What a month! How many of you have been through a hurricane? You have now if you were in Sarasota, Manatee, or Charlotte counties this month. In fact, you’ve been through two major hurricanes. Our hearts go out to those who were adversely affected by the storms. One of our own, Dennis Cathcart, suffered severe damage to his business. Most of the structures at the nursery were ruined and unusable. We send our best wishes and prayers to the Cathcart family and all who have sustained damages. Dennis is a real trooper and did attend this meeting.
With the storm bearing down on us, we faced the dilemma of whether to ride out the storm in our homes, evacuate to a shelter, or evacuate the area altogether. For those who chose to leave the area, most reported positive results as they took up temporary residence in different areas of the state. Local shelters opened early and provided semi-comfortable lodging. Amid the terrors of riding out the storm, the sounds were reported to be terrifying. Wind howling around our homes, bumps and thumps from unknown objects crashing against the roof or walls, sometimes even windows. The wind-driven rain raked the shuttered windows, and the wail of wind screeching around the corners elicited thoughts of Hollywood-created storms with always disastrous climaxes. Then came the eerie part.
The wind and rain stopped suddenly. It was calm and quiet; darkness hid the chaos around us, and we dared to peek outside. Leaves, twigs, branches, and substantial limbs ripped from trunks of mighty trees littered the landscape. But it was still, oh so still, not even a breeze drifted across the debris. How long would it last? The eye of the storm was upon us. What we had endured before still awaited us, with the back half of the screaming monster still to come. Listen, a low roar, a rumble of its approach began to build. We were about to face part two of Milton. We looked back to the previous week when a storm named Helene tried to drown us in waves of rain and a surge of salt water rushing across our shores. In ancient times, people would take these storms as omens, as attempts by the Gods to punish or warn us of things to come. Hummm…
Not only was Dennis Cathcart present at the meeting, but he also brought an essay entitled Life’s Lottery to read. The piece’s theme can be summed up in an excerpt from the essay. “We dream of riches we could have. Meanwhile, most of us overlook the riches we already possess. We ponder what we could do with the mass of dollars the Lottery could provide if we were that one in a hundred million lucky enough to win but fail to see the beauty of what we have in the love of our families, a safe and sound place to live, even the simplest of things we take for granted every day. As an old TV personality used to say, “WAKE UP, AMERICA!”
As Don Westerfield took the floor, handing out sheets of paper inscribed with typewritten words in stanzas, I knew we were about to hear some poignant poetry. As our senior statesman, Don’s work has inspired us many times. Having retired from the US Air Force, his service extended from the days of gasoline and propeller-driven aircraft to supersonic jet planes flown by dare-devil pilots. Don enjoys airplanes, which is shown in his work, Up There. Looking upward today, I see contrails of mighty aircraft etched upon the bluest skies. Indeed, these are the speeding arrows of the poem. The second offering, entitled The Runner, takes on an eerie meeting with a runner on a lonely road late on October eve. The runner tells of a time long past or yet to come when payback for all in life is due.
Continuing the saga of I Am a Soldier First and Always, our own James H. Kelly tells of the younger sons of Tremain MacKenzie as they watch the actions of the German military in the year before 1918. Jim’s story, Advance the Line, tells of the German Navy’s attack on Atlantic shipping and putting German soldiers in Mexico to advise and train the Mexican military. However, the American army began to train a modern tank corps under the command of General ‘Black Jack’ Pershing and his subordinate, Major George Patton. The MacKenzie boys watch and wait as they attend their Military academy in New England.
Research is paramount to writing essays. Bruce Haedrich sets an example by delving into the past to find data linked to his theory. Is it possible that eighth-grade graduates of 1889 were better educated than today’s high school graduates? With today’s technology, we would think not. Does knowing how to operate a computer make an individual smarter? Maybe it allows today’s students to get the correct answer quicker even though they possess less knowledge.
Writers sometimes take an alternate course when it comes to telling a story. The same thing happens when we listen to a reading. Our brains can play tricks on us, as it did with me as I listened to Anne Moore read tonight. I caught a phone call from my Granddaughter and missed the readings except for these phrases. 1. “The Cows are alright”; and 2. “How did you stay so Calm?” Both are enticing me to learn more, but that’s just another reminder to Turn Off That Damned Phone during the meeting. Anne, I’M SORRY, please give me a copy of these pieces at the next meeting.
Ernie Ovitz is writing the Blurbs for his Trilogy, Imperium. He read each blurb and asked for input on how he might change them to be more appealing. He received numerous suggestions. After all, this is a group designed to help.
A memoir is a personal story, and Nancy Old tells a tale of interesting characters and family, each of whom has had some influence on her life or outlook. Take, for instance, Buster Brown. Always in some sort of trouble, he blamed his woes on demons. His demons lived, for the most part, in bottles and came out once the seal was broken and the liquid demon inside was swallowed by Buster himself. Mr. McLary also visited those demons. Mike Fix hailed from West Virginia. Mike was a worker. He raised Black Angus Cows and built a bridge across the stream nearby. But hard times drove Mike away. It was of little matter, as their problems already taught Nancy a lesson, even though it was at some expense.
If you write and want to be among fellow writers, you can join us at the Nokomis Fire House at our next meeting on Nov. 6th, 2024. We call to order at 6:30 PM. The holidays loom on the horizon, and as usual, we wish to donate to the Nokomis Fire Department. It is a volunteer department, and can use our help year-round. Our group does not charge a fee to attend, but during the holidays, and on the 4th of July, we take up a collection to give to the firehouse. Please plan to provide generous donations as they allow us to use the meeting hall free of charge. Thanks in advance.
Until then, please READ, READ, and READ SOME MORE, then Write and KEEP ON WRITING.
