Today, December 29, is my parents' wedding anniversary.  They would have been married 68 years.  This day is especially poignant for me this year because my mother passed away this April and this is the first year there isn't at least one of my parents here to celebrate this day.  I remember my Mom always complained about this date for her wedding--following as it does so soon after Christmas, AND after her birthday on December 22.  Here's their wedding photo.  No fancy dress.  No big church.  Just a simple home ceremony as many couples had during WWII.  But, I think they look wonderful.  That's my aunt Chelys as Mom's matron of honor.  She always called my Mom, "Dodo" (short for "Dorothy"). 

I have finished revising my latest Essie Cobb, senior sleuth, mystery.  This one is entitled GHOSTED.  It's my fourth in the Essie series.  This adventure takes place around Halloween and Essie and her pals, Marjorie, Opal, and Fay, are planning on attending a field trip to a haunted house.  Essie is worried as usual because she hates to be away from a bathroom for long and she refuses to wear adult diapers as do some of her fellow residents of the Happy Haven Assisted Living Facility.  However, before she can even sign up for the field trip, Essie begins to experience strange things--she loses track of time, she starts to see large rodents in her bathtub, and--most frightening of all--her deceased husband John begins popping up in unexpected places, such as her daily crossword puzzle, her answering machine, and as a contestant on her favorite game show!  Is she going insane?  Is she becoming senile?  Or is she being haunted?  Essie may be ninety years old, but she's determined to find out what's going on.  Not only that, she happens to tumble on to a possible terrorist living at HH and, of course, Essie being Essie, she has to spy on him.  How will it all end?  Hopefully, not until Essie and her buddies have caused all sorts of havoc and created a great deal of fun for all.

Now that the book is complete, I'm working on final proofing which will be done by my regular editor Erin in January.  Also, Rick will again design a wonderful cover for me just as he did for my three previous Essie mysteries.  So, dear readers, with any luck, we should see GHOSTED out for your enjoyment in the next two or three months!