A special video and a Thanksgiving album

Nature's Wonders! This is the link to a 30-second video that Maddie made for me. She let me choose the pictures and music, and she gave me credit as co-producer. I just watched her put it together. Remember, folks, she's just eleven, a wonderful example of why they call it the tween age. One minute she romps with her cousins, six and under; the next she's lulling them to sleep; then she's at the computer or has her nose buried in a fairly sophisticated book. Such fun to watch and be with.
For those who are interested, an album of the Alter Thanksgiving 2010:

Cousins!

 Maddie and Kegan

Megan and Colin checking the turkey

To turkeys--the birds, not the people, and their cooks. Megan did a traditional roast and Brandon fried his bird.

Grandkids at the "kids" table

Me with two of my beautiful girls

Hope everyone had a great and grateful Thanksgiving.

Changing Faces

The picture is small but maybe you noticed that I changed my profile picture on the blog. The one I've used is a favorite of my kids, with me in a western-style dress left from my active days in Western Writers of America. But it's old--15 years at least, probably more like 20, and I have to admit to having aged a bit in that time. The new picture shows me in my favorite role--as Juju, the grandmother. It was taken in May 2008 when all the kids came home (maybe Mother's Day?). They had come home to have all the grandbabies dedicated at my church (the Christian Church/Disciples of Christ does not baptize infants but dedicates them to Christ, which eally amounts to asking parents to pledge to raise them in a Christian home; then when a child is about 12, he or she can attend Pastor's Class in preparation for baptism, which is a full dunk; Megan once at an older age wanted to join the church but didn't want to be dunked--a old friend of mine said, "Just lie, honey. God won't care!"). Since only one of my children is a member of the church, we couldn't have the dedication in the sanctuary during a service, but two of the ministers kindly arranged a private ceremony in the chapel. Lots of my friends came and, of course, afterward I hosted a luncheon (never miss a chance for a party is my motto). After the guests left, the kids were packing up cars. I can't remember why, but it was a long, involved process, so my job was to sit on the porch and hold three-week-old Kegan, Colin and Lisa's son and the youngest of my grandchildren. (Kegan will be three in early April--times does fly as they say). I was most content and so, obviously, was Kegan. I liked the picture, and I also liked the picture of my brother and me taken at the same time, so I'm posting it here. I think it's good to change your image once in a while.
Cold, nasty, rainy day here today. I worked all morning, went to lunch at the Black-Eyed Pea for a veggie plate--pure down-home comfort--and spent much of the afternoon at the office. The end result was that I didn't get my nap until 5:30 because I was trying to tie up odds and ends on my desk. Jordan called a bit after five and I told her I hadn't had my nap yet. She asked if it wasn't a little late for a nap and I said no, by gosh, I'm going to get my nap. I slept until 6:45, had a late cold supper, and now must get to work.

The holiday season

I thought I'd post a couple more Thanksgiving pictures, since they were all such fun. One is what a hayride looks like with everyone piled on the flatbed, another is just a funny one of Jacob. I may post one of each branch of my family over the next few days.

Bone-weary is how I'd describe myself tonight. Our TCU Press Annual Autograph Party was tonight--I suspect we had 150 people at the Botanic Garden to buy books and hear a program where Jeff Guinn, famed for his "Evening with" programs, interviewed his friend and our author Michael Barson about his new book, True West: An Illustrated Guide to the Heyday of the Western. About 15 other authors were also there to sign their books. Book sales were brisk, I'm told, and the bookstore provided scrumptious trays of cheese and fruit; we provided wine. Everyone had a good time, even authors who didn't sign many books. For me it's about two hours on my feet, and my feet hurt when I got home--those same black shoes again! But it's also a time to greet lots of people I know and some I don't', like the lady who came up to me and said, "I'm a real fan of yours!" Made my day! I do know the authors, and each of them was someone I was glad to see again. Everyone went away in a happy mood--a bit of early Christmas cheer.

So tomorrow I'll get up and prepare for my annual Christmas party--the freezer is full of cookies and cake, which I'll take out tonight; last night I put the cheeseball and sausage balls in the fridge to defrost; the wine is bought; the dips are in the fridge, with only one easy one to put together at the last minute. I think I have everything under control so I can be semi-lazy tomorrow, make sure bathrooms are clean and all that. The party is extraordinarily early--5 p.m., which I did so folks could go on to other parties. Seems like half the people I invited can't come, but no problem--we'll have a good time and more chance to visit. Then the pressure is off, though I still have packages to wrap and so on.

I read an interesting line today in a manuscript I'm evaluating, written by a woman who recently retired. She viewed retirement as answering the question, "Who am I if I'm not working?" It's the question that haunts me. Sure I'll tell you that being a mom and grandmom are my most important roles, but I don't think it would be fair to the children and grandchildren involved to rely on them to define my life. And I like my work (most of the time--and especially times like tonight), so I continue to work. I have this vague fear that the first day of retirement I would wake up and thinkg, "Omigosh, what am I going to do today?" I'm getting better at piddling, but I sure haven't mastered it yet. Nope, bone-weary or not, I'm not ready for retirement.