His Eye is on the Sparrow

As is my morning ritual, last Tuesday I walked to the upstairs rear window to look out and check the weather. Approaching the window, the horn on the neighbor's car honked once. There was nobody in the car. I stepped closer to the window to see what was happening and a little brown sparrow flew up and landed on the white pine tree branch two feet away. The tiny brown sparrow looked me in the eyes, chirped once and the presence of my niece Kelly instantly filled my being. I knew instantly and certainly that Kelly had died. I looked at the clock. It read 7:29 a.m. A half hour later Sister Joyce called to tell me what I already knew. Beloved Kelly Meier Culhane, daughter, niece, sister, wife, mother... after a heroic three-year struggle against cancer, had started on her new journey. Four days later I'm still stunned, and incredibly humbled, humbled to tears and grief, that one of her first stops on her new and irrevocable path was to say goodbye to her old Uncle Muk. From the bottom of my sad, sad heart, I say, "Thank you Kelly and God speed."

CHOICES

Last night, wandering around Sam's Club trying to find out where Mary had disappeared to, I came alongside a no-nonsense looking mother and her two 14-ish daughters having an animated discussion as they wheeled their one-item cart toward the check-out.

"Mom! I can't believe you're choosing TP over me! I'm your daughter! Don't you LOVE me?"

"Honey I love you. Yes I do. But tonight I'd rather have toilet paper in the house than school supplies."

Sweet. Way to go Mom.

NEW SAVAGE PRESS TITLE

Journey Into Joy, Duluth, Minnesota author Jill Downs' second book is going to launch November 11th at 5:00 p.m. with a party at the Bookstore at Fitgers. Wine, juice, cheese, crackers, and fun. Or as the Irish would say, craic! Jill's book is autobiography describing her idyllic youth, struggle with alcohol, soul rending kundilini experience, and her journey to a joy filled life. Part New Age, part Minnesota biography, all good.

PS: Writing Raised by Savages tripped me and I fell into a deep dark hole, so I've set it aside for a bit. Pony Girl is being read by a second reader...waiting...waiting. The first reader liked it.

First Draft Done

Finished the first draft of the new Davecki novel last week. 114,000 words and 100 chapters. My goal to write two bad books a year is half achieved. It was a wild ride. Went places I never expected. Almost like wandering around backroads on a motorcycle, a new sight around every corner. Now, on to Raised by Savages the second draft.

New Davecki Novel

Chapter 18 of a new Dave Davecki novel is done.

Irish Weather

Interesting factoids about Ireland:

1.) For four days here in Cottage 10 it was warmer inside the refrigerator than in the living room.

2.) The shipyards in Belfast produced 22,000 ships in the four years of WWII.

3.) There are a lot of Savages in County Down. A lot. Most of them are dead.

4.) I've come up with a rather plausible epitataph for my gravestone: "He was widely tolerated by many and barely tolerated by those who knew him well."

5.) Ireland's surface area is smaller than Lake Superior, not by much, but certifiably fewer hectares in Ireland than on the Big Lake.

6.) Ireland's water table is predominantly above ground, residing mostly above ground and between the low gray clouds scudding past off the ocean at 600 feet.

7.) Irish pastries are damn near worth moving here. Not grossly sweet, delicate, deserving.