Reading, Writing, and Rain

The first cup of Folgers is always the best. I like the fragrance of fresh-brewed coffee as well as I like the taste. Rain drips steadily from the eaves. The morning is dark and damp. It would be a good morning to go back to sleep except I have things to do and once I’m up, I’m up. No more snoozing.

For some reason, I let most of yesterday go by without realizing it was Constitution Day. Forever changing the world, 227 years ago, thirty-nine men who pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors signed a document that forged a new Nation, bringing hope, freedom, and independence to future millions. The Constitution is the bedrock, the foundation upon which our country is built. We should know what it says and demand that our leaders follow it.

Yesterday was also the day when the cozy critters came to share their news and views on writing, reading, and all things literary (and a few things that aren’t.) Helen read two of her inspirational pieces from The Vision. She also brought copies of two as yet unpublished writings which we critiqued, “Hair with an Attitude” and a thoughtful piece about letting go of a child’s dreams.

Jane read another rollicking reminiscence about her childhood in Mena, Arkansas, “Watching People Go By.” This one article contained lots of potential stories. It was neat to hear about a time that has passed but is being kept alive by Jane’s writings.

Peg has been reading, as she always does, but she is getting impatient with her favorite authors. I should say, with the publishers of her favorite authors’ books. Peg has read all of them that are in print and would like more, please! What a compliment for a writer.

And I? Well, I read a very old inspirational piece printed by The Gem years ago, called “God’s Garden.” And, I shared with them the three proposed cover pictures for The Cemetery Club, Grave Shift, and Best Left Buried. Those covers will soon be ready to see the light of day and I’ll share them with my readers too.

Cookies and coffee laced with laughter made the day sunny inside as well as out. The rain held off until long after the critique had passed, and then it cut loose. A bit of thunder and lightning was a fitting fanfare to a most satisfactory day.