A Stitch In Time

Life is difficult at the moment.

My back is a mess of pain and confused nerves which constantly send incorrect information to the pain receptors in my lower extremities, and cries for pain medication to my noggin.

I'm having the house underpinned which is a three grand expense I could have done without just before Xmas, but which the the house desperately needs.

My car brakes decided now would be a good time to require repairing and if I delayed any longer, the callipers would carve their initials into the discs.

My son's 18th is coming (two days before Xmas) and, of course, the fat bloke in the red suit is nearly upon us.

I'm sure I'm not the only one with money worries and stress up to the eyeballs.

But take a moment to think about Kennedy and Brendan Eyberg who will be spending their very first Xmas without their parents this year...all my issues seem to pale into insignificance - how about yours?

If you'd like to help, then place your order for the Strange Publications 52 Stitches anthology. Once you have placed your order, then fire off an email to the wonderful Cate Gardner to receive a further gift of her wonderful book Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits & Other Curious Things which I've just finished reading and recommend highly.

So two excellent collections for the price of one, and you'll be helping out two little kiddies who shouldn't have to face this time of year alone, but through tragic circumstance were robbed of their parents. If you can, buy a couple and give them out as Xmas gifts.

Memorial Donations from outside the USA

I got an email back from the people at the Bank of Iowa in Coon Rapids and it seems it will cost too much for international friends to send a cheque or wire money to them and then for them to have the currency exchanged into the US dollar.

You'd think they would make it easier for people to send a little bit of money to two grieving children - but lets not go off on that tangent...

So, to make things easier for us all, Aaron Polson has kindly offered to be the front man for all the writers who wish to send a little something for Jamie and Ann's kids. Aaron's post "casting-wide-memorial-net" should solve our issues.

Simply drop Aaron an email at aaron_polson(at)hotmail(dot)com to convey your wish and then Aaron will let you know what Paypal account to send your donation. Aaron will then forward all the collected monies onto the family with all of our best wishes and heart-felt condolences.

I know times are tough the world over, but I doubt anyone is currently experiencing it as tough as Kennedy and Brendan. It may not be much, but anything we can do to make life just a little easier for these two kids has to be worthwhile.

Thank you in advance for your generosity.

Thinking of you

No writing news - I'm really not in that space at the moment and won't be until the weekend is over.

It is Friday the 20th August here in Australia - at least it will be for another couple of minutes. In Coon Rapids, it would be almost time for two little ones to rise and begin what could only be described as two more days of additional heartache to go through.

Today, in Coon Rapids, at 4PM is visitation for Jamie and Ann. God I wish I could be there to tell him how much he will be missed by people like me who live thousands of miles away and were still touched by him.

I wish I could be there to tell his kids how great their parents were. I'm sure they will be comforted by the many friends and family who will be there, and will continue to surround them in the years to come. I'm also sure that those friends and family will always make sure they know how great Jamie and Ann were.

Saturday, at 11AM will be the service. I will be there in thought and in spirit.

I am usually a fairly stoic sort of individual, but this has touched me deeply.

I miss you already, Jamie.

A Very Sad Day

As you are all aware, I've not been keeping up with things on Net lately so it was with shock and a very heavy heart I found out that Jamie Eyberg and his wife Anne passed away in a tragic accident a few days ago.

You can read the story here: http://www.whotv.com/news/who-story-well-deaths-guthrie-county-081610,0,5278715.story. Additional information seems to be around that some form of gas was the culprit for causing this horrible loss of two wonderful people. The type of gas has yet to be determined.

My heart goes out to those who knew them and especially to their two children.

Jamie was one of the best cyber-writer friends I've had the great fortune of knowing. His work was inspirational and his comments insightful. Through him I have become a better writer and a better person. You can read his work here. Wine for Two in issue 3 of Ruthless Peoples Magazine was my favourite.

A wonderful biography of their life has been published here for Jamie and here for Ann.

May they rest in peace.

Aaron Polson has decided to donate proceeds from the sale of this years 52 Stitches to the memorial fund for Kennedy and Brendan, Jamie and Ann's children. Read about his wonderful gesture here. Additional memorials can be made to the Kennedy and Brendan Eyberg account at the Iowa Savings Bank in Coon Rapids. When I find out more details, I'll post them here (I've emailed the bank for details on how we can make donations from outside the US).