Barbara J. Hamby

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What’s New in the ‘Hood

Since the manufactured home park where I lived for nearly four years is just across the road from where I swim these days, I drive through it occasionally to see what’s going on. On my last trip, a couple of days ago, I noted a number of new double-wides that have been set up on spots that were previously vacant. But, the biggest surprise was a “For Sale” sign on the place I sold less than a year ago. The buyers have done major upgrading and, as I understood it, planned to spend their retirement there. A neighbor told me he heard they had a job elsewhere. They are a younger couple, just one over 55, both still working.

They had talked about a housewarming barbecue when they finished the work on the place and invited me in advance so I could see what they had done. Now I guess I’ll have to try to sneak into an open house if I want to see it.

Lately I seem to have a dangerous tendency to fall in love with what I write, especially when I go back and re-read memoir stories or travel tales. Than I remember the advice to novice writers to “throw out your babies.” Even if you think your words are the greatest thing since sliced bread--probably not true. As a result, I’m running my new writing through my critique group before any of it goes elsewhere.

Since I’m going to be out of town for a week in mid-April, I’ve so far resisted the temptation to buy any new plants, but I may have to break down and get some strawberries and geraniums while they’re on sale at Fred Meyer this weekend. I can put them out where they’ll get rain and not have to be watered. My strawberry plants are acting pretty used up, but maybe it’s the soil that’s tired and they need some fertilizer. We’ll see.

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