Merry, Merry, Merry 2021
Granted, 2021 presented enough issues to set my hair on fire (daily and sometimes hourly) but no reason to cover that here. For us, the year has been grand, although we couldn’t always see it at first. In fact, American Greetings designed the perfect card—for The Clarks at least.
After living with us for months longer than any twentysomething would like, Maggie found employment in Detroit as a data-entry clerk for the United Community Housing Coalition. True to her repair-the-world instinct, this non-profit provides renters with legal representation so they aren’t unfairly evicted. They also prevent unnecessary foreclosure, assist with better housing options, and provide home repairs if needed. Because of her Detroit 2019 year of service, she connected with two roommates in a restored duplex. When not working, she experiments with new recipes, frequents the Detroit Art Institute, Comerica Park for the Tigers, Eastern Market, and Belle Isle. Her generous soul finds time to volunteer, of course.
Cliff, fortunately, is still with us despite a scare in May. After working outside in the heat for too many hours, we went inside for lunch, which was a needed relief until his speech devolved into a word salad, sending us to the ER. Many tests later, they kept him overnight. While the episode was not a stroke, troubling issues appeared, requiring three new stents. By August, he was road trip worthy and drove to WI to visit friend Randy Sabien, who was playing in a Woodstock tribute at The Big Top near Lake Superior. Years ago he gave Randy his 1969 suede coat with fringed sleeves, so I believe he wanted to see that glorious coat under spotlights. Then he met his friend Allen in Nashville, so they could drive the historic Natchez Trace. In existence since 10,000 BCE, it criscrosses the Trail of Tears. Still not sufficiently traveled, Cliff flew to NYC to spend time with lifelong friends Ken and Jean and do all the bright-lights-big-city stuff.
Me? I stayed home and met one round of revisions after another on my picture book Library Girl: How Nancy Pearl Became America’s Most Celebrated Librarian, launching in August. Nancy and I became friends in Tulsa, both sharing dreams of becoming published authors. And we have. Unfortunately, the cover remains in process. Trust me when I say illustrator Sheryl Murray has created heartfelt beauty on every page. Picture book creation is a lengthy committee process. Art eliminates some sentences yet requires new ones. Then text needs to shift; faces need to be redrawn; colors must change. My literal file folder quickly gave way to an entire box of evolving versions. As far as we’ve come, much still remains. To prepare for the launch, I needed a polished website, its own kind of adventure. A gifted, patient designer led me, sometimes kicking, screaming, crying, to success at karenhenryclark.com. That said, I continue navigating this new blogging (hair-pulling) format. Technology is often not my friend.
So Cliff traveled literal miles. Maggie traveled brand-new-life miles. I traveled writing miles up and down my desk. However you’ve traveled in 2021, even if merry was not included, I hope you found something bright along the way.
It’s there.
Look again.