Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

This is the month for Valentine's Day which is considered the official beginning of 'Life With Leo' and thus is regarded so far as a valued holiday of the year. Things may not always seem as rosy to others as they do to ourselves but we are carrying on the way we choose and none but we can say aye or nay to us. We do enough of that for ourselves but we enjoy every moment together even while the nay'ing proceeds. Travel is a fun part of life, and so is dining out . . . now if we can only persuade an Applebee's or Friday's to locate within a hundred miles . . . At any rate, there's a poem for him, so Happy Valentine's Day, Leo.

Bruce Clifford sent along four poems for February, one "There's No Reason to Fear" which sounds as though it were written in response to one of Blair's poems. Clifford's other three are in his lyrical, song writing style: "You Never Thought Twice," "In Between," and "I Can't Tell." John I. Blair's "Fear" is the one referenced before, and he adds "February Moon," "Saltwater Taffy," "Sometimes While I Lie Awake," "Star Light," and "Waiting For Granddaughters." The latter touches your editor's heart as she has many of the little grand's (some not so little these days.) "Life with Leo" and "Compilation" are by yours truly.

Peg Jones ("Angel Whispers") emailed an apology for no column this issue and of course she is forgiven. We know everyone will miss her sparkling essays on and from the Angels. John I. Blair in "Always Looking" offers some basic hints on lining up your resources for your own Genealogy. Thanks, John.

Leo C. Helmer with "Cookin' With Leo," Gerard Meister ("Thinking Out Loud"), Thomas F. O'Neill ("Introspective"), , Mattie Lennon ("Irish Eyes"), and LC Van Savage ("Consider This") bring the entertainment value of pencilstubs up a notch each month and for February it is a real treat. LC Van Savage adds another column we chose as an article , "The Good Cops in Maine And Our Wreck."

February begins the thirteenth year, or Volumn for Pencil Stubs Online founded by Michael Craner and your editor. Mike also does the webmaster responsibilities and ably facilitates the publication in many ways. His own writing has taken a back seat the past year with job changes and relocating his family, but we keep hoping for it to blossom again.

See you in March!