Front Porch Stories
Deb Richmond, author
I miss sitting on a front porch swing, greeting the farmer as he walks by, handing candy to trick-or-treaters whose eyes I recognize under the masks, waving to blond-haired toddlers hanging out the back of the Amish horse & buggy, and laughing with my neighbor trying to get the dog leash untangled from her legs. I miss knowing the people of my community and being known by them.
This is a place to tell the stories of caregivers, growing older, being grandparents, and memories of days gone by.
When I was a kid…
Grandma’s House
Caring for Parents
I’m not a kid anymoreAbout the book The Wandering Place by Deb Richmond:
Middle-aged Kaye Elliott notices that she wanders this world bumping into people without touching any of them. When she marries into the Elliott family, she hopes to change that. Kaye chronicles her aging in-laws as they enter a world where horses run through the hospital and gypsies dance in the attic. Kaye’s coworkers warn of the scandalous past of her husband’s father, William Elliott, and his saucy wife, Grace. Family conversations and confused ramblings point to William’s involvement with a woman who disappeared years ago. But Kaye sees a gentle old man and is not buying this version of the truth. As she studies the effect of Alzheimer’s, conflicting approaches to caring for aging parents, and her own slide from middle age, Kaye describes the heartbreak and humor of getting old. She unravels family history and a story that changes the way Kaye sees and touches those whose lives are fading fast.
Making its way to the print shop…
About the Author
Deb Richmond is a middle school teacher who spends weekends grading essays and moaning loudly over run-on sentences. Her free time is spent trying not to grow old through biking, swimming, going to the gym, reading until napping overtakes, wrestling with rowdy grandchildren, and filling young minds with literary characters and plot devices. She has been known to use too many run-on sentences.
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