Tomorrow I will be 84 years old. Seems like just yesterday I was the cotton-topped little boy whose memories I share in my books. Barefooted (like we all were back then), usually shirtless in the milder months, and always outside. We didn't spend our time indoors like my grandkids do. We didn't grow up with a television, much less have one in every room of the house. We had one radio that we listened to for about a 1/2 hour a day and that was to get the "war news". We got DIRTY, and I mean DIRTY. And we enjoyed it. At least us boys did. I can't speak for my sisters. My, how times have changed during my 84 years!
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As I work on the next book, Margaret and I are contemplating taking a little trip to some of the areas that we cover in the books just to refresh my memory and also just to get away for a while. There's nothing quite like getting away from the everyday hustle and bustle to get those creative juices flowing. Also, I truly enjoy revisiting the parts of Louisiana and Texas that I haven't seen in a while and touching base with old friends. Seems like nowadays more and more of them are gone. So if I'm going to see them I feel like I ought to go sooner rather than later. Maybe I'll bring them a copy of the books if they don't already have them. HAHA
Well, tomorrow I will celebrate 60 years of marriage and sheer delight with that 95 pounds of heaven-sent bliss I call my best friend and wife, Margaret. Words can not express my love for her and how much I have enjoyed our journey through this life together. From that first blind date where we met, through all of the trials and tribulations of my school years, the raising of four children and even into our retirement years and my desire to write, she has always been the calm in any storm that came our way. Anyone that knows my Margaret knows what I mean. I can truly say that I have been blessed by the Almighty to have been given such a soul mate with whom to share my life. Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!
Every morning lately, we've been getting up early to gather the figs before the birds get them and pick the purple hull peas that are ready. Just today we got three gallons of figs that Margaret cleaned and put up for preserves. If you haven't had Margaret's homemade fig preserves on a hot cathead biscuit, then I would venture to say that you have never really tasted one of the greatest treats that your taste buds could possibly imagine. Now, that's not to say that I intend to share them. I'm just saying that it's one of life's little pleasures. Plus, if you don't know what a cathead biscuit is, then I just cannot help you. As the youngsters would say; "google it" or you could read my books where I talk about them quite a bit. Either way, I'll be enjoying hot cathead biscuits with fig preserves tonight.
My Margaret and I will soon celebrate 60 years of wedded bliss! Hard to believe it's already been 60. It's also hard to believe I'll soon celebrate my 84th birthday. But I just received a clean bill of health and am walking several miles a day! Not bad for 83 if I do say so. Just bought a new little red mule as well named... well his name is Red but I didn't name him. I like to think I could have come up with something a little more imaginative that that. Planning on riding him this fall in the Colorado mountains with my daughter and son-in-law, God willing and the creek don't rise. I'll keep you posted. Oh, and I'm working on book #6 as well just in case anyone wants to know (#5 is being edited by Margaret right now).
In "No Man's Land", otherwise known as the Sabine River Bottom, the whippoorwill sings almost all night long, the horned owl hoots and the four o'clocks have the most wonderful aroma! Country life can really be a blessing. I told this to my publisher the other day and his reply was "Sounds wonderful. The only sounds I hear outside my window are loud motorcycles, cars and sirens. Not exactly country life". Maybe I can convince him to come for a visit so he can see the setting for my books...
Dub's Misadventures, the fourth book in the series, finally came out in print! Margaret and I are so excited. E-books are great but there's still something about putting your hands on the physical book that I prefer. (Got so mad at my Kindle the other day I wanted to just toss it.) Just call me an "old-timer" I guess. I will not be offended since I'll soon have my 84th birthday! Anyway, if you were waiting on print version, it's out now. Enjoy!
I haven't blogged in a while because of computer issues so hopefully you'll forgive me but I just want to say a few days ago I heard my first Whippoorwill of the spring. They are getting fewer and fewer it seems. If you are not familiar, here is a link to a You-Tube of one singing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIxfVSS_65o They are nocturnal birds and it seems like not so long ago that I could hear them by the hundreds at night. I love the sound of them and it's one reason I write about them so much in my books. The sound of them through an open window can really lull you to sleep.
Since coming out in e-book, I' ve had several people stop me to tell me that they like the fourth book, Dub's Misadventures, better than the others. (I want to tell them that it's just because they've grown fond of Dub and his wolf-dog and his horse, not because my writing has improved over time). But either way, I'm happy that people are enjoying the books and thanks to everyone who let's us know that. I have sure enjoyed putting these childhood experiences (some real and some imagined) down on paper. The print version should be out in April if you are waiting for it.
Very exciting day! The fourth book in the Wolf series, entitled "Dub's Misadventures" FINALLY came out in e-book today. I guess I get a little impatient waiting for them to come out once I've finished them, even though I know all the editing that my poor Margaret and the publisher have to do. Anyway, it's a fun read (if I do say so myself) that takes Dub (yep, that's me as a child) and Ring and Honey Gal on even more adventures in the Sabine River bottom and even over to the Red River with kidnappers, cattle rustlers and all sorts of "no-gooders" for Dub to content with (yes, Margaret, I know that is poor grammar). Check out the e-book and let me know what you think or if you prefer, the paperback should be out in a couple of months. Thanks to everyone who has told me how much they enjoy the books. I enjoy writing them as well.
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AuthorDr A W Sibley's book reviews and the random thoughts of a well trained mind. Archives
March 2020
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