In the spring of 1975 when I was 22, my boyfriend Nick and I decided we would go to Europe after I graduated from college in June. (He was already finished with school and up for an adventure). The goal was to go for a year and the original plan (or at least the one…
Month: June 2012
Flash Memoir: November 22, 1963
I remember exactly where I was when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. I was in my 4th grade class at Bailey Inglish Elementary School in Bonham, Texas, which is 70 miles from Dallas. I can’t remember exactly how we received the news, though I think it was over the loud-speaker. That seems insensitive…
Flash Essay: One of Those Moments
We loaded up daughter Sarah’s belongings today for her trek back to California. She is driving our long van with a U-haul trailer packed to the brim with her apartment contents. Heading back after three years in medical school in Texas to do her “audition” rotations in CA in hopes of landing a residency in…
Tribute to My Daddy
I wrote this a while back but in honor of my beloved father, I’d like to put it here on my blog today. I was blessed with a fine father who knew the value of love. “Have I told you today how much I love you?” This was a question my father asked me every…
Today One Boy’s Life Was Changed. Thank You, President Obama
I was eating lunch at a Chili’s in McKinney, Texas today when over my husband’s shoulder I saw President Obama’s face appear on the television screen mounted on the wall. The caption read: Obama moves on Dream Act. I tried to read the rest but the waitress came with our check and when I looked…
Neighborhood Fire
The people behind us here in Texas had a house fire the other night. I woke up at 3:30 probably to the sound of fire sirens, but I don’t recall hearing anything. I saw my neighbors out at that hour – kids and adults – but they were calling their dog and I thought perhaps…
Flash Essay: Travels, a Wedding, and Now in Texas
Hi everyone, Sorry for the silence over the past several days. I have been traveling across the west and southwest, have attended a family wedding, have traveled some more, and am now in our Texas house, where a train whistle is blaring out in the night, sounding just like it did when I was growing…
Texas Border Checkpoint
My family and I are driving cross country from California to our native Texas to attend a family wedding in Austin. This picture was taken an hour east of El Paso. We just went through an immigration checkpoint, where we had to stop and report how many people were in the car. When my husband…
Prompt: Irritating Phrases
Today has been full to overflowing: writing, students, more writing, editing, a writing group and now home to write some more before bed. And I can’t wait for bed. I feel as if that’s all I talk about on this blog, how much I’m looking forward to sleeping. It’s just that it’s my routine at…
Flash Essay Prompt: I’ve Always Wanted…
I’ve always wanted to learn Spanish and Italian (better than my grasp of 30+ years ago. I’ve always wanted to go to India. I’ve always wanted to wear long flowing skirts. I’ve always wanted to learn how to drive a motorcycle. I’ve always wanted to return to singing in a fine chorale again (I sang…
20 Minutes a Day 