Well, I know I said I’d write about what’s happening … and I’d like to, really … however, all of the plans I wrote about are now up in the air. The first change – we most likely will not be moving into the barn, even after all of that work was done … and the second change – I didn’t have the surgery for the fistula and port as I was supposed to in mid-December, after all. I’ve been waiting for the dust to settle so that I would actually have something to share when I post, but solid details seem to be very elusive right now. Bear with me, please.

There is something else that I can share with you though …

When my kids were homeschooling, I did everything I could to get them to spend time reading. I had one who wasn’t very interested, another one who wouldn’t read any fictions … but loved encyclopedias (!!!), and the other two devoured all of the books I could throw at them. Doug and I were both interested in Science Fiction and Fantasy, and we had a lot of books of that genre in the house. One of our favorite authors was a gentleman named Piers Anthony. He wrote nearly thirty entertaining, and often hilarious, novels about a magical place he called Xanth. He’s also written many other books, and I can assure you that I never read one I didn’t like.

Xanth is a magical place that is actually shaped just like Florida! It does have some remarkable differences, however. If you click on the map to the right, you’ll see a larger version of Xanth. Not only is there an east/west gap across the land, if you look closely, you’ll see that the little island to the south is called “Centaur Isle”. Xanth is a land of magic, interesting characters with special “talents”, and even more puns than you’d hear at a comedians’ convention.

The series was as entertaining for kids as it was for adults, and my daughter Deneen fell in love with Xanth, and tore through each book as soon as it hit the shelves. Earlier this year when Dena and I were visiting, she told me that she had “met” Mr. Anthony online, and that she was communicating with him. I was delighted for her! Imagine striking up a friendship with your favorite author!

Yesterday, Dena messaged me on Skype, and chatted for a few minutes before we exchanged the following:

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Dena: I’d like to be the first to let you know that Doris (you) have been invited to “live” in Xanth

Moof: wOOt! I’d love that!

Dena: [Piers Anthony] TOLD me that it would be a little [while,] but that you are going to go and live in Xanth. Hes going to make you a nice little chunk of land with a HUGE garden and your talent….always seeing the truth.

Moof: You’re kidding me.

Dena: Nope.

Moof: Are you serious?

Dena: I can send you the part of the letter where he told me he would.

I will put Doris in Xanth, with the talent of always seeing the truth. It will be several years before that Xanth novel sees print, however..

Merry Christmas Moof!

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Wow! Now that’s a Christmas gift I’ll never forget! :o)

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