Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Greetings to all.

This has been a super-busy time for storytellers everywhere, and I am honored to have been out there plying the trade with them. Since October I have been on stage several times a week and have had a blast doing it. I told at several Assisted Living communities, went 'on tour,' to Chapel Hill North Carolina, and many, many more. My favorite was an unscheduled opportunity at the Unity Church here in Johnson City. The church has a ministry to those less fortunate, and I just happened to be talking to two of the members who invited me to tell the following night. ETSU storytelling student from North Dakota, Brenda Morman, was in town for her graduation,so we went together. When we walked in, the church was a riot of kids, gingerbread cookies and frosting. They were making holiday gifts, decorating cookies and getting their faces painted. After pizza, I told a new story I wrote this year and found the response in their faces deeply stirring. One especially touching scene was that of an elderly gentleman leaving the building. A child ran up to him and gave him a hug; the look on that man's face was priceless. When he walked into the night alone, I knew his heart was warmer because of the touch of another human being.

My last gig for 2008 was as featured teller for the Jonesborough Storytelling Guild at the Cranberry Thistle in Jonesborough. The news that day was all bad - bad economy, bad news about crooks in high places, bad, bad, bad. Gayleen Kelley was emcee that night and she asked for a favorite word to share with the audience. Mine was comfort. It seemed that I needed it, so I gave it and in return received it from the audience.

I'm going home for Christmas - off to Florida early in the morning. It will be the first time I have gone home since May! That's way too long to be away from my precious grandson and children. I will close now to finish baking cookies to take with me. Merry Christmas.