Joplin Journal Volume 8-11, Issue 1

From the Editor's Desk:

It's November. November 7th to be exact. It seems strange to think it is so late in the year, but at the same time I'm getting excited for Christmas. Even though it really feels as though we just had Christmas. Now that I'm done working at the office I am finding all the things I had forgotten I needed to do. :) I shouldn't have any trouble staying busy.

Weather Report:

It's been warm. Nights in the 50s and days in the mid 70s. Sunny. Leaves coming down in showers. Those earlier days last week when it was cold and rainy are gone. It looks like we'll have sunshine and beautiful weather until the middle of next week.

"Genius Burns":

I've actually written! The other day I even got 1,100 words written! First time since Sept. 8. It is fun to get back into writing, but I'm still kind of slow. I've worked a little on this and a little on that. I did finish one short story. Not sure how I like it, but at least it's done. I really want to get started on the next Woodbreak book. I have a name picked out now, but not the mystery.

Project Prognosis:

I've been making to-do lists again but haven't gotten them all crossed off each day. That's okay. I'm still getting back in to things. Yesterday Sarah and I gave our room a really good cleaning. We cleaned under our beds, cleaned the fan, and cleaned out our closet. All because I was looking for my train whistle. But our room needed it.

KDWC:

The King's Daughters' Writing Camp is going well. We have 8 days left (not counting today) of the official camp left. Ten of the girls have already reached their writing goal. Others are close, and still others are just working. Some of the girls are starting to ask about when we'll have our next camp. The other admins and I haven't discussed it yet. :) We probably should.

Deputy Clerk's Report:

Wow! Crazy! That's what the last two weeks of work were like. We were voting 200 to almost 400 people a day. And that was mostly with just 3 of us as my other co-worker had given herself a concussion and wasn't able to do much besides sit at her desk and answer the phones. She actually fell during work, but thankfully a doctor had just finished voting and was able to make sure she was all right. She was dizzy, and he told her if it didn't go away soon, she needed to go get checked out. She had to get checked out.

I ended up working just over 4 hours overtime in the last week. One night I stayed late with Terri (because Crystal couldn't work late with her concussion) to help her stack the voted ballots in the bottom of the machine so we could fit more in. Another evening we all (except Crystal) had to stay late because the lines to vote were so long that it took us almost an hour past quitting time to get them all voted.

I worked last Friday, but said I couldn't work on Saturday. I was very thankful for the day off!

Election Day:

It was an early morning for me. Dad was actually not working as an election judge because he had sat next to a lady during training who had tested positive for COVID the day after our training. So he was on quarantine. But he was cleared and declared an essential worker to vote people in the hospitals on Election Day. Go figure. :P Anyway, Dad took me to my polling place and we got set up. We had a line when we opened at 6, and it didn't stop until after 9. Then we had lines most of the time or at least had people in the room voting until around 6 PM. For some reason my polling place is busy before 6 PM and then really slow the last hour. We packed up after we closed at 7, took the ballots to the Carthage courthouse, and Dad picked me up there. It was so nice to go home and know I didn't have to go anywhere the next day.

Read Another Page Publishing:

I did get the audio for "Providence Christmas" approved. And my producer is working on "A Crazy, Crowded Christmas."

Adventures with Wildlife:

Thursday Sarah and I got to see some deer up close. They crossed Cox right near our house, trotted up Central and stopped right in front of our living room windows. Then they turned south in the alley, went up into the church yard, crossed it and went south on Mineral.

We've had a lot of bluebirds here. There must be a family of them around. It's so fun to see them at the birdbaths and in the yard.

Sewing Room:

Sarah has sewn the costumes for the girls in the Christmas play. I can't wait to see them dressed up! The boys still have to get their outfits. Some have them, others are still looking.

Sarah is busy with other sewing orders. I don't know what she's working on right now.

Book Nook:

I've read some. Can you believe it? I'm actually reading two books right now. I know, I know, I almost NEVER read two novels at once. But one is on my kindle and if I can read 8 days on my kindle before Nov 14th, I get $5.00 kindle credit. Sounded good to me. :) So I'm reading A Very Bookish Thanksgiving. The other book is the 2nd When Calls the Heart book. I'm enjoying it. I also read Fair in War but didn't enjoy it as much as the other books in the series.

Farewell:

I should go now. I need to get some other things done. Tomorrow I have to go to church early for music practice. Then we have choir right after church. Then the cast of the Christmas play eat lunch and have our first long practice. It should be fun. :D Have a lovely weekend!