Fern Ridge Review
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
March 29, 2018
By Pat Edwards

For the past month (and a little more), I’ve pretty much stayed at home. I had a virus that held on for much too long. I still am dealing with residual symptoms of it as well a painful shoulder that I injured last August, and, most of all, the loss of my friend and colleague, Jo-Brew. I’ve been quietly occupied much of the time, working on writing projects, painting our guest bathroom and taking a lot of naps, but I haven’t tried to get out much.

Contributing to my general ennui, we rehomed one of our sweet Blue Heeler dogs because I realized that Nora really needed to be the only dog in the family. She is now with a couple without children who absolutely worship and spoil her rotten, playing her favorite game of fetch several times each day. We both love and miss her, but we knew that we were being selfish to continue to keep her with Toby who has declared his ownership of Jim and me and resented the attention I, especially, paid to her.

All of this adds up to what I feel was a minor bout of depression. I feel, however, that I’m beginning to step out of the fog I’ve been in and I’m ready to experience more of life again.

It’s time to make plans and to get outside more. I’m making a list of the plants I need to get in the ground soon and to fill two petunia planting boxes I made a couple of years ago for our daughter, Michele, and me. I’ve begun taking notice of all of the small limbs that need to be picked up from this winter’s brush clearing that we had done and the fact that the grass is growing a lot right now. I want to take Toby on some more walks and let the still-crisp air fill me with new energy and life.

Yesterday, I was sent information on a writer’s “summit” that is taking place at Sunriver over Memorial Day weekend. I don’t usually participate in these types of things, but it is offering classes and topics on things that really interest me as a writer and I’m hoping that I can work out a way to go… hopefully, with another good friend and colleague, Jen Chambers.

I’ve also decided to take on a new book project about Capt. John O’Brien that I’ve been hoping to write for quite a few years as part of my Early Lorane Settlers series. I published one on the Bailey family of Bailey Hill last year, so this will be the 2nd in the series. I have already gathered a great deal of information on this fascinating Civil War veteran, newspaper publisher and long-time union organizer. All I’ve needed was an incentive to begin it. I’m finally feeling it! It’s time.

This column is supposed to be about Lorane events and people, but there’s little news to share right now and I feel that by talking about my own experiences occasionally, I am able to let others, who are experiencing the same types of things, know that they are not alone. We all have our bouts of the doldrums occasionally and I’ve learned that it’s ok… it’s part of life. We need to learn to deal with the downs in our lives as well as the joy. Each balances out the other and makes life much more interesting!

And just to make sure this column isn’t totally about me this week, I need to remind everyone about the upcoming annual RAC/Lorane Grange-sponsored Talent Show that will be held on Sunday, April 8 at 3:00 p.m. If you want to participate, give Lil Thompson a call at 541-952-5701.

Happy Spring everyone!