Much has been happening with and to the ladies of Covington.

Grace has been chastised by her doctor. Lately, her pre breakfast blood sugar is around 150, up from124, which Grace has maintained for years. Grace fell off the wagon, so to speak, since she discovered the pleasure of scones with a cup of tea. The scones must be limited or they have to go, her doctor said.

Amelia tore a ligament in her right wrist and is in a half cast, which precludes using her camera. She is disgruntled and sometimes depressed at the forced inactivity and complains of getting fat, since she’s not out walking in the woods and climbing hills for the best view to photograph. The compensation is that Miriam and Sadie, Amelia’s unexpected and much loved family, whom most of you have met or will soon meet in my new novel [ in bookstores now: An Unexpected Family ]. They live close by in Covington, and it looks as if there will be another wedding, Miriam and Ben, some time soon.

Hannah is content and feels great. Soon she will begin her gardening class at Caster Elementary School and will soon have the assistance of twenty girls and boys on Saturdays at Belle’s Park. They plan to revamp the children’s garden this year, put in additional arbors with a variety of flowering vines, Mandevilla and Cematis included, and a Koi pond. She and Max are happy and have settled into a pleasant routine. They are planning a weekend away at the beach. The coasts of North and South Carolina are no more than an easy days drive from Covington.

Meet Jessie Jones, my friend, fellow red hatter, fellow writers group member, and marvelous author of funny, delightful plays. Jessie’s plays include Dearly Beloved and Christmas Belles, currently in 53 theaters around the country. This September her new play The Dixie Swim Club will have its world premier in Wilson, NC and in November another new play Southern Hospitality premiers at the Asheville Community Theater in Asheville. If you live where one is playing, don’t miss it. You will laugh a lot and thoroughly enjoy yourself. See her website at joneshopewooten .com

A little early to be thinking about 2008? It takes a long time to plan a convention. Western North Carolina Red Hat Chapters will host the State convention in Asheville in 2008. We hope to see many of you from our State and from neighboring States, or any State. I hope to give a talk, probably informal as at a tea and help in some other way as well. The conference dates are November 7, 8 and 9th 2008 at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Asheville. When it comes out next year, I will post the registration form in this newsletter.

An Unexpected Family is now in bookstores and on Amazon and Barnes and Noble web sites. Enjoy!

I wish you a Happy Easter or Passover.

email: jmedlicott@mindspring.com

web: http://www.joanmedlicott.com