It's hard to know what to say when I don't know who will be reading this and what I will want to write about, but I've put off starting long enough.

I think it's significant that I'm starting this blog while I seem to be entering a new stage in my life:

• I thought I would be in a new job by now; I am still looking for one.
• Danny and Lance are moving to Seattle next week. We've been OK with an empty nest for the past 7 years; having an "empty town" now will be a different matter.
• Dad's health continues to deteriorate, and we are in the process of moving him from assisted living to a "skilled nursing facility."
• Phil has begun to consider the possibility of retiring. I have more than 10 years before I'm retirement age, but I seem be in forced retirement as long as I'm unemployed.
  
• I keep reading that we're heading into an economic depression.

I'm starting this blog because I love to write. Putting my thoughts into words helps me focus on them and make sense of them. As of now, I expect to write about my interests: family, home, food, gardening, human nature, politics and religion if I'm brave enough, and much more. (See my home page for more clues.)

I will continue to keep most of my family history information on its own site, which I am moving to LaurelRoots. com now that I've finally been able to purchase that domain.

I welcome anyone who is interested to follow along as I find out what this new part of my life holds.