Bits and Pieces

With the holidays now behind us we're beginning our winter doldrums free-fall around here. We've just come out of our first long stretch of cold weather/polar vortex today. It got up into the twenties and it felt like 50, let me tell you. I was out clearing driveways and widening paths because around here, you never know when the next stretch of arctic air is going to churn our way. I think of our friends in Nashville during those stretches with great envy. I realize if it's cold here, it's "cold" there, but it is all a matter of perspective. They don't get "hurt your face" kind of cold like we do here. I think Nashville is in my retirement plans somewhere.

And while the dark days of deep January and February are looming, life goes on. There is a lot going on in our lives, so I'll try and run down a few of the highlights.

• Perhaps the biggest news came right after the New Year. My poetry collection was accepted for publishing by eLectio Publishing. Written Life is a collection of over seventy poems arranged by theme, and will be released on March 31st, 2015. This is another dream come true and I couldn't be happier! Check my website or Facebook for updates as the date gets closer. 
• My daughter Sarah has been home since a week before Christmas. It has been SO good to have her around. She completes our family. As we sat around the dining room table last night eating tacos, it was so nice. Everyone was laughing and teasing each other. Her and Ben have grown into such great young adults, that I sometimes wonder what we did to deserve them. Anyways, she heads back a week from yesterday, and it will once again become uncomfortably quiet around here again.
• Dirty Shirt got a decent blurb in the St. Paul Pioneer Press today. Dave Orrick from the sports department saw to it that it got in. It was a short piece, but was a good review nonetheless. I will take what I can get.
• I'm still enrolled in the AllWriters' Monday night workshop. I will be directing my efforts to the next book about the house I grew up in. It feels great to be getting back to it. 
• My nephew Nick comes back from Kuwait a week from tomorrow. He is an airman in the Air Force, and it is always  a GREAT relief when he returns from a tour of duty. Answered prayers.
• Donna and I are in the process of helping with a church start-up. I can't say too much more about it other than it will be a big leap of faith for both of us. Exciting times. More later.
• The playoffs have rolled around and the Packers won a nail biter today. Off to Seattle. It is nice to have a team that is in the hunt every year at this time. After a while you take it for granted. 

That is a bit of what winter is giving me at the moment. I hope yours is bringing you good things as well. 

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