Barbara J. Hamby

Writer’s Workshops

News of a writers’ workshop in June on the Oregon coast fell into my email in- basket the other day. I signed up for it and need to research accommodations for at least one night. Willamette Writers’ annual conference will be in August here in Portland, and “Write on the Sound” in Edmonds (near Seattle) in October. If I can get to at least two of these, and preferably all of them, I should be revved up by fall, and motivated to dig in to the memoir stories. Meanwhile, I’ll continue editing the poems and stories I already have written.

Floyd had the air conditioning repaired on his Buick this week. The mechanic, who is a friend of a friend, claims it will “crank out ice cubes now.” I hope not—moderately cool air will suffice on the hot days of summer.

Tomorrow, among other errands, I should get the oil changed and the tires rotated on my Honda. It also needs a good wash to get all the blossoms off the hood and elsewhere. Our parking spots are under trees that drop stuff on the car almost all year around. Blooms, pollen, leaves, etc. decorate, but mostly just threaten the paint on the cars.

We had lunch at a nearby Taco Bell today. It’s been more than ten years since I ate their tacos. I think it was in Kansas City. My stomach reminded me this afternoon why it’s been so long. Probably it’ll be even longer before I go back, if ever. I doubt that very much of what they serve could be considered healthy food, but I didn’t examine the menu carefully.

We are both set up now to get health information from Kaiser on the Internet and to contact our physicians by email. I’ve been doing this for several years and I find it very helpful. It saves hours of waiting on hold while listening to Muzak type noise, or punching buttons to hear recorded messages. Now I just need to stay healthy over the summer so I can do all the fun things I have planned.

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