Have you ever looked forward to something BIG TIME…only to have it not come to pass?
Well, that happened this week. But it was no one’s fault. It’s just life. But I’ve been so bummed.
First, some quick backstory…
A few of you might not know that Deb Raney and I have been writing critique partners for over 14 years now. And during that time, we’ve become very dear friends. Well, Deb was scheduled to come to Nashville TODAY for a business meeting, and we were going to spend some time together running around and having fun. Catching up! But . . .
Sweet Deb got the flu. As did her husband Ken. So she had to cancel her trip. <insert major tears here>
So… I decided to share some of the stuff that Deb and I would have done had she been well enough to come.
We would have…
VISTED CARNTON
(the setting for my new series, The Carnton Novels)
Deb’s currently reading the first draft of With This Pledge, the first full length novel in the Carnton series. And I was so excited to show her the real setting of this story that’s set in Franklin (about 20 miles south of Nashville). This picture is actually a photograph of the back of the home, and these double porches play a significant role in With This Pledge (releasing November 2018).
Next, Deb and I were going to go…
ANTIQUING
at places like Three French Hens, PMs, Dragonflies, etc…
But since she got sick, bless her, and we didn’t get to go, here are pics from a time she was here before…
See these plates in the next picture? The goat, the pig, and the cow? I bought those plates when she and I were antiquing together that day. I also bought a rooster plate. And those plates are still situated atop my kitchen cabinets—being cute and keeping watch.
If you’ll look closely near the bottom of the above picture, you’ll see something else that ended up coming home with me that day…
These beautiful little measuring cups!
Deb bought these for me as a “thank you” for playing hostess. Which, I gotta tell you, is REALLY HARD when Deb comes to visit. Sigh… But a girl has to do what a girl has to do.
Next, Deb and I would have gone to…
THE DONUT DEN
This place has the most delicious donuts!
Yep, I’m still living a KETO (low carb gluten free) lifestyle so I don’t routinely eat bread. But donuts are one of Deb’s favorite things in all the world. And though I’ve never cared for them much—cough..cough…Wait, I have something in my throat. <insert choking noise here>—being the faithful and selfless friend that I am (it’s SO HARD!!), I’m willing—once a year—to set aside my own culinary habits and partake of fried balls of decadent deliciousness. All for Deb. But hey, that’s what friends are for, right??
Lastly, Deb and I would have laughed tons, shared about this past year and life’s challenges—and immense blessings!—and would have talked almost nonstop for nearly 24 hours straight! But…
Deb got the flu. : (
So please be in prayer today for our precious Deb and her husband Ken (yep, he got it too!) that they’ll recuperate swiftly and make it back to the land of the living real soon!
Me and Deb from her 2016 trip to Nashville
So when’s the last time you’ve had something planned and it didn’t come to fruition? Or what’s the last thing you bought while antiquing or garage sale-ing? Inquiring minds want to know…
Much love on this Tuesday morning—and your prayers for my focus and concentration would be so appreciated as I finish With This Pledge and turn it in next week.
Tamera
Tamera blogs every first and third Tuesday at Inspired by Life . . . and Fiction, a group blog she shares with a wonderful community of authors. If you'd like to join the conversation on this post, Tamera would love to see you there!