Barbara J. Hamby

Welcome, October

October is here, the month of crisp apples, cider, donuts, and candy corn. I saw candy corn in a grocery ad and tried to remember how long it had been since I’d eaten any. Maybe I should make up for that this year.

Our October 1st came to us with unbelievable weather. I sat outside on the deck and tried to use my laptop, but the umbrella wouldn’t shade the right area to make the screen readable. So I left the sliding door open and sat just inside, at the table we placed there for Floyd’s jigsaw puzzles. He picked one up at the library this weekend, but hasn’t started it yet.

While he played golf this afternoon, I edited some of my memoir stories. Yesterday I read and edited several stories also.

A couple of days ago I hired a gal to do heavy housework for us twice a month, or more if necessary. I hope she works out. She loves to talk, so we plan not to be here while she’s cleaning. She has a form of Parkinson’s disease, but doesn’t show any symptoms and looks younger than her age that she says is pushing sixty. She did seem to be very health conscious and eager to give advice about how to eat, avoiding chlorine, etc.

Help with the housework will give me more time and energy for swimming and arthritis exercises to keep my joints active. I went to the pool and did my routine again tonight. I feel so much better when I return and I sleep like a baby (one without colic, that is.) Neither of mine slept that well as young infants.

I’m now about two-thirds of the way through Jean Auel’s Shelters of Stone. I shall continue to persevere to the end. I can only imagine the dedication it takes to write the books she does.