For Mother’s Day month, we interview author Ileen Dunivent about her book, Stories for My Kids: Learning to Yodel and Other Life Lessons. This memoir is Ileen’s first book, written at the age of 87, after her husband, Orvile, died in 2022. It is available on Amazon and we will have a link to it on the episode notes. Ileen tells us she decided to write this book after Orville died after being together 73 years. When friends asked what she planned to do, she replied, “I’m going to write a book.” And she did! She wrote it in longhand and her daughter got it published. Ileen tells us about meeting Orville and how he stole a kiss as he carried her across a ditch on her parent’s farm. He stole her heart right then. Ileen’s sense of humor reverberates throughout the book. She tells us her grandma laughed like Santa, with a belly that shook with a bowl full of jelly. Ileen tells us stories of her mischievousness, abetted by her cousin Beverly, (who was actually her aunt). The book has stories about her parent and grandparents, too. Ileen said she relied on notes from her father. Ileen seems to have a gift for friendship and she says that God put great friends in her path. Ileen tells us a neighbor changed her life and that of her family by telling her the story of Jesus. Ileen tells us one day her father asked whether she wanted a puppy or baby brother for her birthday. She said she wanted a puppy. Her dad said she was getting a baby brother. This was Wayne, who she fell in love with. In fact, when she decided to run away, she decided she would take Wayne with her. She didn’t get very far. Ileen and her son have built several of their houses and she was able to create an apartment in her house so she could take care of her parents in their older years. She has now designed some granny pods (accessory dwelling units/tiny houses). We love that Ileen included recipes in her memoir. She tells us she just made tapioca pudding that she and our cousin, Lori (our IT support for this episode), will enjoy it after recording the episode. Ileen enjoyed taking her grandsons birdwatching. Once they actually saw a squirrel eat some baby birds. That upset the boys. In the memoir, Ileen records all sorts of creative endeavors she was involved in: painting, sewing, designing houses, being a pool manager, and much more. Her mom tried to discourage her drawing, but it didn’t work. Her whole family is full of artists and storytellers. She tells us about the children’s book she is writing and illustrating right now, I’m Little Girl. Ileen tells us she and Orville and she were as different as could be. They argued just like any couple. They traveled all over the world, thanks to Orville’s career as a successful insurance salesman. Ileen tells us she has had several book signings and several more are planned. She’s a people person, so she enjoys these events. We ask Lori what it was like to read this book about her family and also appearing in it (she is Ileen’s niece). Lori tells us it was great having all those family stories written down.