Another New Year's Day

Another New Year's Day and it seems a good day to get back to my blog. Haven't written for a few months. I think I miss the writing group I was in, the motivation. And yet, I often find myself musing about something and wanting to write. As usual on New Year's Day, I spent the day taking my Christmas tree down and putting decorations away: there is a quietness to the task as I take a second look at several small ornaments collected lovingly over the years. Many are gifts from family or friends: there are the two beautifully smocked balls made years ago by a cousin; Santas from a sister; angels from a sister-in-law; several made by school children. All part of the memorabilia of life!

I am reading the latest David Adams Richards book The Lost Highway. I am fascinated by this writer: just what is he getting at? In this, as in his other work, I can see that he hates hypocrites; he despises pseudo-intellectuals; he questions those who glibly dismiss tradition and the Church; he finds strength and compassion and heroism in the everyday, in the little "insignificant" people. And yet, he is able to cast a cold eye on those same everyday folk: they can be morally callous, ignorant, racist, stupid and narrow-minded as well. In this book I am trying to figure out who the narrator is and I've been writing down a few clues as I go along. More later!!