Which Way Is North?

One of the prompts Paul Taubman, moderator for https://ultimateblogchallenge.com/, gave us  was the four cardinal directions. Now, I'm not going to address the all-too-familiar north-south-east-west, but it did get me thinking about a characteristic I've noticed in some people. Unlike myself, it appears they have absolutely no sense of direction.

Early on, as I began to navigate on my own, I came to realize there is this inner certainty I have most time about where each of these points of direction are in relation to myself. There have been times, especially when traveling unknown territory, I was able to sense which direction I should head when the road didn't agree with the map in my head.

Not that I am always correct. It doesn't seem to work when I'm within walls. How many times, in conversation with my husband, did he have to correct the way I pointed? Even though I know our house is situated to face a north-easterly direction, when indicating the nearby town of Big Sandy, I almost invariably pointed toward the north instead of the south.

Of course, there isn't any opportunity for getting confused or lost any more now, is there? All we have to do is download a GPS map and our smart phone will direct us, turn by turn, to where we want to go.

And yet, my first trip to Texarkana last fall for a writers event, why was it on all three tries, my GPS directed me to the Federal Correctional Institution and told me I had arrived at my motel?

Standing alone and strong

Captured this photo from a Facebook friend's posting. Thank you, R.j. Askew. 

I'm still trying to understand what about it reached out and grabbed me. On the surface, its blue tones reflect my favorite color. The lack of sunshine only adds to its ethereal appeal. But the emotional tug goes beyond surface features.

The person who posted it, R. j., explained the shot was taken on a recent visit to Hadrian's Wall. Living in the U. S., I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to visit this historical site. But the fact of its actual location doesn't influence the image's power to touch something deep within.

There is a sense of loneliness but also a strong message of strength in that lonesomeness. My mind can't help but ask why there are no companion trees or underbrush. Considering where the picture was taken, I seriously doubt any man brought about the sparseness of the tree's surroundings. What is it about the terrain that discouraged any other growth except for a low covering of grass trying to survive upon the rocky soil? 

This image gives me comfort; it says to me that even functioning in an isolating situation, I can draw from my inner resources to grow and achieve my destiny.

What does this picture say to you?

Finding A New Life

I watched him set out on his daily walk despite temperatures hovering around the freeze mark. His recent move from another state left him without friends. Even his dog of several years had to be left behind.

Shortly, he was back, all excited over meeting our nearest neighbor and their conversation. They were about the same age; had both served in the Air Force at the same time. To make the coincidence even more unusual, while serving, both had been assigned to the same duties, however in different countries.

As the conversation progressed, the neighbor mentioned a non-functioning chainsaw. The new-comer was quick to offer assistance as he had once worked at maintaining small motors and was fully equipped with all the needed tools.

He came home, grabbed his tools, and rushed away, only to be gone close to a couple hours. A grin split his face upon his return and he walked with almost a swagger. "Got one chainsaw running then took apart a second one to locate the part that needed replacing." He shrugged out of his hooded jacket. "I showed him how to lay out the parts in order as they came off so it would be easy to put the machine back together."

When he came back from hanging up his jacket, he added, "Oh, and he gave me ten dollars I never even asked."

Sometimes it only takes a little thing to help a person feel life is worthwhile.

2018 Review

There's an old saying, "a day late and a dollar due." Just to prove how true that saying is, I'm going to do what is traditionally done yesterday, on New Year's Day. Having just read today's email from Paul Taubman, maestro of Ultimate Blog Challenge, I find I am right in step with the program.

Don't worry, I'll just be hitting the high lights of the past year. 

On March 30th, I lost my husband of 59 years on the day of our wedding anniversary. In June, my granddaughter, a mature thirteen-year-old, came to live with me temporarily. That summer, my son-her father, bought a house and moved it onto our farmland in the piney woods of East Texas. They've since moved in but still have outside work to finish up.

In December, I moved my oldest brother, J.R., from Kentucky to my home. Coping with advancing Alzheimer's, he is no longer able to live alone and care for his affairs. While my son prepares a camper for him to occupy, he camps out in my living room. In spite of the fact that we've seen each other perhaps a half-dozen times over the past fifty years since I moved away, we are co-existing pretty well.

I've been writing and publishing since about 1985. I started with producing a monthly newsletter, graduated to articles in national magazines and after taking a creative writing course, plunged into writing fiction. I now have a dozen or more books published in both fiction and non-fiction. If interested, check me out at https://www.amazon.com/Gay-Ingram/e/B008VS6AJI.

That's a bird's-eye view of my past year. Needless to say, it has been a year of life-changing events. And, in the days ahead, as the pressure to blog every day increases, you, my readers, may be subjected to more of the doing around the Ingram household. Including news of my soon-to-be-re-released Living With A Depressed Spouse. But, more about that tomorrow.

Another Year, Another Challenge

This is day one of the Ultimate Blog Challenge. Over the next thirty-one days, my goal is to send something your way daily;  something, I hope, that will interest or even educate you.

Along the way, I'll have the help of fellow writers who are traveling this challenge-road right along with me. Let me introduce them to you.

Kassy Paris (http://www.kassyparis.com/cat-lady) shares amusing tales about the animal members of her household. Jean Lauzier (http://www.jeanlauzier.com/) is also an an animal-lover but she dotes on dogs. She'll have a lot to say about the newest member about to join her family.

Patty Wiseman's (http://www.pattywiseman.com/blog) is the blog to check out if you are curious about how authors feel about the characters they create while Beth Lauzier (Beth Lauzier http://bit.ly/2DoH9qB) puts the spotlight on authors and why the work they create makes impressions.

Beth Howlett (https://bphowlett.com/blog/) wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with you and Phyllis Still (http://www.phyllisastill.com) is ready to tell you about that writing thing or being strong and courageous.

As for what I will put down on the page, well, it will be as much of a surprise to me as to you. Any suggestions you might have will be much welcome.

Accepting A Challenge

I just signed on to write a blog a day through the month of January. I hope to produce thirty-one blogs in all. I know, I know, I must be a glutton for punishment or torture, or whatever you want to call it. 

My good friend, Jean Lauzier, was spreading the word about the January 2018 Ultimate Blog Challenge set out by www.ultimateblogchallenge.com, so I joined. 


Didn't spend a lot of time considering what it would take to meet the challenge. After all, for more years than I can recall I've practiced Julia Cameron's recommendation to do Morning Pages. Never heard of it? Every morning after that first cup of coffee while catching up on social media postings, I sit at the desk in my bedroom, light a lovely scented candle - my favorite is usually some spicy fragrance - and write by hand for as much nonstop as possible to fill three pages of a lined spiral notebook.

Sometimes I find myself writing the daily weather I see out the nearby bedroom window, or even comment on the bird and squirrel activity. Recording what I'd gotten into or accomplished the previous day can help fill the lines. Sometimes I have to resort to writing "I can't think of anything to write about." Actually, what you end up writing isn't important. The whole point of this daily activity is to train your brain and hand to a automatically respond and start writing when you grasp a pen or pencil. I hope this activity will keep the juices flowing.

My granddaughter has gotten me well-supplied for the second year in a row by including a couple notebooks and some smooth-writing pens in my Christmas present.

So, instead of once a week, for the whole month of January you can look forward to reading something from me every day. Aren't you excited?

By the way, if you want to check out the instigator, my friend Jean's blog, just click on her blogsite, 
Jeanlauzier.com,

From 'five-and-dime' to 'dollar'

My brother, who recently moved here, asked if there were any Dollar Tree stores in the area.

"We have one in Longview and then there are the Family Dollar and Dollar General stores conveniently located." Seems like every community has one or another convenient for that quick dash to pick up one or two items. They remind me of the Woolworths and Ben Franklins of my growing years.

My first commercial job while still in high school was in that kind of a store. Lincoln Store in Norwich, Connecticut had just about anything you needed but it was more like a Penney's store with furniture and appliances.

Christmas that year, I got permission for my parents to take advantage of my employee discount. They waited until Christmas Eve to come to town for their shopping. Every once in a while, I caught sight of them from my workstation - list in hand, seeking out the least costly item to fill their shopping basket. When you're buying gifts for a family of ten, you have to make a little go a long way.

As my thoughts connected the Woolworths of old with the Dollar Generals of today, I couldn't ignore the irony. In my lifetime, we have gone from a 'five-and-ten', as the old stores were known, to the present-day 'dollar' stores.