There are times that make my heart sing.  It’s the first sentence of one of my poems in my little book “Joan’s Musings.”  This was one of those times.  Last season, Idlewyld had a number of rooms filled with happy young girls and their moms, The girls, Monica, Hannah, Shelby, Sara, Mary and Shayna,,were all sixth graders at St. Matthews School in Gahanna, Ohio.  They were gathered for breakfast and the group was happily chatting.  I pick up on the upbeat conversation.  I find that Dan and I are the happy beneficiaries of a persuasive essay that Monica had given to her class.  She had successfully persuaded the girls, and then their moms, that Lakeside was the best place ever to visit.  Awaiting them at Lakeside would be swimming, shopping and a bed and breakfast with a big porch and lots of chairs.   Monica surely has a future in marketing.  Thank you Monica for reading your most successfully persuasive essay to your class.  You should be extra credit because it produced real results.  Note:  Monica has been a guest since she was a wee one—this was the family’s twelfth year as our guest.  Yes.  My heart sings.

It’s mid-December and we’re into the short dreary days and awaiting the first real snowfall.  It seems we just put the “old house” to bed for the winter and we’re already planning for reopening in the spring.  It does make the winter go fast.  We think we will take a meandering trip to Florida in March, stopping to see friends along the way.  Dan bought a new car in anticipation of a long trip.  We probably could have gotten through another year with the old one, but there is a shiny silver cross-over sitting in the yard.  It has all the modern gadgets that the old one did not.  We may never learn all there is available to us.  Right now, my happiness is with the heated steering wheel. 

Disappearing things.  I recently got an e-mail listing things that will be disappearing from our daily lives, such as the United States Postal Service.  I’m doing my best to help them out right now with this mailing.   And then there’s telephone land lines, checks, newspapers, books, music, television, all  on the brink of extinction.   We are moving at a fast pace into an electronic world.  And, folks, that means most of us are tethered to our iPads, iPhones, etc.  And I ,doing my best to keep up with this trend ,have purchased a subscription to a “hot spot”, if you know what that is.  If you don’t, it’s a gadget that keeps me connected to the internet, and allows others to tap in as well.  So, this summer I can finally say that we have WiFi for our guests.  It does require a password, but at least I’ve taken a step forward that you can appreciate.  We now are living in the i-clouds where our words reside.  It’s not the simple past that I reminisce about frequently.   And lament the loss thereof. 

Other disappearing things.  As usual, I have a box of “your stuff” that you left behind.  A good portion of it is electronic stuff, chargers, connectors and the like.  Based on the previous paragraph, that should be no surprise.  There are some other miscellaneous items, clothing, shoes.  If you have been missing something since last summer and think it may be in my “left behind box,” please contact me.  Whatever is not claimed will go to a charity. 

Attached to this letter is a listing of the pre- and post-season events that are held at Idlewyld.  We hope that one or more of them will appeal to you.  All of them are well attended and offer the opportunity to mingle with interesting and delightful people.   Looking for a special gift for a special person.  One of these weekends may fill that need. 

The newest among the events is a weekend featuring a potpourri of mini classes to be held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday preceding Mother’s Day.  On Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, there will be a watercolor workshop.  And on Saturday, a writers’ workshop led by Jacki Green, my writing guru at Rocky River Senior Center.  We are working on adding to the mix the opportunity to create a memory box that can be given as a gift for a special occasion.   You will be able to view a sample on my website.  For those who would like to stay on and enjoy Mother’s Day at Idlewyld, on Sunday Lakeside offers a delicious buffet brunch at Wesley Lodge.

And, so this, dear friends, is the plan for 2012.  May your days be peaceful, cozy, and filled with wonder.  Enjoy what comes your way.  We’ll see you when warm returns and brings you back to Lakeside. 

Many blessings,

Joan and Dan

P.S.  I just now heard through the grapevine that there will be some really great shows at Hoover this season.  Among them are Vicki Lawrence, John Tesh,, the Osmond Brothers, and a Motown group.  Also something on the Wild Kingdom order and, of course, acrobats.