Memoir Writing and Even More Exercise

On The Road Again:
I just returned from a visit to Albany, NY, where I experienced yet another whirlwind trip. It always seems that we hit the ground running when we arrive, and we run short on time before we connect with everyone we would like to see. Unfortunately this time, Fred's Aunt Bridget fell and broke her hip just before we were due to arrive to visit with her on Memorial Day. We felt so badly for her, but she looked much better just before we left. She had gone through hip replacement surgery and is hopefully on the mend. She is such a character. She's the tiniest little Italian lady with an amazing sense of humor. She reminds me so much of the elderly mom on The Golden Girls. Our prayers for a speedy recovery are with her every day!

Memoir Writing:
The next two session series is scheduled for June 14 and 21 at Tupelo Bay in Garden City, SC, and plans are still being formulated for a 2011 Memoir Writing Boot Camp Cruise if there is sufficient interest. Information will be forthcoming.

There are people who are reluctant to write their life stories because they are under the impression that they have to include every single detail. Honestly, this is not at all the case!! We all have a right to privacy, and I don't know anyone who has gotten through life without ever making at least one decision that turned out to be not in their best interest. You don't have to divulge details that you are too uncomfortable to share. Writing about them can be a healing experience, and then you can leave those sordid stories on the cutting room floor if you choose. The extent to which you remove the mask and reveal the wrinkles is up to you! The important thing is to capture your memories before it becomes impossible. Start today.......You'll be surprised at the details you will recall.

Exercise:
In a previous post, I promised to begin writing about Great Walks in the Myrtle Beach area. I have compiled a long list, but I started with Garden City Beach. I discovered that if I drive north on Business 17, turn left on Atlantic Ave (Garden City Pancake House is on one corner, Wings/Dunkin' Donuts is on another corner), follow Atlantic all the way to the end, turn left at the traffic light, drive a short distance on N. Waccamaw Drive, and park in the small parking lot directly across the road from Calhoun Drive, I will enjoy immediate access to the beach without having to trudge any major distance, which is helpful if you are loaded down with beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, and reading material. If you aren't planning to sit and watch the waves roll in, you can wear your beach walking shoes and set out in the direction of the Garden City Pier.

It is a twenty minute walk to the pier, and well worth it. At the pier, there is an arcade, a tackle shop, a cafe, and next door is Painter's Ice Cream, where you can treat yourself to an ice cream, well aware of the fact that you'll be walking another twenty minutes to return to your car. The web site www.pieratgardencity.com
indicates that they feature live music during the summer evenings, something I plan to check out. The walk is very pleasant, with the ocean on one side and a variety of condos and beach homes on the other. I never know what I will encounter next at Garden City Beach. One day during the winter, there were horses on the beach. Recently, I saw a woman who carried her beach chair and belongings to her desired location and set up her camp in the sand. I found myself staring at what I thought was a brightly colored hat, but at closer inspection it was a large parrot, adorned with brilliant shades of turquoise, blue and yellow. Until the bird's owner was settled into her beach chair, this bird sat directly on top of her head--even when she returned to her car to retrieve a stand for it to perch on. The sight of this beautiful bird proudly sitting on the stand attracted droves of young children, who were fascinated by the creature. I guess it's never dull at Garden City Beach!

Inspiration:
While in the Albany area this past weekend, I had the privilege of attending Grace Fellowship Church in Latham, NY. Pastor Rex Keener had just started a three part series on Esther, and one of his comments, although he hadn't been able to determine where the quote originated, was "God opens big doors with little hinges." I really loved that, and made sure I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget it. It's true that
so often we don't even realize what's transpiring behind the scenes on our behalf. Pastor Rex said, "Sometimes when it looks like God is nowhere to be found, He is still providentially working." What a blessing to know that He has our backs.......

Until next time, which I hope will be sooner than the monthly pattern I seem to have established, keep laughing, loving, and praying for those in need!