I am an author and resident of Arizona for more than 35 years.

I was born in Watsonville, California. I LOVE everything about Arizona, however, I miss the OCEAN!!!

I like to say, "I'm a Jill of many trades and Mistress of some." I enjoy writing stories, poems, and songs. I like web design, oil painting, photography, decorating, crafts, scrapbooking, research/folklore/superstitions, and throwing theme parties (especially Halloween theme parties which I have done for 25 consecutive years.) I love to travel and play on myspace (Guilty Pleasure!)

There's so much more to say and not enuff time - but we will know more of each other soon. Have a lovely day - and ...

"There will come a time when you believe
everything is finished. That will be the beginning."
-- Louis L'Amour: Quotes of Faith

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don't matter and
those who matter don't mind." – Theodor Seuss Geisel

An Interesting Fact About Dr. Seuss:
His first book, "And to Think That I Saw It on
Mulberry Street," was rejected 27 times. Think
about that the next time you want to give up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

***My Father's name was;

James Melville (Melvin) Soward

(middle name incorrect or spelled wrong) As I recall, he didn't like either of the names, but I sure like 'Melville' as a name!

He also went by "Jim" and that is what is on his gravestone. I picked out the marker and stone under the marker when I was 12! I think Mother thot it might be a way of healing or bonding her and I together more.

Later, in my 20's, I felt it was too much responsibility and hated the way the stone and marker didn't seem to 'match' - then as I got in to my 30's, I felt it was beautiful. You just have to think of it being from the mind and appetite of a child of twelve.

I never really grieved properly when my father died. Therefore, I hold a special place in my heart for all who have lost their fathers or mothers when they were only children.

You always feel something is missing and it does affect your life and your choices in life. You tend to chose people in your life who can give you comfort (sometimes in negative ways) or who you can give comfort to because you need to 'matter' in some way bigger than what is common.

I wonder if I had went to counseling or saw my father after death (I didn't go in at the hospital and I didn't go to the viewing the night before his funeral and the casket was closed at the gravesite burial) would there have been more closure?

So, I suppose that is why I have been very interested in folklore, superstition, and such of how people in the days before our time handled death and grief. There are many stories of how people would set themselves apart for an entire year, wear black or some other type of mourning suit/dress/pin/ring for a year and even how some widows would up and move to a totally different apartment to grieve.

In the days of old, there were many more customs around death and grief than there is nowadays and I think we have suffered, in general, because we have not continued with a more elaborate form of grieving after someone passes.

I think 'findagrave' is a healthy place to carry out our thots and special bios and memories. I will write all my memories and history of my father for you soon.

I am an author and resident of Arizona for more than 35 years.

I was born in Watsonville, California. I LOVE everything about Arizona, however, I miss the OCEAN!!!

I like to say, "I'm a Jill of many trades and Mistress of some." I enjoy writing stories, poems, and songs. I like web design, oil painting, photography, decorating, crafts, scrapbooking, research/folklore/superstitions, and throwing theme parties (especially Halloween theme parties which I have done for 25 consecutive years.) I love to travel and play on myspace (Guilty Pleasure!)

There's so much more to say and not enuff time - but we will know more of each other soon. Have a lovely day - and ...

"There will come a time when you believe
everything is finished. That will be the beginning."
-- Louis L'Amour: Quotes of Faith

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Be who you are and say what you feel,
because those who mind don't matter and
those who matter don't mind." – Theodor Seuss Geisel

An Interesting Fact About Dr. Seuss:
His first book, "And to Think That I Saw It on
Mulberry Street," was rejected 27 times. Think
about that the next time you want to give up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

***My Father's name was;

James Melville (Melvin) Soward

(middle name incorrect or spelled wrong) As I recall, he didn't like either of the names, but I sure like 'Melville' as a name!

He also went by "Jim" and that is what is on his gravestone. I picked out the marker and stone under the marker when I was 12! I think Mother thot it might be a way of healing or bonding her and I together more.

Later, in my 20's, I felt it was too much responsibility and hated the way the stone and marker didn't seem to 'match' - then as I got in to my 30's, I felt it was beautiful. You just have to think of it being from the mind and appetite of a child of twelve.

I never really grieved properly when my father died. Therefore, I hold a special place in my heart for all who have lost their fathers or mothers when they were only children.

You always feel something is missing and it does affect your life and your choices in life. You tend to chose people in your life who can give you comfort (sometimes in negative ways) or who you can give comfort to because you need to 'matter' in some way bigger than what is common.

I wonder if I had went to counseling or saw my father after death (I didn't go in at the hospital and I didn't go to the viewing the night before his funeral and the casket was closed at the gravesite burial) would there have been more closure?

So, I suppose that is why I have been very interested in folklore, superstition, and such of how people in the days before our time handled death and grief. There are many stories of how people would set themselves apart for an entire year, wear black or some other type of mourning suit/dress/pin/ring for a year and even how some widows would up and move to a totally different apartment to grieve.

In the days of old, there were many more customs around death and grief than there is nowadays and I think we have suffered, in general, because we have not continued with a more elaborate form of grieving after someone passes.

I think 'findagrave' is a healthy place to carry out our thots and special bios and memories. I will write all my memories and history of my father for you soon.