Mary Louise Eklund

So I’ve Had Bad Luck Lately

We have gotten our first snow of the winter. It’s awful, all wet and cold per usual. Aaron was nice enough to shovel. But it’s still out there and they say more of it is on the way. Thus I got out my snow boots because it was time. I discovered the seal between the boot and the sole is broken. How did I discover this? I got cold wet feet when I walked outside. If I’d wanted that I’d gone out in my sock feet!

Then I came in to do some cooking to find the electric can opener didn’t work. Nope not a spin, just a grrr click grrrr click sound. I had to dig around to find the manual one. It skipped. You know it was so old that I think I used it in my dorm room in college. Well, with some effort it chewed open the cans.

Then the football playoff last weekend didn’t go so great. There’s not really a team in it now that I really really like. The Packers lost, the Bears weren’t in it, the Colts were so bad they couldn’t even BUY tickets. Saints lost. I’m left with trying to pick a team out of the four left. Eh, I’m lukewarm on three of them. Ravens I don’t care either way for.

Sunset on Gulf of Mexico from St. Petersburg Florida — All things being the same I’d rather be here

Today I set out to correct what I could of these. No use going to New Orleans or Green Bay to give them tips it’s over. But I could go replace the other stuff.

However there seems to have been a run on electric can openers in Kenosha. It took three stores to find one that had any in stock. While there I also got a manual one. Those troubles are fixed.

But I could not get snow boots. They were on sale being “out of season” items. The stores have already stocked up on selling me summer wear. I could get a nice pair of strappy sandals and some really cute shorts. However there weren’t any of the “non seasonal” snow boots in my size. Nope not in the three stores. They won’t be getting any more in until AUGUST. We all know that in JANUARY in WISCONSIN we need sandals and swimsuits but when AUGUST comes it’s time for snow boots! Go figure!

Me as a toddler looking sad with my Aunt Susan also a child offering me flowers — I’ve had a bad day there’s no making up to me for it. (That’s my Aunt Susan offering me flowers)

I was tired. I’d be able to open cans again. I’d have to stay out of deep snow and just wear my winter shoes until I could hit a few more winter sales to find boots. I was looking forward to getting home.

However my car died, just stalled dead in a busy intersection. No electrical to even run the hazard flashes. I couldn’t get it to restart. So after a full cycle of the light a crossing guard helped me push it to a parking lot. I was getting ready to search for a tow truck number when I tried again. It started. I was just a few blocks from home so I took off heading there. It stalled once more a few blocks from home but started right up. I got to the house.

Luckily the Buick dealer can look at it tomorrow. If I dropped it off today they’d do it first thing in the morning. I explained I didn’t have a ride home. No problem their courtesy van would take me home. Ahhh nice people easy to work with. Tim my personal service specialist was so helpful. John who drove me home was really nice. It was soothing after a bad day.

Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico from Tampa Florida — My happy place… I’m at the beach relaxing… all is well… just listening to the waves… watching the sun set

I got home. I can open cans. The sidewalks are shoveled so my winter shoes will do for now. The car is where it can be repairs. So all in all things are looking up. Still I’d rather be on the beach with a cold drink all other things equal.

As I usually say in my closing I’d love to hear from you. You can comment here, it’ll show up when I get it. You can say find me on Google+ (+Mary Louise EKlund) or Twitter @marylouiseklund or on Flickr (where the picture are linked). If those don’t suit you, you can email me as marylouiseeklund at either yahoo.com or gmail.com.

Until next time!

January 16, 2012

To Outline or Not To Outline That Is The Question

I’ve been writing all my life. Okay maybe not the first four or so years but MOST of my life. Those first four years I told stories to my parents well okay maybe not the first year or so. One story I told about a world renowned mouse is still remembered by my father as being as good as any of that mouse’s short movies he’s seen. But I didn’t start trying to write fiction stories to sell until about 10 years ago.

I had an idea for a novel (that has since broke my heart and is shelved indefinitely). Being a novice I tried to start responsibly. I signed up for a local class at the university. I passed the class with an A+ and was on my way to being a published novelist. Still not there yet – achieved the first part but not the second but still working.

My sixth grade school photo — In 1977 when I was in the 6th grade I was happy I had mastered outlining.

I had been introduced to the concept of outlining a novel before starting. Oh, I rebelled. I’d mastered those Roman numerals and letters back in junior high I wasn’t go back to them. So I did my first NaNoWriMo and finished it in two weeks. I had a novel, or so I thought. Except it wasn’t done and it took another 70,000 words to complete the story. It was too long and rambled (Gasp NO!).

I built a library of books on how to write. I read them all. I did exercise after exercise. I still refused this outlining idea. Who wanted to do all that proper spacing, deal with all those layers, take away the fun of following my muse where it leads you? NOT ME!

I again did NaNoWriMo. I again completed it in two weeks. I again had a large rambling mess of a story that at times was me at the keyboard desperate for words just going on and wondering how in the heck I was going to get the story from where it was to somewhere it needed to go.

Still the idea of outlining left me cold.

Then I took another writing class in my new town. There I met the core of what would become my writer’s group today. There I started writing short stories. There I got short stories published. There I mastered the structure of a story with practice and constructive critique.

There I learned outlining a story didn’t have to be that highly structured form I’d learned all those decades ago. It was a road map, a plan on how the story was going to get from the start to the end. It helped break down a large story into small doable daily chunks. I saw other writer’s outlines. One had published over 20 novels, I paid particular attention to what she wanted from an outline not so much how she did it.

I was learning writers are individuals. How each created a finished novel was individual. Sure I could learn from them but the answer was to take what I learned and create an approach that suited me. It was obvious my long rambling works needed structure. I could see an outline was structured. So how to take outlining’s structure without letting it box in this former regulatory compliance auditor. I did more reading seeking out books that talked about story structure and planning. I did more listening at the writer’s group on how they did it or how their approach was changing. Then one day I started and came up with an approach that’s still evolving but works well for me.

Photo of sun through trees made by Aaron from the car — I was beginning to see the light on how a version of outlining could help me.

First I sit down with pen and paper. I think better in the old classic mode – pen to paper. I started writing out the outline of a story as if I was telling a friend over coffee what my new novel was going to be. The whole story in synopsis, over coffee. There I had it a start progressing to a middle that makes it to the end. Then I looked over the story and saw it needed a time line so I started planning out on those notes how time was moving in the story. Then I went back through that and with each time I put a place that part of story occurred. Well by the time I’d done all that my notes were getting messy so I moved to a keyboard and started looking at what I had.
I typed it all up nice and neat moving things where my arrows said they should be, putting in the time and place things occurred.

Now was time for a bit of research into the genre that the story fell into best. How long are their chapters? How many are typical? How many words total? What makes a good chapter? After getting info on this I digested it and made some decisions for myself. By now I’d read tonnes of books, gone to many classes, sat in my writer’s group for years, published a few stories, attend some conference. I had an idea of the creative and business side to what I wanted to do.

Four year old me in a bubble bath wearing a shower cap. — I’ve always gotten good ideas in the bath.

I decided to go with 30 – 35 chapters. Chapters were to be about 3,000 words give or take 500. I’d break up my outline into chapters and at the chapter break I’d put the time, place, and characters that were needed. When I was done I had my outline. It was compromised of chapter groups of about three sentences saying something like “John discovers diamond hidden in wall. Hearing bad guys coming he pockets it and runs.” So I knew the heart of the chapter, who had to be there, where it was and when it happened.

Writing from that became easier than sitting down with no idea what I was going to write beyond a number of words. My word counting days diminished. I wrote scenes or chapters. Sometimes I’d just to another place because a scene had just played itself before my mind’s eye in the shower. I get lots of ideas in the shower.

Now I have a map and mark my route from here to there in my story.

Now the outline isn’t set in stone but like a map it helps me plan how I’m going to go to get to my destination. As I write I make changes. On the printed copy I make notes of those changes. In the word document I make a note change starts here. Then I keep on writing as if the changes had always been there. Also my printed outline gives me a road map to where my changes are in that final first draft.

Now I’m to the next step. The first draft sets on the shelf cooling. The outline with notes has cooled over the holidays. Today I’ll take it out and look at the changes. I’ll work them in, typing up a clean copy of the revised outline that will guide my proofing and rewrite. Any more changes will be noted in the manuscript’s word document and on the outline for the next pass.

In the end I can say I solidly come down on the side of outline. I wouldn’t hit the road from here to say Seattle without a map of some kind. I might not take the route I first noted to Seattle but after I venture off to say find the diamond in the wall I know my choices of how to get heading in the direction of Seattle again and how to get there by the deadline.

As always I’d love to hear from you. You can comment here (it’ll show up when I get it) or you can can catch me over on Google+ (+Mary Louise Eklund) or on Twitter (@marylouiseklund) or on Flickr (Mary Louise Eklund). If those don’t suit you can e-mail me marylouiseeklund at either yahoo.com or gmail.com.

Until next time!

January 13, 2012

Why Genealogy? I Ask Myself That Periodically

So why did genealogy become my hobby? I hate people who wear their ancestors as a badge. I’m not a dog that need a documented breeding bloodline. Does it matter who my 4th great grandpappy was? I want to be taken for my merit not the merit or misdeeds of people I didn’t know and couldn’t influence due to linear aspects of time. Yet, genealogy is one of my favorite hobbies. Why?

Thomas Fain Bright Family with Father-in-law James Madison McCravey former Confederate Solider — Thomas Fain Bright ( the chair front row on left) is my great grandfather on left. His wife next to him Molly I remember her funeral. Her father is James Madison McCravey at the end on the right (my great great grandfather) fought in the Civil War as a Confederate. Leslie Bright the boy in the back row in about the middle of the photo is my grandfather.

I’ve always loved history. I’ve liked tales of the past as long as I can remember. I don’t know why but it’s always made me feel better to think humans have experienced the same feelings I have for thousands of years. I loved historical romances when I was a young girl. In high school I had a teacher, Liz Morrell, who challenged me to look at real history through real people’s eyes. I loved it even more. If you want a good mystery – read history there’s plenty of them. Want a good scare – read history there’s plenty of them. Want the feel good story of the year – read history there’s plenty of them. Want steamy romance – read history there’s plenty of them. I think you get my point. I found all I wanted in real true tales. History isn’t just dates and military movement to me but people living life!

Genealogy was a way to get the everyday person’s view of history, their world at that time. Depression job loss – my grandfather’s time with Singer Sewing Machine Company I posted about. How it is to come of age – my other grandfather’s clothes progression to long breeches. Horrors of Andersonville, Sultana, explosion and what happened to the families that endure such painful loss – I’ve found them in my family tree.

Pleasant M Rogers and Margaret Clark Rogers Family — The father Pleasant M Rogers is my 2nd great grandfather. Next to him is his wife Margaret Clark. He’s holding Minnie Christine. She’s holding Josie M. Sitting on the ground is William Victor. Standing behind is Ida Alberta my great grandmother. Photo taken about 1891

Honestly it doesn’t HAVE to be my family tree. I’ve helped friends intrigued by stories I’ve found in my tree find some stories in theirs. The child left to be raised by an aunt & uncle grew up thinking they were the parents but noo, life changed when all was flipped. What happened to the lost child of someone? Find their life and tell it – who knew he’d wind up out west panning for gold then have a hand in the railroad dying a rich man?

For me it’s looking into the faces of the pictures I discovered and seeing a person. A person who had feelings like me, who lived events I’ve only read about, and who is now gone but not forgotten. Maybe shelved for years and rediscovered but not forgotten. Now when I eat a Cracker Barrel I wonder who those faces are in those old pictures, what genealogist out there is trying desperately to find a face to put with the story?

Joe Berry Bradford and Pansy Brown family — My grandmother, Winnie Bradford, is the girl behind the one hold the flowers standing between her parents Joe Berry Bradford & Pansy Brown Bradford.

Another thing I’ve learned is we’re all connected. If not literally in the 14 generations I’ve gotten so far then through experiences. To me all of it is ours, our story as humans. How we made it through good times and difficult times. It’s inspiration.

It’s all about citation and documentation. I LOVE to document things and fit them together. It’s the old auditor in me. Want to be put in my family tree program? You gotta have documentation otherwise you wind up in my notes to investigate or in my family lore files. My tree is one that’s well reinforced with documentation – marriage certificates, death certificates, birth certificates, censuses, wills, land deeds, dairies, letters, photos, newspaper articles, and on and on. All to be deliciously filed and scanned and attached to the facts they document. See my penchant for neat files in previous posts.

David Crockett Hicks and Margaret Jane Denton Hicks family — In the middle back row the woman in the dark dress is my great grandmother Ollie Belle Hicks Rolen. In front of her are her parents my 2nd great grandparents Margaret Jane Denton and David Crockett (aka Crockett) Hicks.

This is a job that’s never finished. Every answered question seems to raise ten more questions to answer. I’ll never run out of things to do in my hobby. Every year more are born and more die. You want to fall into my realm of investigation you have to die. I do paper research, grave yard research, book research… I leave the living to my mother. I’m happier in the stacks with that musty smell thinking “AHHH THERE you are! I’ve been looking for you!” Than I am over tea trying to get people to lay their lives open warts and all.

John Bright and Mary Jane Browder Bright my 2nd great grandparents

Genealogy has given me a topic to discuss with my parents. My mother and I share the same hobby so we can build on what the other finds. My father is a treasure trove of family lore, stories I’ve heard all my life but never wrote down. Now I’m hearing them again and encouraging him to write them down. Oh the lovely hours in stacks that will lead to investigating! It gives us something to share, to talk about, to do together beyond comparing medical visits.

My 2nd great grandfather. He was a sheriff in the mountains of East Tennessee. His son became a revenuer. Looks the part of a lawman doesn’t he?

Finally it gives me something to pass on to my son. Here is who we are. This is how we fit into those stuffy history books. It makes the past live for him because he can say he has a connection to it. I hope it keeps me remembered by my 4th great grandchild. She cared, she cared enough to send these stories down to me so I too would share something with her – our connection to life future and past.

For me it combined my love of history, my love of stories, my love of office supplies (files!), my love of order and documentation, my always needing something to do, and gave me another connection with my parents. I can’t think of a better hobby.

As always I’d love to hear from you. You can comment here (it’ll show up when I get it). You can catch me on twitter as @marylouiseeklund or on Google+ as +Mary Louise Eklund. I don’t go to Facebook any more though there’s an old profile still there. BUT you can email me at marylouiseeklund at either yahoo.com or gmail.com.

Until next time!

January 12, 2012

Organization is Job #1 in 2012

Sorry for the interruption but I’m now back from the stomach virus of 2012. Yes it was so bad I’m only doing it once and got it done the first week of the year. Get the unpleasantness over with first you see. Now I can turn my attention to the new year and what I’d like to do with it.

I’ve always liked a new year because it’s time to start new files. My filing drawer in my desk looks so neat and organized. I vow it will stay that way I will unfold and neatly file things ALL YEAR LONG. Then rush sets in about mid year and it goes downhill until January’s fresh start. Rinse and repeat for decades. Still I enjoy the look of neat files until expediency out weighs a pretty file drawer.

So the joy of starting anew with neat files has inspired me to consider other areas that need the same organization. Trust me I could summarize and say MY LIFE but well that’s not a realistic task sheet for me. Instead I decided to come up with top 5 things that need organization. Honestly I think that’s a bit excessive but I’ve got a year and I like things in 5s or 10s and ten was WAY too much for just a year.

Genealogy – I’ve got a wealth of material that I’ve not entered. I know the first rule of genealogy is start with what you have, organize it, enter it, then identify areas that need more research. I’ve got two two-drawer filing cabinets full of un-entered material, several large plastic totes of papers, photos, and such. Add to that multiple boxes of loose pictures from 1910 on and shelves of photo albums from decades of family portraits, snapshots, and such. Then I jumped ahead into research trips when the opportunities presented themselves in my travels and much of that hasn’t been entered. Now you get the picture of the mess I’ve got that needs to be organized, scanned, filed, and entered into my genealogy software. First step is for 2012 – organize it beyond sticking it in a folder that’s got the letter of alphabet that starts that branch of the family’s last name. I want to organize my to-do stuff in genealogy to look like my files at the start of the year.

Outline that urban fiction novel – I’ve got a few scenes, notes on the plot, and research for an urban (really rural setting) fiction novel set in the town I grew up in – Greeneville, Tennessee. I need to organize this into an outline. I write better when I set down to do a chapter (about 3,000 words) and I’ve got plot points to hit. So all these jottings need to be made into a plot line then converted to a chapter outline. Now I’m not one that doesn’t think outlines can flex they can, they do as I get into the story but then I make the change, make a not there is where the change started and continue with the first draft re-writes deal with the changes.

Rewrites – speaking of rewrites I need to rewrite my steampunk novel draft that’s now cooling on the shelf. I have a few issues made by changes I need to figure out before I jump into it completely. I’ve got notes on the outline so I need to stop and think how the changes go throughout the whole piece. That’s organizing the outline to help guide rewrite.

Comics – My old ones are organized but I’m getting monthly shipments and those need to be set up in short boxes with dividers. Also I’m behind on my reading & reviewing. Need to set up a system for that so I’m doing it regularly. It all really depends on SOPA passing. If it passes doing scans to illustrate reviews is out and I’ll need to delete all the scans from previous reviews. I also need to plan how I’m going to do reviews without scans. However if SOPA fails then I’ll do reviews as usual but the new twist is they’ll be here instead of on Google+.

Jewelry – no not my personal stuff though that could use some organization but more organization of my jewelry for sale. We’re (the Three Gems & Friends) setting up an esty store this month. I need to do some research on that for drafting store policies. Also need to organize a system for the items I list. I need to make pictures, name pieces, and do descriptive text for each one. Then I need to organize how I’m keeping them while posted so I can ship them out quickly when sold. I also need to stage replacements for those sold. Yes I’m actually planning on selling some of it. So organizing that is on the to-do list.

Same file drawer with right side now containing new empty files — File transfer finished – Okay those on the left are still shabby but those are just PART of my to be entered/cataloged genealogy research material. Yes a new year’s resolution on those is to get more organization to them so I can use them.

By far the biggest job is the genealogical stuff. I love doing the research but really some answers may very well be there in the material I’ve got squirreled away in various containers or files. Wouldn’t it be grand to welcome in 2013 (Mayans be damned) a bit more organized than I was when I welcomed 2012? Oh yeah! I can dream can’t I?

As always I’d love to hear from you. I’m always available here just comment and when I get it your comment will appear and I’ll even answer you! If that’s not your style you can find me on Twitter as @marylouiseklund or on Google+ as +Mary Louise Eklund. If those are too public you can email me at marylouiseeklund at either gmail.com or yahoo.com!

Until next time!

January 10, 2012

Always seems to happen…

Things are going well. I’m on a roll. Then WHAM! I get sick and it knocks me off my feet. Then I spend a week catching up. Yep on that cycle again. This time it’s a stomach virus that hammered me Wednesday night. Solid food and I are in negotiations today. The negotiations broke down yesterday. I’m not suffering alone, Aaron’s girlfriend has it too. The good news is I’ve got enough reserves to take this with Gatoraid support. I’ll be back in a few days now I think I’m going back to bed.

In the meantime enjoy this rose from the Leu Gardens in Orlando, Florida

The Leu Gardens has a diverse collection of roses in their gardens — I enjoyed photographing roses in the Leu Gardens

You can give me a shout out at all the usual locations.

Until next time!

January 7, 2012

Me and Fat – life long companions and enemies

My fifth grade school picture — Me in 5th Grade

I’ve battled weight all my life. I’m a text book yo-yo’er. I’ve lost over 50lbs more than 5 times in my life the first one being in 6th grade. Now I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. It’s not like it used to be to lose the weight either. I’ve struggled ever since I had Aaron to get back to a size 4 and 118lbs, felt a total failure at size 10 and 130. Now well, it’s not pretty because all the mental beating myself up led to just quitting. Really who wants to get up and be subconsciously harangued all day about being fat, a failure, and ugly? No eventually I just didn’t want to get up and when I did I stuffed that voice down with food. But it didn’t silence it, it just fed it more to use against me. Depressing isn’t it?

My eighth grade school picture — Me in the 8th grade

So of my own self-loathing will surprise even my closest friend. I come across as a cheery optimistic person and I am except when it comes to myself. Then I’m the worst critic ever and some aspects of my self esteem could move up to the gutter, other aspects are strong. Yet I find this voice holding me back when I find joy. I don’t wear the jewelry I make much because that voice says a fatty like me doesn’t deserve it. I freeze up writing because the voice rants how can be successful when I’ve failed so miserably at something so simple as what I eat. I don’t want to go places because the voice screams that I’m so ugly I should stay home, not inflict it on others. Yet I believe I can be a writer. I think my jewelry is beautiful and people will buy it. I want to do a cross country train trip complete with my own sleeper compartment. Consistency isn’t always my forte when going with my emotional realities.

My receiving my high school diploma from some guy I didn't know even then — High School graduation I was gaining it back

I can offer up excuses. Multi-glandular failure isn’t fun to work with nor does it help when coming to energy to exercise or metabolism to lose weight. Toss in the effects of aging with the wear and tear carrying over 50 extra pounds every day for over a decade and well it’s not the easiest to get up and look at dieting – which is die with ting on the end. Yes these are realities I face but not ones I want to define me. I don’t want to be the poor sap with medical problems. I want aging and medical issues to be an “and that too” in my life. Just another aspect I deal with and manage to feel the best I can with the givens of that moment.

However, after much journaling, looking at photos of myself, and soul searching I’ve come to a point where I need to quit competing or trying to be the 20 yr old me. Honestly, I’m much better than she was. I’ve learned and earned a lot of things in the past 20+ years. Now I don’t want to turn heads. I don’t care about wearing the latest fashions (honestly heels kill my ankles and knees). Glamour isn’t something I aspire to have. I don’t really care what size the label says any more. I can if it’s comfortable, can laundry well, and looks presentable. The things that motivated me in all the yo-yoing don’t motivate me any more.

I’m letting that go. Just the decision not to try to meet those extremes took some of the ammunition away from the constantly haranguing voice but it was still there. Then recently when I had an epiphany. I really don’t care about losing weight. I’ve reached my life long fear and nightmare as far as that goes. To tell the truth there’s hell of a lot worse you can do to me than this. I still create. I still have friends. I still have a loving husband. I still enjoy my pets. Life has some wonderfully shining aspects even in what would have been my ultimate horror 20 years ago. Sometimes you have to live your fear to see it’s not that bad.

Big time jump here this is my 20s. I'd had 3 over 50lb loss and gain backs between this photo and high school graduation — Big time jump here this is my 20s. I’d had 3 over 50lb loss and gain backs between this photo and high school graduation

Still I’d like something more. I’d like to not walk around feeling like a fat, ugly, f**ked up failure inside. I want to feel the best I can inside and out. So instead of stuffing down that voice with food I shouted at it to shut the F up! I’m done with you. Really voice, if your constant nagging since elementary school hasn’t helped-it ain’t gonna! SO JUST SHUT UP!

I don’t want to punish myself to hit a magic number on the scale or in waistband of my clothes. One thing I have learned from the voice is you can’t define yourself by what you aren’t. You define yourself by what you are. I want to be comfortable in my own skin by the time I’m half a century old. That’s it. That’s all. I figure I’ve earned it. I want to feel okay about going out into the world not steeling myself because I feel I don’t deserve to be seen. I want to wear the jewelry I make to the grocery store because I like it. I want to write without fear that I’m not deserving to do something I enjoy so much.

How do I go about doing all of that? Okay what I eat makes me feel like crap. I know that. I’ve felt it in action. So time to eat what makes me feel good and learn about how to eat to feel the best I can. No big sweeping away all I was doing and now do this. I want life changes for the next half a century. I will embrace being the tortoise instead of the hare. The object isn’t reaching a number as fast as I can the **dusts hands together** DONE! Rather the object is to keep moving forward steadily feeling the best I can at that given moment. Doesn’t matter what size I’m wearing or the number on the scale, what matters is how I feel.

Next step is shouting at the voice to SHUT UP! When I notice it. Then feed myself support to counter act that voice. It’s got decades of practice so this has to be brought to the forefront of the mind. It’s going to take effort and switching it up to overcome a habit so entrenched. First line of defense is the mad-as-hell-not-going-to-take-it-any-more shout a la Network. Next is putting a new voice in my ears, I found them on podcasts. I searched out regular podcasts that address nutrition, life changes, healthy living. No not the PS90 approach but more an understand the science of the body and mind approach. Yesterday while grocery shopping they played in my ear reinforcing choices to feel better. This morning I got up looking forward not dreading the mental beating.

Another jump from there to do today had one more 50lb gain & loss gain between

I’m just starting this journey of leaving behind the misery of not being thin to the pleasure of just being the healthiest happiest me I can be. Honestly it’s not going to be easy. This path is new, overgrown, rocky and something I’m going to have to consciously think about every day. Sure some days that nice 4-lane paved self loathing with a side of chips & dip will lure me in. Who doesn’t like to cruise? But I don’t like where that’s going. This new more challenging path is heading in a direction that makes me happy deep inside. It’s been too long since I’ve even felt I knew which way that was.

As for photos. I’ll have more as I scan old photo albums if you want just watch my flickr feed for them. You can watch me gain and lose thinking I’m “fixed” and gain again until today.

I’m always thrilled to hear from you. Please comment here or you can catch me on Twitter (@marylouiseklund) or Google+ (+Mary Louise Eklund) or Flickr or e-mail me at either of my email addresses marylouiseeklund at yahoo.com or gmail.com.

Until next time!

January 4, 2012

I’m back! Miss me?

Yes we were in Tennessee this past week. See… I have proof a opossum on the back porch

Opossum on the porch gotta be in East Tennessee

Yes he’s got spilled bird, cat, and squirrel food – true ‘possum heaven!

What were we doing in Tennessee besides taking pictures of ‘possums? We visited our parents for the holidays. Now I’m settling in getting the photos uploaded from the trip, putting away Christmas stuff for another year, and setting up for 2012. Onward and upward in the new year.

Still no accumulation of snow when we got home but last night just to spite me it did do a dusting and yes I take it personally.

Until next time dear readers. Take care, give me a shout here in the comments or one of the many other ways to contact me. Hope 2012 is treating you as well as it has me!

January 2, 2012

Happy NEW YEAR! Welcome 2012!

Ahh a fresh bright new year all unsullied by events.

Sunlight on clouds taken from an airplane window — Looking forward hoping for a bright future

Now to start the year off right we’ll remove the Christmas decorations, clean the house and get the year going. After a good night’s sleep.

January 1, 2012

Counting Down To A New Year

Time to look back today. What made up 2011 for me? Big changes in some ways. Aaron graduated high school

Aaron graduating from Tremper High School Kenosha WI — Aaron The Graduate and the Lost Saturn Vue

and moved to Madison for his freshman year of college.

Aaron and Mike in Aaron's dorm room in Cole Hall — Moved into the dorm and needed money

While he was on his cross country senior trip, Mike and I went to Tennessee to move Mom & Dad from the farm

Arial shot of my parents land with the lot, driveway, and outlined in pen — Mom & Dad’s Farm

to a condo in town.

Front of the condo with their new Nissan Cube parked in the driveway — Mom & Dad’s condo

Not many pictures there because we were working hard. But here’s the condo with their new Cube, yes my parents have a Cube and LOVE it!

Our craft vendor tent with a customer — Three Gems on a beautiful Summer Saturday

I tried to make my hobby pay for itself. I think in the end I just expanded my bead hobby. Oh well it’s fun and I get to spend a Saturday every month during good weather outside with my friends.

Unkie on the porch of his house in the early 70s — Herbert D. Rolen

During the year we lost two beloved gentlemen from our families. Mom’s Uncle Herbert Rolen. We’ll all miss Unkie.

Mike lost his maternal grandfather Dale McAllister. We’ll miss Grandpa Mac and his ardent politics. He was what we call a yellow dog Democrat – meaning if even a stray yellow dog ran as a democrat Dale would have voted for the canine.

Well there was much more – plumbing problems that were fixed, dead vehicle that wasn’t but was replaced. New aliments diagnosed in the kitties and managed. Basically all the stuff that makes up the passing of a year.

Until 2012 my friends! You know where to find me, would love to hear from ya!

December 31, 2011

Grandpa’s Stories Weren’t Just Stories After All

Yesterday’s post was about my maternal grandfather, this one is about my paternal grandfather, Leslie Newland Bright. During the depression he sold Singer sewing machines to homes in the coal mining villages of Virginia. Here’s a photo from a company picnic in 1928.

My grandfather is in the middle first standing row — Singer Sewing Company Picnic 1928

That’s Grandpa standing just above the C in Co. here’s a an enlarged cut out of him from the picture.

my paternal grandfather — Leslie N. Bright

As the family lore goes, he started working for Singer as a S&C Man. That was sales and collections. He didn’t have a car then so he’d get on the train at a flag stop and ride up to a small mining village. This was mostly in the Virginia and Tennessee area. He’d go selling and collecting in the village. If he sold a sewing machine he’d ride the train back get the machine and then ride the train again to deliver it.

Eventually he became a manager for them and got a car allowance. He bought a new car every 90 days. Why? He said he trashed the cars driving those old mining roads in the Appalachians. The ruts were so bad that one time he set the car to drive then climbed in the back seat to help hold the sewing machine.

One of the tales he told was repossessing a sewing machine in an old mining village shack. He went in to get the machine and the family wouldn’t give it back. He shot through the floor of the shack making the chickens rooting under it fly. Then he got the machine and put it on his back. He then walked out and up over a small bridge. The father of the family shot at him but he kept going. Supposedly grandpa said he figured the man was a bad shot and if he didn’t hit him the first time he wasn’t gonna.

Now Dad heard this story growing up and put it down to the tall tale his father told. Then one day when they had a farm of their own a man came in to do business. As they were talking the visitor told of a Singer Sewing Machine man that came to his uncle’s house to repossess a sewing machine sold on credit. The man shot up the house killing some chickens, took the machine and calmly walked out as the visitor’s uncle shot at him. Grandpa sit there nodding at the story. He never said it was him. He never let on he knew any more than the man said. However, MY dad was stunned. It wasn’t a tall tale after all.

Grandpa left Singer Sewing Company during the depression. He said he didn’t realize how hard it was until he’d left the job. He went from that to pulling steel tracks from old mines. He had work down on his knees in the old mines pulling up the mine car tracks. Very hard work, really hard work compared to the Singer job.

As always I’d like to hear from you. You can comment here (your comment will show when I get it) or reach me on Twitter (@marylouiseklund) on Flickr or over on Google+. You can e-mail me at marylouiseeklund at either yahoo.com or gmail.com.

Until next time – enjoy what’s left of 2011!

December 30, 2011

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