted on its progress.

Along with getting settled in the new house and losing those 10 stubborn pounds, I’m praying for good health and safety for ourselves and loved ones.

And for you! Praying you have a wonderful New Year and thank you again for being such loyal readers and friends!