Welcome to The Official Helen Cornelius Website!
9-30-2009
Hello everyone..I am so ashamed for not writing a new letter and just staying in touch. I promise to do better in the future.
It has been a busy year with trying to do things around my townhouse, and taking care of my Maltese, Livvie....She was diagnosed with diabetes in March, but we have been running tests and having problems for two years...I started insulin shots twice a day in March and they will continue the rest of her life....We still have a lot of problems, but she is such a joy to me...That is what we do for our pets that become as children to us....I love her dearly.
We have a greenway where I live, and it actually will eventually almost circle Nashville....I ride my bike and walk on the part by me, and it is so refreshing to be outside. I used to be addicted to running, and I wish I still had that addiction. I know that a lot of you exercise regularly, and that is so important.
I have continued to get a clean bill of health when I have my checkups...My niece, Kathy, is also still in remission with her cancer and doing great. She is a great roll model for so many...She belongs to a group in Hannibal, Mo., called the "pinkie pals"...They support each other and get together for dinner or things where they can just laugh and laugh....That is wonderful medicine.
I have worked this past year with so many of my dear friends. I particularly enjoyed doing the Frizzell and Friends CD and RFD special with David Frizzell, Jeannie Seely, Jimmy Fortune, Crystal Gayle, Johnny Lee, Gene Watson, T.Graham Brown, and on and on...We had so much fun together...The special has been shown many times. I hope you have been able to catch it and enjoy all of the wonderful music.
I, of course, love doing the Country Gold Shows with Leroy VanDkye and the Auctioneers. His dear wife, Gladys VanDkye is the booker and producer of the shows. Their son, Ben, is the fabulous lead guitar in the band....The shows have featured myself, Jim Ed Brown, Jeannie Seely, Gene Watson, Jimmy Fortune, Steve and Rudy Gatlin, Moe Bandy, Bobby Bare, T.G. Sheppard, and several others...We all enjoy working together and just have a great time.
I also had the pleasure of doing a few shows with the Grand Ladies of the Opry.....Jeannie Seely, Jean Shepard, Jan Howard and myself... Jean, Jan and I did a few days in Canada in January, and then the four of us went back to Canada in August and then the Little Nashville Opry in Nashville, In., on Sept. 6th. We were fortunate to have been there, as it burned to the ground two weeks later. I have worked there many times through the years, and the memories are great, the loss very sad.
I have also visited and loved on my grandbabies as much as I possibly can..They live in Greeneville, Tn., which is 250 miles from Nashville...Ross is 5, and Morgan is 3. They are such a delight and bring so much joy to my heart. Their daddy is my son, Denny. My daughter, Christy is still working catering and singing demos in the studios in between..She now lives one mile from me, and I love that...She takes care of Livvie when I travel and administers the insulin shots...If she is working at night, I have a blessed neighbor who does that for me...Jeannie Seely has also given shots a few times...Friends are so important in life, and I am blessed with so many.
Of course, Susan who does my website made her dream come true and moved to NYC earlier this year...She absolutely loves it, and seems to blossom in the Big Apple....I wish her the best and hope she can see as many Broadway plays as possible, and maybe someday be a part of one...She can sing and act, and that is the love of her life...well, not totally....Her Shit Zhu's, Harry Potter and Manny, and her new cat come first....She is an animal lover inside and out.
I guess I have rambled on long enough, but I will write again soon and try to stay in touch...Thank you so much for being so supportive of me and what I love to do..Without all of you, we would not still be touring and fulfilling our dreams. I did promise to do a CD with just me and the piano, and I absolutely will...It just sort of got pushed out of the way with other things taking precedence this year...But it will happen:-).
Love and God's Blessings to all of you.
Helen