The most wonderful ladies from the AARP magazine came to Asheville to meet and interview me and tape the interview. Then we drove about, seeing a bit of the Asheville area, enjoyed lunch together, and did some shopping. These ladies could not have been warmer or more interested in the Ladies of Covington. If all goes as planned, there will be an overall article about shared or co-housing, a lifestyle that Grace, Hannah, and Amelia have been enjoying for many years and a sidebar about the ladies and myself.

This interview came about through the kindness and caring of an old and dear friend from Boca Raton, who works for ARRP in Washington DC. Judy Fink brought my work to the attention of Karen Reyes, and I will be grateful to her and to Karen forever.

If all goes as planned, the article will appear in the July/August issue of the AARP Magazine, which will be in your hands in late May or early June. The interview can be heard about the same time on Prime Time Radio AARPs weekly radio program focusing on issues that concern people 50 and over. See radioprimetime.org.

Thank you, thank you, Judy, Karen, and Janelle.

In early April An Unexpected Family a mother’s day ladies’ novel in which Amelia, bless her, finally has a change to get a family of her own, will be in bookstores. Order yours now!

It is February, therefore it must be almost March. March means spring is on the way, isn’t that right? I sincerely hope that you are not among those deluged by snow and possibly without power. In 1993, the mother of all storms swept through this area and we had no power for five cold, miserable days. I have never been so cold, and I am more afraid of winter now that I ever was. We have installed not one but two gas fireplaces in one room so that more are prepared for any eventuality. But are we ever really prepared, I wonder? A bitter winter comes as a shock and jolt to our systems. What is this? we ask. Will it ever end? They tell me, yes, it will end. It always does. Do I believe it? Not when I am shivering, I don’t.

Both Grace and I have an a great interest in climate change and weather patterns. Brian Fagan has written a book, if any of you have this interest, that you might like to read. Grace is reading it and so am I. It is called The Long Summer and deals with climate changes that have affected mankind though the millennia, ice ages and solar warming that have come and gone across the face of this planet. Another book of the same nature by the same author is The Little Ice Age 1350 to1850 and how civilization was affected. Amelia pointed out to me the other day that in the famous painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, there is ice in the river. Had you noticed? That was the result of an intensely cold period in America. It’s amazing that General Washington was able to go on fighting and win that war. Napoleon lost his battle in Russia because of the fierce and bitter cold of the little ice age.

email: jmedlicott@mindspring.com

web: http://www.joanmedlicott.com