Janet Short, President of the Ruff Riters and several other friends from around the country guessed Chet Gorgas' Studebaker pickup to be my love in Poteau. Sorry, all of you. Clever guesses but that pickup just wouldn't (couldn't) go to bed with me.

Johnine M. Simpson, of Ballston Lake, NY guessed right when she said CAT. She was totally correct and she now has her copy of SALLY. Paula's darling lavender blue acted as if she loved me and I certainly loved her. I kept her in my arms and in my bed until she began to lick my toes. Now, folks, I don't know if you've ever had a cat lick one of your toes. Sounds kind of sweet and loving, right? But no. I hated it. Worst feeling ever. That sweet ball of fur meant well but I couldn't stand it. I put her out of my room and closed the door. But I still loved her. Of course, I'm cat deprived, as many of you know. I fell quite easily into cat love with Paula's little sweetheart. I'm still longing to hold her.

And one more note, I forgot to tell you about that blue eyed teeny, tiny, Ruff Riter, Annie, who gave me homemade jelly, jam and pickles and is now holed up on her farm and working hard on her writing, according to Janet's report. Thanks for the goodies, Annie, and good luck with the writing, my little bitty farmerette friend. Let me know what happens with your work.

A week after Poteau, I moved on to Abilene, Texas. First I flew to Dallas, then Dan Case picked me up and took me to lunch at his house in Denton. Debbie Haskins picked up up there and drove us on to Abilene. She drove one of those huge vans.

When I sat on the side of my car seat and hung my feet out it was three feet down from the bottom of my Sass shoes to the ground and, of course, three feet up from my waistline when I was mounting. The first time I came out I jumped. I didn't know what else to do. I thought Dan was going to have a heart attackwhen he saw me do that. From that time on Dan felt he had to boost me in and he also had to catch me when I dropped out but he was faithful with the movements both ways even though it was excrutiatingly embarrassing for him to have to cup my buttocks to shove me up and to embrace my poufyness to slow me on the down slide. Dan is white haired and blue eyed so he blushes easily. I love making strong men blush but I prefer to do it with words rather than by forcing them to help a really short little old lady in and out of a car. What fun it that? That kind of stuff gets to be like work eventually. I do hope that Susan Case appreciates that good old boy.

Well, somewhere between Poteau and Abilene I picked up a bug and woke into every public speaker's nightmare; I had no voice for the Abilene Writers guild's Spring Workshop. Oh shoot and darn!

Those who know me well would swear that my voice could pierce steel... but not on June 14. I had to use a microphone. I never need mechanical help! What a wuss I was. I did the best I could, but truth to tell, I feel that Abilene was shortchanged. I want them to have me back at no cost to them! They need only ask. I'm now back to steel piercing voice speed.

They have a great club there. Serious writers who are very professional in attitude. I especially enjoyed looking at all the good looking male members of their club. (The wormen looked good, too, but what did I care about that!)

One of those Abilene good lookers called me when I got home. Be still my heart. No, I won't tell you who, nor what was said, but believe me, you're never too old for a little romance, even if it's just a few words via the telephone lines.

The problem is, I scared the living hell out of the guy. He is used to the ladylike creatures in Abilene. I, the smart alec Okie, was in a hurry to go to class when he called and when he said he'd call back, I said, "Okay, let's do it!"

His shocked voice came back over the line, "Did you just say, 'Let's do it?'"

So I said it once again, (I just had to get off that line and on to my class at TCC) "Yeah, sugar, Let's do it!"

Now, what I meant was, "Okay, let's talk again," but I think my darling man thought I was coming on to him sexually, which would not be unheard of, but in this case, the words were just an invitation to call back when I wasn't so rushed.

He has never called back, so I guess he doesn't want "to do it!" Tsk, tsk.

BARBARA is out this month. If you'd like to read the biography of a Tulsa woman who has been investigating UFO sightings and abductions for the last thirty years, you can order the book from AWOC.com for $13.95 plus p&h. Charles Sasser, the most down-to-earth man I know, wrote the Foreword.

The first two people (EXCLUDING residents of LeFlore County,) to send in the correct answer to the question, "Who is Modean Moon editing for these days?" will receive a copy of SALLY.

I'm working on a novella called "Giving Up Pantyhose." Somewhat autobiographical. I'll keep you posted on this.

I will speak for writers in Stillwater, Oklahoma on August 16 and for Fort Smith, Arkansas writers on September 5, 6 and 7th. Both sound like fun. I'll let you know how it goes.

And I'll also let you know how my romantic life is whirling these days. Perhaps something will be happening via email or telephone. I KNOW there is nothing going on in my bedroom. See you in August my good friends.

Love Peggy