I received my first Christmas card from a friend in Flagstaff, three days ago. I am still finding my cards and a stash of old Christmas stamps, put away for safe keeping. I started jotting notes from my yearly planner, three months ago, then stopped. They are for inclusion in a Christmas letter. Those too are in safe keeping. I am starting to put fall decorations away and get out December, but I believe my favorite season, fall, is too short and drag my feet.

Two recent tragedies of people I knew, dampened my holiday spirit, thus I am slowly getting back into preparations and plans which will be minimal this year. Besides, I do keep my ornament laden tree up well into January, so I will enjoy the décor, the cards/letters, and a few times with friends and family.

Thanks to a friend who knew I was suffering over high printer ink prices, found a new printer, using different ink, more economical, at a bargain price, ordered it, installed it, and I took some birthday money and purchased an affordable Wi-fi connection. All this a tremendous change for my writing, and all things techy, and a major boost when I needed it the most.

Yesterday, I wished a cousin a HB for this first time on FB because his daughter or granddaughter posted a video of his birthday celebration, and I could post a comment. I don’t get to see him often and this was a big deal to him and to me. I had easy access due to new Wi-fi connection. I hope he will stay on Facebook now.

Then, my super talented brother-in-law, sent me artwork I wanted to use for my blog today and here on out. It represents a can of printer’s ink, like my dad used decades ago in our small-town, weekly newspaper business. I want draperink then to represent my writing with a nostalgic nod to those years my family and I lived in the days of letterpress. My sis and I saved popsicle sticks, which he dipped into the can to dab gobs of shiny black ink onto the plate of our little job printing press. The stick was also used to dip into a trough of ink along the big rollers on our antique Hoe press that printed our newspaper. My book, Heralding Wakita is a tribute to the fifty years of hard work from my parents, and about our family owned and operated business my sister and I grew up in. It tells the story of what that was like with the surrounding communities and people being such an integral part.

I have wonderful friends, like the gentleman who will help me get this blog and art posted, the bestie who sends me such supportive, daily texts…my go-to for advice and a listening ear.

I am still enjoying my birthday cards. I took Hemingway to eat after his hard work getting my printer, setting it up and then taking me to get the Wi-fi at the store, and back to the apartment to get it all in place. Wow!

Thanking God above, always.