I have just now finished the novel, News of the World by Paulette Jiles. This was a National Book Award finalist and is a lovely, short book (216 pages) that is well worth your time. The allure for me is that the story is set in North Texas immediately after the Civil War, and names…
Month: August 2017
Nesting Here in Texas
I am sitting in what we call the “green” room in our house in Texas, waiting for one of my students in LA to call me. We are going to work via telephone and google docs on his college essays. I have just a few minutes because he just texted and said that he was…
A Little Cleaning and Some Music from Jason Isbell
This has been a cleaning day here at our Texas home. We’ve had our do-rags on and have been wielding a serious dust cloth and vacuum wand. This is what happens when you have a house to air out and freshen up after time away. I am appreciating my clean house this evening. We are…
Made it to Our Texas Home
Ray and I are safely settled in our Texas home after two and a quarter days on the road. The trip was uneventful, as we like it, but there were a few times that it felt a bit long. Nothing like sitting on your rear-end for 11 hours for two days and three hours on…
On the Road…
We are headed to North Texas and have stopped tonight in Moriarty, New Mexico. We had dinner in a local restaurant and were serenaded by these folks. Actually, they were pretty good! Married 52 years. We only heard their last two songs: Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville” and the hymn “In the Garden.” (Fairly different subject matter!)…
Movie Recommendation: Logan Lucky
This movie is a kick. It stars Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Craig and is set in small town, West Virginia. The Logan Brothers (Driver and Tatum) decide to undertake a heist and need the help of bank robber, Daniel Craig, who is currently in prison. They enlist his aid, then head over to…
The Final Days of my “20 Minutes a Day” Class at Story Circle Network
I am wrapping up one of my favorite courses I teach at Story Circle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging women to tell their stories. This class is entitled, “An Experiment: Committing to Writing 20 Minutes a Day for One Month.” The goal of the class is to acquaint or reacquaint writers to the…
Writing Prompt: If I Could Turn Off My Fear Factor
If I Could Turn Off My Fear Factor, I would: Sing to a large crowd, after lots of practicing, of course. Dance naked in the rain (in a private place). Go skinny-dipping daily (in a private pool). Jump out of an airplane and see what it’s like to float to earth with a parachute. Do…
My Day Today
I am sitting in my den with both dogs sleeping near me. They are patiently waiting for me to take them on their walk. We returned from Ojai this morning after being up at the orange grove for two days. Liz and Ron joined us yesterday, but Liz, bless her heart, was not feeling…
20 Minutes a Day 