I’m going to tell you a secret. I’m not perfect. You’re not surprised. I’m not surprised that you’re not surprised. Why am I bringing up my lack of perfection? Because my creative writing stream has dried up like the Sahara in July. Unless it’s drier in the Sahara in January because if it is, that’s […]
Light Lessons
The bogeyman and other lies from my childhood
Little B and I were taking a stroll around the yard, heading toward the back of the shop in search of the deer that have been hanging around. We rounded the corner when suddenly Little B gives a yank on my hand, puts a finger to his lips and says, “Gramma, sshhhh.” He points vigorously […]
Life is not a spectator sport
Last summer, a photo of a friend from high school showed up on my Facebook newsfeed. That in itself is not unusual, I keep in touch with quite a few of my high school friends through Facebook. But this particular photo and its caption was inspiring. My friend was standing at the top of a […]
Remembering Margaret…or not…
July 18, 1995 Dear Margaret, Hi there! You just popped into my mind! Whenever that happens – you know – you’re thinking about something and out of the blue a memory of a person comes up – I write that person a letter or note. I suddenly remembered the day I came by to tell […]
Family Ties
My father comes from a family of letter-writers and journal keepers. There’s no shortage of written material that tell the story of his family. The collections are precious, although I’m not sure my father is convinced they are anything special because he keeps threatening to throw them out. My mother, on the other hand, has […]
This isn’t goodbye
I hate goodbyes. I hate leaving someone and not knowing when or if I will ever see them again. Goodbyes make me want to cry. Goodbyes do make me cry. Since sometime in December, I have been in the process of saying goodbye to my friend. It began with a fall. Actually, I think I’ll […]
How a 3 year-old is helping me make sense of the world
Can you remember the last time you had a brand new, completely unique experience? You know, the kind of moment when you had to struggle to make sense of the world? Sometimes we find ourselves struggling to make something fit into our frame of reference, to make sense of what we are experiencing. It happens […]
The Fine Art of Procrastination
It’s a very snowy March day. I was hoping our Littles would be out for a visit today, but it’s kind of nasty out so I doubt the kids will brave the roads. The snow is coming down in a way that is letting us know Mother Nature still means business. It’s been an easy […]
Slowing down for a second chance
Last weekend our kids and little people were out for a visit. The sun was shining, a beautiful blue sky overhead and not a breath of wind, it was a good day for a walk in the woods. There is a beautiful trail near our home that winds through the forest. At the point where […]
Leftover Lipstick
We replaced our bathroom vanity last week. The old one was getting pretty tired and it was bland anyway, cheap white vanity with plastic handles and a plastic, one-piece counter/sink. It had most of the finish worn off from repeated cleaning and, thanks to one of my children, a patch of dried fletching glue when […]
