Carol Blake Gerrond column: 'Hasta Luego and bye-bye'

“Hasta Luego!”

I just hate to say “Goodbye.” It’s too final. So I end my Star Courier column-writing career with Spanish for “See you later!” And I will, with occasional feature pieces for the SC.

I wrote my first Salt and Pepper column in 2006 as a result of submitting a children’s novel to the paper. (Remember when papers ran serial novels?) The SC accepted, and all of a sudden I found myself also writing a bi-weekly column for the paper. No one was more surprised to see that development than I was. That was sixteen years ago, so I had a pretty good run considering it started by accident!

I’ve had two long-term editors during my time, Rocky Stuffelbeam and Mike Helenthal, both of them so patient with my stumbling and bumbling with technical transmission. Neither ever interfered with my freedom of expression and for that, I’m deeply grateful. Mike was especially supportive when my husband fell ill and I broke into pieces. Thank you, Rocky and Mike.

And thanks to my readers, those who liked what I had to say and those who didn’t. Nobody ever insulted me (although they may have lined their bird cage with some of my mutterings), and in this day of incivility, that’s much appreciated. I’ve had some interesting conversations, too, sometimes with people I’d never suspect were reading my stuff.

Yes, it’s been a good time, and I’ve loved talking to you every other week. That’s what I’ve aimed for—to sound like I was in the room with you, and we were just chatting over coffee. Or something. Some of my former English students have probably said, “She’d have given me F. Re-write, if I’d turned in a paper with that many no-no’s!”Anyway, I say once more, “Keep the faith, and—hang on! I’ll see you later!” Your friend, Carol

This article originally appeared on Star Courier: Carol Blake Gerrond column: 'Hasta Luego and bye-bye'