Delving Deeper for Great College Essays

I have been working with students on college essays over the past few days, using shared Google docs and the telephone. It is always an interesting process and this year is no different. Part of the fun of college essays is that we dig deep, looking for experiences that carry real heft. This is not…

Come See Us on Saturday for Our 2nd Neighborhood Garage Sale

Ray and I were up at 6 this morning, down at our bank building, pulling out lots of goodies for our next neighborhood garage sale which will be this Saturday from 8 – 5 in the front yard of our home here in Sherman, which is a historically marked Queen Anne Victorian known as Lyon…

The Boy in the Box Story: New Facts

I had a funny thing happen yesterday when I went to my childhood friend Marsh White’s visitation at the local funeral home here in Sherman. I was speaking with a woman named Betty who identified herself as Marsh’s cousin. I told her my name and she said, “When I was fifteen I worked one summer…

Going to Say Good-Bye to a Childhood Friend

I went to the viewing of my childhood friend, Marsh White, today at Waldo funeral home here in Sherman. I wanted to pay my respects since I can’t attend the funeral tomorrow in our hometown of Bonham, Texas. I haven’t seen Marsh in person since we graduated from high school together back in 1971. However,…

A Few Thoughts and A Tentative HBO Recommendation

I am here in Texas, sitting in the room we call “the green room” because it has green floral wallpaper and a deep green ceiling, and I am struck with how odd “time” can be. Once I get here to this house, whether it is 6 weeks or 6 months, after only a few hours,…

Finally Arrived!

We made it to our Texas home late this afternoon. Hooray. Since arriving, we have visited with my childhood friend from Bonham (currently living in NY State), Charlotte Watson, and with our old friends here, Darrah Dunn and Shann Schubert in their new “old” house. What a lovely way to begin our stay here in…

A Quick Note and a Great Recipe

I am still on the road traveling and I must admit I am one tired puppy. So instead of writing a blog that focuses on my too-tired condition, I am instead re-posting a delicious recipe that I posted on this day way back in 2012. I figure many of you have not seen it. Here…

Why I Skipped Last Night’s Blog

Hi all. Sorry I skipped last night. Here is why: Little Luna (age 3) and Nico (who turned 6 months yesterday!) came for an overnight visit. All went well during the evening, particularly since Auntie Rachael and Ariel came to visit, which made everybody happy. Nico even fell asleep in Auntie’s arms and was as…

Photos from the Orange Grove

Here are photos I took yesterday at the orange grove.  You will see the various succulents we have growing there.  We returned to LA this morning ten minutes before my first student. I’ve been working steadily all day with students.  College essay time has begun again and high school seniors are making their way in…

Almost Too Tired to Shower

I am sitting in a chaise lounge here at the orange grove. It is 7:20 pm and I am trying to work up the energy to walk over to our shower, which is in a tin building with no roof. Once there, I will be happy. Thanks to a heat-on-demand propane water heater, there will…