madameblogalot

I’ve never really submitted anything for publication. But my sister, who is getting pretty well published, encouraged me to submit some poetry for an online site which will likely become a publication. She has had several things accepted. I have submitted three poems on the subjects. One was rejected because of the format (it is a shape poem and would not fit their template.) One other is said to have some potential! The editor liked my approach and has encouraged me to work on it a bit and then resubmit it. I am thrilled that it was not a total rejection!

My great-grandparents lived in Bordentown, New Jersey. That was a different world to us. They had a very cool house because the whole upstairs was one big room. I remember playing up there and I remember scooting down the stairs on our bottoms. My great-grandmother always had those orange slice candies stashed away to share with us!

The last time I visited my great-grandmother and her house was on Sept. 11, 2001. We had planned a family trip to the D.C. area. That was quickly cut short. We did not really know or understand what all was going on. The kids were so small so we did not turn on the radio; we did not want to scare them. Since we did not know what to do, we did not feel safe turning around and driving back to Texas from D.C. just then. My dad decided that we were close enough to his grandmother we would just head there and spend the night and decide what to do.

In spite of all the tragedy and fear we went through at that time, I am grateful that I got to see my great-grandmother one last time. I am glad my kids had a good time playing Indians in her front yard. (I even remember the names they made up for themselves-Singing Bird and Lone Wolf-very fitting!)

When my grandmother died, her house was sold. I almost thought I would like to have bought that house and moved up there, even though we were not looking for 
New Jersey Jobs at the time. I know that it would have been hard for my husband and I to acclimate to that. At any rate, I am glad that I have those memories.