A few days after Thanksgiving, my husband had the chance to take a two-hour shift and ring the bell for the Salvation Army and stand watch over a kettle outside Walmart. The fun part was, he dressed as Santa, and even more fun was seeing reactions of children of all ages. Some friends came by, […]
Sleigh Bells Ring…In July!
Has anyone been catching the Christmas in July movies on Hallmark Channel? I’m not sure where the saying “Christmas in July” came from originally, but there’s a delightful cool and crisp feeling that comes watching snowfall in July…Of course if you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, the world might feel a tad chilly anyway. Today I’m […]
A Penny for A Date
We humans are creatures of habit and it’s easy to get into ruts. For example, a Thursday afternoon conversation on the way home from work with my husband might sound something like this: Me: “So, what do you think about grabbing something while we’re out tonight for dinner?” CJ: “Sounds good to me.” Me: “Great—because […]
One of the best loves: friendship
“Every man should have a fair-sized cemetery in which to bury the faults of his friends.” — Henry Brooks Adams I have no idea who Henry Brooks Adams is, but the guy made a great point. When I was in college, I had a lighted makeup mirror. . It had a border of bright lights […]
Ducks in a row
There is a busy street in our town, not that the traffic passes quickly on it, but it’s a well-traveled street that is part of a route to two schools, along with leading to the main drag that runs through our city. A large storm drain runs under one section of the street. It definitely […]
The Christmas of Candle Glow
Here’s one of my favorite Christmas memories, almost 40 years ago and I still remember it vividly. I’d just turned 10 and I was very excited to be spending Christmas at my grandparents’ house. As the oldest grandchild, I’d get to sleep on the living room couch. I would fall asleep looking at the beautiful […]
Prepping for ‘the big day’, or: reinventing tradition
I realize our blog isn’t an American blog, but as the ‘big day’ approahces next week, I’ve been mulling over the idea of thanksgiving, in addition to some new-to me recipes I’m hoping to try out (like Rachael Ray’s deep fried stuffing balls!) One other thing I’ve been thinking about during this season of Thanks-giving […]
Story Sparks
There’s an old song that begins, “It only takes a spark, to get a fire going.” So true! Unless you’re camping, in the rain. If you are someone with a vivid imagination, you find you end up getting sparks of stories everywhere. You can watch a news clip or read an article, or hear a […]
Read the book, see the movie?
There are times when I’m in the middle of a really good book and I think, “Wow, this would make a great movie, too.” I can picture the characters acting out and living the story as it unfolds. Often as I write, I can picture the scenes in my head as if real people are […]
How to write a book
In my travels as a news reporter in my local community, one of the most common things people tell me when they learn I am an author is, “I’ve always wanted to write a book.” I usually ask them, “Why not get started?” Their answers vary, and one of the most common reasons for […]