Good Morning, Everyone.
Grab your coffee because here we are, once again, for another #Weekend Coffee Share.
I’ll first get the sad news out in the open–summer 2018 is officially over. It was hot, extremely humid (my hair will need months to recover), overly blustery, and marred with rust-tide (worse than red-tide) and zucchini fungus, but it was summer–the fun-est season of the year. Autumn does promise sailing afternoons until at least the end of October. In my mind, summer isn’t over until the first frost.
In other boat news, Matt and my dad launched the Power Cat. Repairs are underway to address a few pesky engine problems. As soon as everything is ship-shaped, the boat will officially be FOR SALE.
If we were having coffee together, I’d tell you that my dear friend, Melinda, stayed with Matt and me for a few days. Melinda is one of the three writer pals in my writer’s group. Since Jackie moved upstate in July, Melinda and I became the halves of the group. Melinda had packed up her Long Island apartment and coordinated a move to North Carolina (close to her daughter and out of hurricane range). She undertook a monumental task to close accounts, clear out rooms and a garage, and sort through papers and her writing. All I could do was offer her respite before she packed her car and drove away. It was nice, yet bittersweet, to spend a few evenings sharing dinners, sipping wine and talking about everything. On Wednesday, a school holiday, Matt and I took Melinda on her first sailboat ride. We hugged goodbye on Friday morning, wishing her safe travels and joy. I am going to miss Melinda–my clear sounding board for writing advice and kind friendship. We will keep in close touch. Jackie and I are scheming a visit.
Do you have time for another cup? While we are talking about writing, I can mention that I will be attending a new writers’ group on Monday night. We’ll see how it works out.
In other writing news, I am putting together a workshop titled Journaling the Journey. For most of my remembered life, I have been journaling in one form or another. It has allowed me to chronical and clarify my every day, paced me through challenges, and saved my sanity in crises. I have learned volumes about people, perspectives, and myself through journaling. My book, Hug Everyone You Know, was born from journaling through the first cancer year. My workshop will provide others the nuts and bolts to journal and begin a journey of discovery.
I must get the day going.This weekend includes home and yard chores (sigh)and preping next week’s school plans.Thank you, as always, Eclectic Alli for managing Weekend Coffee Share.
Have a good weekend and week, Everyone. Make it great.
Antoinette Truglio Martin is the author of Hug Everyone You Know: A Year of Community, Courage, and Cancer. The memoir is a wimpy patient’s journey through her first year of breast cancer treatment.
Stories Served 
Hope your Monday night writer’s group goes well.
Journaling can be so powerful. I used to journal all the time, but got away from it. I think that it is great that you created a book out of it, and what a great title, “Hug Everyone You Know.”
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This certainly is a sad time of year if you’re a boater. We never put ours in the water this year, again. 😦 I don’t know if we’ll keep it or not. Glad to hear you had such a nice visit.. Have a great week and thank you for the coffee!
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I cannot imagine my life without a boat but managing 5 has become too overwhelming and silly. Thank you for the comment.
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Best wishes on the writing group!
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I agree. Summer is not over until the first frost — no mater what the Equinox says. Good luck with your new writing group. Please keep us posted.
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So its Monday……
~B
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Hi Antoinette. So – it sounds like the worst part of the storm missed you – thankfully. I thought of you often as news of North Carolina reached me. I spent one summer working in Charlotte and not a mention of it passes me with my being reminded of how friendly everyone was to me there. We almost moved there to follow that job, but that was 16 years ago now. My how time flies. it’s always nice to share some virtual coffee with you. Blessings
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That sounds like a good week. Saying goodbye to friends, even if just temporarily, can be bittersweet, but how wonderful that you got to spend some quality time together before your friend moved.
I was very god at journaling for 15+ years, but then I think I became too good at it. My life had so much things going in, a great time for journaling for sure, but I feared that someone would find my journals. I burned them, and after that blogging is the closest to journaling I’ve come.
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