Chatham Books & author Linda Hamlett Childress

Well, I did finally get Miss Sadie Mae's picture posted, after 3 tries. Whew!

Last Thursday, Becky Mushko (AKA Ida B. Peevish) drove us in her PT Cruiser to Chatham so we could visit the Chatham Book Store on Main Street and meet author Linda Hamlett Childress. Linda's first book, A Tobacco Farmer's Daughter, is a collection of childhood memories. Linda has now written Rural Route 2, which she calls a collection of stories from a more adult perspective.

Linda was delightful! She chatted with folks, some of whom were related to her family, mentioned her brother-in-law who was tasked with hauling in two boxes of her books, and visited with Bill, who was managing the bookstore, and April, who calmly sold books and answered questions.

Linda signed the books everyone bought, and even bought a copy of MY book, When Men Move to the Basement when she saw the cover and read the title.

Linda read a short excerpt from Rural Route 2 about an elderly neighbor, Aunt Arves, who is 100 years old, lives alone, and doles out some very commonsense advice to Linda. She also kept insisting Linda finish her book, knowing Linda's job as a dental hygienist in Roanoke as well as her continuing education, kept her more than busy.

Linda mentions in the foreward of Rural Route 2 that her first book "helped her find her way back to her family."

Linda Hamlett Childress can be reached through: http://www.tobaccofarmersdaughter.com

Trying to post picture of Miss Sadie Mae

Obviously, I am still technologically challenged...thought I'd gotten her picture up, but nada. Will keep trying.

She's sleeping at my feet right now, where she's been most of the afternoon. I had to vacuum, and she had no problem with the noise of the machine, just dropped into her little bed, propped her chin on the side, and watched me.

I'll take her in to choir practice tonight & show her off to everybody there. I have a promise of Katie, 9 year old daughter of our music director, to puppy sit. Good thing! We rehearse on the top floor, so there are lots of steps to climb every time Miss Sadie Mae takes a notion...

New Puppy

This is being written with serious sleep deprivation...yes, new puppy objected to being put into her crate last night after being free to romp and play and eat up until her (my) bedtime.

She objected with whimpering, whining, even soft little growls. But I'm the leader of this pack, so I would not remove her from her crate except when it appeared she was in a bit of distress & truly NEEDED to go outside. She of course is sleeping soundly in her little round bed on the floor beside me today, and I should remember the advice my Mom gave me when my babies were born...every time the baby sleeps, YOU take a nap.

Yes, Becky, I've decided on a name. She's Miss Sadie. I figured with a mom Bichon Frisse named Miss Stardust, and a dad Yorkie named Chester, she has a bit of class but also some common folk DNA. She herself is a YOCHON, according to the breeder in Hillsville, a corruption of Yorkie & Bichon. She only weighs ounces at this point but is supposed to max out at 7 pounds, if that.

I will post pictures soon. Dick's pix were taken from too high an angle to show her darling little face, so once he gets home from endless errands, we'll take some more.

About Me

I am a new blogger and an author of a book of humorous essays, When Men Move to the Basement.

In 1980, I married Master Maine Guide Dick Higgins and moved with him from California to northern rural Maine, just a few miles from the town that originally inspired the TV show, Northern Exposure. After nearly 20 years, we retired together to southwest Virginia, where I began writing and performing humorous essays describing the culture shock of that 3,000 mile move and the further acclimation to retirement.

Now we live on the Blackwater River in Franklin County, Virginia. I am a member of Lake Writers and the Virginia Writers Club.