My Take
DiVoran Lites
September 22, 1983
To answer your letter of 9-15-83, my goodness, that’s quite a while ago. Yes, we will probably buy one of those genealogy books. Ruth says I should send our pictures even though they should have been sent sooner.
It’s so good to be home. Everything was where I left it, and the house was clean. Even though the yard was good, it wasn’t great like Dad keeps it.
Yes, we had a good time as we all did last year when you came for the summer. I loved the printing and the church circle in the ladies homes, going to church in town, and visiting with my sister Judy who came for a week. She enjoyed it too. My friend Pauline who comes every year with her husband, came later, which made less strain of too many people to look after. Pauline likes to go off the island on Saturdays and buy children’s clothes at garage sales to take home to the children at an orphanage.
Ol Jake was here, but he brought his brother this year, and they cooked for themselves, so we didn’t have to feed anybody else. When you were here, you asked your Dad if you could go out on the boat with him, and he said no because he didn’t want his daughter to hear Jake’s constant, colorful language.
Smithy’s wife doesn’t can food as so many on the island do, so she has more time for things she likes to do, such as her Avon cosmetic door-to-door business. I remember that you asked if you could go into the little house trailer full of products to look around. That was fun and got you a bit of alone time.
My brother Smithy seems quite strong. Dad was the only one who suffered. He felt put-upon to do things, such as cleaning out the campground’s sewer system, especially when we paid rent. Also, Dad couldn’t catch crabs or fish because he didn’t have the 15 horsepower motor for the boat. It made him crabby too.
Yes, the summer flew by. I was so glad to be happy after the emotional struggle I had about going. Some people love to travel, and some people are happier at home. I was ready to head for home by the time the summer was over.
I didn’t finish the big picture I’d been working on with my teacher. I guess I’ll have to finish alone. I’m a big girl now.
We’ve been using our A.C. some. The weather is sultry again. I’m getting embarrassed wearing my one pair of cotton shorts that I usually wear only in the house. I never wore them before, and now I’m 55 years old, too old, I think, but they sure do wear them in Florida.
I guess your friend Marian is right; worrying about rejection just slows us down.
Love you, your stationery, and your philosophical preachments.
Mom
DiVoran has been writing for most of her life. Her first attempt at a story was when she was seven years old and her mother got a new typewriter. DiVoran got to use it and when her dad saw her writing he asked what she was writing about. DiVoran answered that she was writing the story of her life. Her dad’s only comment was, “Well, it’s going to be a very short story.” After most of a lifetime of writing and helping other writers, DiVoran finally launched her own dream which was to write a novel of her own. She now has her Florida Springs trilogy and her novel, a Christian Western Romance, Go West available on Amazon. When speaking about her road to publication, she gives thanks to the Lord for all the people who helped her grow and learn. She says, “I could never have done it by myself, but when I got going everything fell beautifully into place, and I was glad I had started on my dream.”
Old Things R New 