I have been working on several projects. Clearing out clutter from my office. Again. This time, however, I separated all my writing and put them into notebooks. The Memoirs are now separate from my short stories, which are separate from my ramblings.

I have this bad habit of writing something, putting it away, and not rereading or editing it and most times putting it into the wrong folders.

Now I am attempting to straighten all that out.

What will I do with them? I don’t know. But this year, I am dedicated to working on my writing. Who knows, maybe there is another book coming.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

When my husband was suddenly diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease I was beside myself. How could I keep smiling when I was dying inside? How could I keep this insidious secret. We were strongly advised not to tell anyone about his condition, since he was still a viable 63 year old man and working both as a consultant and  serving on two Boards.

What to do? Immediately, I started a secret journal where I poured out my heart and everything I was feeling.

Seven long, hard years later the diagnosis was changed to AAMI, Age Associated Memory Impairment. How was this even possible? I don’t know, and truthfully, I don’t care.

I do know that I finally found the courage to show him my journal, and he said, “It’s beautiful, it’s you, and you should publish it.”

Wow, what a reaction. Some other people had opinions about the book also; go after the medical profession for misdiagnosis, fictionalize the book and make it more interesting, I guess.

I chose to publish my journal exactly as written, and Behind The Mask became a reality. After publishing it, I realized it was the perfect catalyst for Adopt A Caregiver.

More about that tomorrow night.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Seeing my great granddaughter every day is the best medicine in the world. No matter how tired, no matter how much I’m hurting, she just worms her way into my heart . Every movement, every smile, every gas pain, is a joy to watch. She makes every day a wonderful day. A new experience.

Also getting caught up, for once, in my office, and my writing. It’s a huge job, since I have never worked on it before. I guess I am just ready now.

Going to relax now, sit and knit and be quiet. Maybe watch a movie on tv. with my husband.

He is going to be 80 this year, I will be 80 next year, and the following year, we will be celebrating our 60th Anniversary. Wow, isn’t that something to look forward to.

Happy, Healthy New year, stay safe.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Clutter: the subject on my mind these days. My house is full of clutter, all kinds of clutter, pictures, family photos, books and papers. Since I’ve been in this house for over 6 months, I’ve been through my closet at least once, the books and papers also.

So,what’s my problem? I’m in love with my books, they are my friends, I just can’t get rid of them. I keep piling them up higher to make room for more and more and more. I wonder about myself sometimes. But, this is what makes me uniquely me.

Once more I’m going through everything. I forgot to mention the clutter

of my mind. All the things I want to do and talk about doing. I can’t cram them all in, but I’m making a dent because I’m doing exactly what I want to to exactly when I want and I’m cramming in more and more learning into the clutter.

I suppose without all this clutter, there would be no me.

I wrote this the last time I moved into a new house, that’s about 10 years ago.

This time, I have removed most of the things I talked about and I am proud that I now have room for myself and whatever it is I want.

I’m also ready to tackle new things and beginning now, I’m doing it.

Keep love and kisses in your life.

I have struggled with the answer to that question for years. For years I argued yes, keep them forever. And when I moved, I moved 15 years and many boxes of journals with me.

Why? For remembrance? For my kids and grandkids to spend hours, or years to read them all, or just take the time  to throw them  away.

At almost 79, I have decided I have the right to keep the writing or throw it all out. In my case, I decided it was time to get rid of them. I spent hours and hours tearing all those pages up. Was it worth it, I think so. They would only have to do that after I was gone anyway, so I saved them the trouble.

Instead I decided it was time to write my memoirs. I have started them two or three times already, but never got to get any of it done. Oh yes, there are half pages written, or notes on subjects I want to write about, little stories of my life that are worth sharing, so I have to start over and just write it. Now is the time.

I have led a life There are stories worth telling. Better than reading some old journals that might have pages that would hurt someone’s feelings, or that are just so boring with the everyday mundane events of my life on that day.

My life wasn’t boring and that is what I hope writing my memoirs will bring to life. I might even share one or two of my stories with all of you.

In the meantime, Happy and Healthy New Year.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Here’s to the New Year, 2010. My how fast the time flies as you get older.

This has been quite a year for us. Moving back to California, and having a new great grand daughter. And in May we will have a new great grand son.

There will be no New Year’s Resolutions, because I never keep them

. So this year, it will be projects. I’ve already finished a huge one this week, and now am working on getting my writing organized. Believe me, that is a huge job. I’ve just always stuck the papers into a folder and never sorted them into the correct categories. I have poetry, ramblings, memoirs, and short stories all mixed in together. I never edited anything I wrote. Time to do it.

I will try to begin writing every night on the blog, like I did before. Thank you all for listening and reading and for your comments.

Take good care, stay healthy and see you next year.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Wishing everyone a happy holiday, a healthy one, and a safe one. It’s been a long time since I have written. Usually this time of year I send out a year end letter. But, not this year.

Because, this year the only real news is that we have moved back to California and we have a new great granddaughter. Life is good.

I have been lazy about my writing. But I have been knitting up a storm, both for myself and the baby.

Last night I found out my grandson and his wife are going to have a little boy next May. Two great grand babies, how lucky and blessed we are.

My gratitude list keeps growing.

Please be kind to everyone, we all need a little kindness in our lives.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

We are old

We are cold

We squeak

We leak

We’re old you see

As you will one day be

Still young at heart

Sill making art

And so it seems

We still have dreams

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

Wow! Have been so busy watching this new baby, holding her, admiring her, not taking time for much of anything else.

Watching her face, stretching her arms and legs out, amazing sight.

Also, how much she has changed in the week she has been with us. A change, small, but interesting. Nothing like a new born baby to rev up your heart, your energy, and you gratitude

It was a rough birth, but that’s over and all that counts is that she is a healthy, and a happy and contented baby.

Beautiful, of course, no; rather she is gorgeous. I could hold her forever. Four generations of women. Now that’s gratitude.

Keep love and kisses in your life. Helene

My brand new great grand daughter was born this morning at !2:15 a.m. by C Section. Labor was prolonged and not progressing, baby was sunny side up, so at last minute they did the C Section.

Thank goodness it’s over. The baby is a precious miracle.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

Love and kisses Helene