Hello February!

Weekend Coffee Share February 2, 2019

Good morning, Everyone. I got an early start on this very cold Groundhog’s Day. Although the popular Punxsutawney Phil and locals Malverne Mel, Holbrook Hal, and Staten Island Chuck are less than 40% accurate, I am compelled to follow them for the sake of Kindergarten projects. I’m hopeful for an early spring.

If we were having coffee together, I would tell you that these past few weeks have been stressful. For many years, my husband has been suffering from back pain that has robbed his mobility, strength, and independence. He had a spinal fusion a week ago. The surgeons cleaned out scar tissue, rebuilt discs and placed an amazing array of hardware. Because I am squeamish when hearing gory details and looking at scars and X-rays, I am taking the surgeon’s and Matt’s words that everything that needed to get done was done well. Matt was home within six days. He is improving steadily, and we are hopeful he will only get better. In addition to this drama, I had been distracted by mine and other family members health issues, all of which are resolving.  

If we were having coffee together, I would report that I went to Florida last weekend while Matt was in the hospital (my daughter and sister-n-law keep an eye on him). I took off with my sisters, cousin, and parents to Aunt Tosca’s 25th Birthday Anniversary Celebration–an event that has been occurring every five years for some time now. Aunt Tosca is now 90 years young, a vibrant matriarch who looks over her family with unconditional kindness and love. Her children put together a lovely party for relations and friends. People came from all corners of the country. As my dad and I marveled at the people who are weaved within our life stories, I commented on how I have come to realize that this is not everyone’s normal. Not everyone has a connecting tribe. Dad added that everyone comes into hard times, and unkind words are uttered, but this family, our family, lets it go because, as Aunt Tosca claims, we are family and there is nothing more important than to love family. I am truly blessed. It was a great party. When the next Aunt Tosca’s 25th Birthday Anniversary Celebration is planned in five years, Matt will come with me.

If we were having coffee together, I would announce that The Writers’ Dream interview with Joe Santriano is on The Writer’s Dream YouTube channel. I am not sure if it posted this week or last week—the days have been muddled. I think the interview went well. What do you think?  I am also announcing that I was accepted to present my Journaling the Journey Workshop for the Patchogue-Medford School district. It will be an eight-week night class starting in March. This will be an excellent way to work out the syllabus details. I am excited to get this project off the ground.

Although I had planned to host a Fun and Games blog fest for February, the universe had other plans. Time and attention slipped away. I need to recover and review priorities. I also need to prepare for my workshop and get a head start on the 2019 A-Z Challenge (I am still working out the theme). So blogging about play will have to wait until May-ish. While we thaw from this deep freeze, think about your favorite childhood games. I would love to post them on Stories Served Around The Table.

It’s a clean sweep! Punxsutawney Phil, Malverne Mel, Staten Island Chuck, and my neighbor, Holtsville Hal did not see their shadows predicting an early spring. Happy Groundhog’s Day, Everyone.  

Once again, thank you, Eclectic Alli for managing Weekend Coffee Share.

Have a good 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.

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