I am at long last trying to get going on this issue. SOooo sorry I’m late. Can’t think of a proper excuse...will just report what’s been happening... since Christmas!

A belated thanks to one and all for the many greetings/presents.... And reports on all your lovely get-togethers. MINE was busy/fun, as no doubt all your’s were as well. Had 16 relatives in on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day (on my way to my charge, STELLA!) I fell into her garbage can...ahaha... the damn top flipped down and hit my knees, causing me to fall forward. Obviously I survived... lots of bruises, including my ego. Thank heavens no one SAW me. Had a few other small mishaps til the end of the year...locked myself out of house (extra set of keys inside)so had to BREAK A WINDOW... all in all I concluded it was the downside of the upside of my (then) recent good luck. The good luck returned, though I’m always wary, waiting for the other shoe to drop...

January dawned without much disaster, thanks be...though 2 days "before" all the lights/power in my neighborhood shut down for several hours...SPOOKY...I ran into the street to see if the business section a couple blocks south was "out" - it was...then ran and barricaded myself in...thinking the pundits had mispredicted Y2K "maybe" this was it, thought I....several hrs later everything popped up....hallelujah! I spent New Year’s Eve at Niece Fran Oliphant’s new home. Fun, though pretty quiet (compared to my years ago celebrations, that some of you shared & remember?)....

Jan. brought much activity in the book selling biz...heard from LOTS of purchasers...who left their phone numbers, email addresses with Savage Press. Had/have some great contacts, (more, I should say!) in Jan. It was SUCH fun talking to them....Here they are: Jerry Bibeau, Cliff Horn, Connie Chellman Pederson, Jaci Little Peterson - all high school "mates" who I spoke to by phone or heard from via the mails...Also CHARLES READ, Iowa City IA; a workshop cohort. Thanks one and all!