"Classic Ginger" Merry 2015! Wow...where did the year go? It will be 2017

As I was looking through my files for something "Christmassy" to post, I came across this old 2007 newsletter I put on my blog.  I'm going to update it in RED so you can see how time changes things and people.  The sentiment is the same.  Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Happy Holidays,

I can't believe that 2015 is almost over.  Wow....does time fly. 

I can’t believe that 2007 is almost over, although I can’t say I’m sorry to see it go.  As far as my writing career, the year was a waste. This year wasn't a waste.  I managed to re-release several books from another publisher, and now all my work is at Books We Love.  I still have a Novella in the works that is scheduled to be released for a Valentine's day promo, and also am trying hard to finish Sarah's Soul.  Whew.  I'm tried just thinking about it. I had no new releases, surrendered associations with two agents and negotiated myself from a contract with a publisher with personnel practices that I found offensive.  Oh, if only I could share all the details, but that would take us well into 2018.  J

 I'm still finding most publisher's offensive, but it's too much trouble to pull everything and try self-pubbing.  Besides, Jude at BWL works harder than any publisher I've ever been with and I have high hopes that before I die...I might become somewhat known.  :)

Wow...we haven't lived with my son and his wife for several years...there have been three different roofs over our head and we are now enjoying a new home in Baxter.  I swear this last move will be my last.  I told hubby I'm not budging from this house until Neptune comes and carries me away.  I mean it.  As for the weight...it's not as bad as it once was, but I've come to the conclusion that I'm never going to meet the standards of the weight chart doctors use.  According to the current one, I need to be 7'8".

On the home front, things are status quo.  We are blessed to be healthy, have a roof over our heads and plenty to eat…as our weight can attest.  The only person in this house who is skinny is Spencer and I have a hard time finding something he likes to eat.  The doctor assures me that Spence won’t starve to death, although I do wish I couldn’t count his ribs.  He’s getting tall, but still is very young for a five-year-old.  Can you believe...Spencer is thirteen and in middle school.  He's still skinny as a rail, but thank God, he's healthy and happy.  As far as his autism, I don't think he'll ever really be like a traditional child, but he's making good progress, goes to Karate, plays in the band, and his Mom drives a school bus now so he stays with her most of the time.  I don't see him nearly as much as I'd like to now that we've moved an hour away.  But...now I'm here to help out my sister when it comes to our 91 year young mom.  Glynda actually got to take a vacation this year for the first time in a long while.  She went to Panama.

He’s made great progress with his speech.  He and I can actually communicate and that is such a great thing. Spencer talks up a storm now, but too fast.  I have to remind him to slow down so NeNe can understand him. He’s gone from a vocabulary of approximately ten words to well over a hundred, and sometimes in whole sentences.  We have every hope that he will eventually mainstream into regular classes because the one he’s in isn’t where we want him to be.  His developmental delays and degree of autism is not nearly as bad as his peers, and we’ve had problems with him mimicking his friends.  Progress, not regress, is our motto.  J ####@@@@@!!!!!**** 

 Just playing above.  If you type after the smiley face...you get all kinds of symbols.  Anyhow...The school has been great with mainstreaming Spencer.  He has a CDC homeroom, but goes to regular classes for his main subjects.  Don't know if he'll ever be able to live on his own, but we all continue to pray that he'll overcome his autism.

The best news is that Brett, Carrie, Kelly and I have refrained from killing one another this year.  It isn’t easy living with family, especially when the house isn’t yours and you don’t feel a sense of entitlement to anything…  Oh, I’m wrong about that.  I own the kitchen when the dishes need washing or the laundry room when it’s stacked with clothes, but other than that, Kell and I try to dwell in our one room.  I can’t complain, because I made the decision to devote my efforts to helping my grandson, but I can grumble at times.  J  Kelly grumbles all the time but takes it all in stride.  I know this has to be very hard for him.   What a great guy I’ve got, although at times I’d like to strangle him.  That’s normal, I think.  No longer share a home with my kids, but we do live in a basement with no windows.  I take lots of Vitamin D but have become pretty much a hermit.  I just celebrated my 70th birthday, and for that I'm truly grateful.  I always expected to die young like my dad's entire family, but I guess God has other plans for me.  Kelly still grumbles, but this year, bought a 1956 Olds which is in Reno being prepped for Hot August Nights 2016.  I can't wait to see the finished product and remind him that he now has back the classic car he missed.

I live with one son, but don’t hear from the other often enough.  He and Jeni still live in Sacramento, which is way too far away.  I keep connected with him by reading his MySpace Blog.  I wish someone with connections would realize what a humorous talent he is and recruit him.  If you want to check him out, his web address is:  http://www.myspace.com/skidjones

Now that I don't live with one son, I don't hear from either of them often.  Brett, Carrie and Spencer do visit, but if I want to know what's going on with my oldest son, I have to visit his FB page.  Isn't it funny how Myspace died out and FB took over?  Scott has a huge following who all think he's brilliant.  He is, but he takes after his Mom.  *lol*  I wish all his followers would buy at least one of my books.  I'd be rich.

By the way, if you want to keep up with me, I’ve switched my newsletter to a blog.  You can find me at http://mizging.blogspot.com and read my daily drivel.  According to ‘people in the know’, one must blog, so I do.  Still blogging, as you can see.  Connie Vines is my new blog partner, and I love her dearly for stepping up to help out.  For western readers, I also started Cowboy Kisses, a blog that features an array of talented western authors.  Check it out.  http://cowboykisses.blogspot.com

Well, let’s see if I can sum up this year for you like I used to do:

January – Scheduled and cancelled a bone density test.  Still haven’t had it.  Had my bone density test.  My bones are fine, as evidenced by the many falls I've had.  Stairs and I aren't friends, but I'm lucky, my bones must be in fine shape.  Scheduled for a colonoscopy and endoscopy in a few weeks, and eek...having a Biltmore lift on my face as my early Christmas present.  Too many sagging chins.  *lol*

February – In my hunger for friends, I visited a local chapter of the Red Hat’s Society.  Decided I wasn’t that hungry…or old.  I'm old enough for the Red Hat Society, but I don't look good in hats...plus I may be a senior citizen in numbers but in my head, I'm not.  That's sad, isn't it.Still don't have any friends close by, but I'm still hopeful I'll find a way to connect.

March – Spent two days in the hospital.  Shared a room with a woman that I’m positive hacked up a lung while I was there.  So much for sleeping.  I've been in the hospital a few times, but the last several have been in a private room.  I have scar tissue from stomach stapling in 1991 and have to go in every now and then and have the opening stretched so I can get food down.  You'd think I'd be skinny, but I guess there are calories in the air.

April – Got the bill for the hospital…I REMEMBER that.  My oldest son turned 40!  Geesh!  Thanks for Medicare, I don't see many horrid bills, but my oldest son is now 47.  My baby is 40.  Yep...I'm 70.

May – I think I signed up for Water Aerobics.  Went three times and quit.  Whose idea was it to surround the swimming pool with mirrors???  Kelly and I went to Tunica and met his brother and wife.  It was nice to get away.  Part of my health insurance is Silver Sneakers, so hubby and started water aerobics in Gallatin before we moved.  We enjoyed the classes, and most of the people didn't look any better in their swim suits than I did.  (horrible).  We moved and started at the YMCA here, but Kelly doesn't care for the classes, classmates or instructor, so we've taken a hiatus.  I can't do anything but low impact, so, I sit and eat.  *lol*

June – I think we went camping, but it’s a blur.  We took Spencer so it wasn’t very relaxing.  Camping is my salvation.  We bought a motor home last year and I totally enjoy getting away.  We joined Diane and George Parkinson  in Pigeon Forge this year, and I hope we get to do it again.  We are planning a long trip in July and August, and maybe even going to Alaska again in June.  Being a senior has it's perks. Looking forward to seeing places I haven't seen, and visiting FB friends.  Watch out, Rita Karnopp!

July – Traveled to Southern California for my sister’s wedding.  Got to see people I hadn’t seen in a while and had a fun time.  Tried to convince myself that everyone look as old as me.  Boy...that time went by fast.  We had a spat, didn't speak for years, her husband passed and now we live together  .

August – Kelly and didn’t celebrate our eleventh anniversary.  He worked, I wondered where the time went.  Applied for Social Security. Worried the Social Security won't last my lifetime, let alone for my kids.  Kelly and I celebrated 19 years of marriage, but have actually been together 20.  If you count my first marriage of 32...I qualify for the Golden Anniversary gift.  *lol* Feel free to mail it.  :)

September – It’s a blur. Scheduled and cancelled mammogram and bone density.  Just had a mammogram and found out the positive results.  I'm having a "Biltmore" face lift in December to get rid of my saggying neck.  The plastic surgeon promises I won't look like a snake.  *lol*  I have no lips and it seems stretching my face will only maximize the slit where there supposed to be.  God, help me...I don't want those "duck lips" everyone is sporting these days, either.

October – Halloween.  We bought lots of candy and had five trick-or-treaters.  Wasn’t that just yesterday?  Still have the candy.  Will try to pass it off as Santa’s offerings in the kid’s stockings.

November – Turned sixty-two.  Having a hard time dealing with the age thing.  Oh, sixty-two is so young.  I'm still having a hard time dealing with the age thing, but I think that's because I have a 60-year-old husband.  Of course, he's going bald, has legs like a bird and a belly like an old man.  *lol*

December – Here I am…trying to be creative with a Christmas letter when I have no memory or sense of humor anymore. 

I still have a sense of humor.  You have to have one to get through life.  Sadly, I believe the world is beyond repair.  People tend to think posting on FB is going to change things, but the violence continues and all we do is pray. Last year we rode in two Christmas parades with my son.  He drove a jeep and pulled a decorated trailer.  We threw candy to the local kids, and loved it.  Talk about a great way to get into the spirit.  I hope we do it again this year.  In fact...I bought a new coat and scarf.  *lol*

Although it looks pretty dismal on paper, I thank God for everyday I’m here.  I pray that we all have a bless 2008 and that I’m still around to bore you next year.

No changes here, but life isn't so dismal if you don't count what's going on because of our President (oops...I promised not to be political.)  I'm still praying to be around next year, and look a lot better.  I promise to share before and after pictures on my blog, and as dismal as things looked in 2008...they look much brighter if we can find peace among ourselves.  So...there you have it...another year in a nutshell.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

Ginger & Family

http://www.bookswelove.com/authors/simpson-ginger