I like ending my Sunday having conversation with you. Someone sent me a note the other day about my Sunday Passages and asked what my writing area looked like. I once sent a familiar letter to Donald Hall author of The Ox Cart Man and my personal favorite, Writing Well. He sent me a handwritten note and described his writing area. He lived in a large farmhouse in Massachusetts with lots of rooms, all devoted to writing. He went on to say that when he awoke in the morning he would decide what kind of writing he would do: poetry?
Children's literature? Essays? He would then go to the appropriate room and write there.

I don't have that luxury at White Picket Gardens, I also like to write in lots of locations, wherever I go. But when I am home, I write on an old oak pub table that I bought from an antique dealer. The table originally was in a pub in England (now, this table surely has lots of stories embedded into the wood!)...I have a red fringe lamp and a candle burning (always a candle burning).
I have an array of books...Roget's Thesaurus, Webster's New Dictionary, my book journal...and lots of other books...ummmm let me see, the Kite Runner, a book by Hal Borland, one my John Moire, Rick Bass, Frances Mayes, Dan Brown...to name a few. I have a handmade pencil holder, a small brass clock and a seashell. Oh, and a cup of tea which grows cold as I write. The wall above my table is full of storytelling posters from the National Storytelling Festival in Jonesboro, Tennessee. We keep great company.

Sometimes I think about all my projects...storytelling, teaching, theatre, writing...if that I could choose one, which would it be? I guess I am fickle, I would have to answer the one that I am pursuing at the time.

It is nice to take these quiet moments tonight...we had a beautiful snowfall in the night...the plow chugged on through the night and my neighbor awakened me with his snowblower. I am not to complain as he always does my walks! I honor his work with a case of Bud Light now and then on his doorstep.

As I look back over the week, the events are a swirling cacophony of events....book club, rehearsals, storytelling in Indianapolis, line dancing classes (every Monday night!). Last week end I watched little Jonah for the week end.
It was the first time I have had him for a whole week end to myself. We had a wonderful time...I kept a journal of all of his words and photographed all of his laughter.

Yesterday was our Princess party at our local library. I was asked to be the Princess (How can you turn an offer down like that???) There were sixty little girls attending all dressed as princesses. I rummaged through my costume boxes...found just the right dress, crown, glitter and bought a blinking emerald necklace (and matching ring!) from Dollar World. The dress was aqua, my tights were purple, and I wore my ballet shoes. I told Princess stories of growing up in England and all the rules of being a Princess (they are tough
rules!!) Following the tea, I walked downtown with my VDay Posters...I guess my town is used to me...no one really questioned the crown or the glitter as I went from shop to shop in the twirling snow passing out posters. Every girl should be a Princess now and again. It is nice to be old enough to do whatever I want and young enough to enjoy it!

Today was another three hour rehearsal...we did an interview for the local paper, wrote BIOS for our programs, and rehearsed at the First Congregational Church. The show is going to be wonderful...I knew it would be. We have all become friends...we share stories...we laugh..we are becoming a company of actresses as well as becoming friends. I invite you to Angola for the show, February 25, 8:00!

Valentine's Day. I love Valentine's Day. I have a sparkly red dress for the day and my Valentine's in the mail to those I love. I will spend the evening at Rachael's coffeeshop for our VDay board meeting, but will be entertained by a young harpist and surrounded by couples sharing lattes.

If you are fortunate enough to have a sweetheart, do something wonderful on that day! Maybe just a note tucked into a lunch or a briefcase.......

Until next week..Happy Valentine's Day....
.......tell stories....listen to stories....be story.

Love to all, Lou Ann

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