I recently came across my mother’s memory book of my brother, John. It contains family photos, several letters from John she received in the months prior to his death, along with condolence cards and letters after he died in 1990. He was 46 at that time. He had been diagnosed with AIDS less than 2…
Category: Texas
In Memory of Dr. Jim Leatherwood on Veteran’s Day
My brother, Jim, rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the U.S Navy, serving as a medical officer to the Marines. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton after graduating from medical school. He loved the military and often said that if they had been more kindly to gay men, he would have been…
A Publication!
I am happy to report that one of my memoir pieces, My Mother’s Pain, has been accepted for the 2014 True Words Anthology. This is the story of my mother’s reaction after she learned that my oldest brother, John, had been diagnosed with AIDS. I am not sure of the protocol of sharing my work…
Money Relief
Today is a good day. Ray and I have made some big financial decisions and changes that will affect our future. We have secured a private loan on the house that is for sale in Texas, which means that we are taking it off the market. Instead, we will keep it and lease it out….
Great Turkey Chili Recipe
This is a wonderful turkey chili recipe offered by the Food Network. It’s easy to make and just perfect for these cool fall nights. Happy eating! Total Time: 1 hr 20 min Prep: 20 min Cook: 1 hr Yield:5 (1-cup) servings Ingredients 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped sweet onions 1 tablespoon minced garlic…
A Thought-Provoking Question
One of my online writing students posed the question, “Why do we make some of the decisions we make?” She was recounting her early years when she made the decision to go to college across the state, and then moved out-of-state for a job. Her point was that her decision had long-term ramifications in terms…
A Quick Write Ramble
I am sitting with Oona. It is almost 8 pm. She is my last student of the day, which began at 8 am. I did have a few breaks. I made vegetable soup, cornbread and cookies during one of my breaks. I love vegetable soup. There’s something very satisfying about it, particularly in the fall….
Ray and Ragweed – It Ain’t Pretty
Ray is upstairs and I can hear him coughing and hacking away. This will be a short entry since I think my husband might appreciate my presence since he doesn’t feel well. The culprit: Texas ragweed. He just returned after five days in Texas and he is highly allergic. He took Flonase the whole time…
Work-in-Progress: Not a Masterpiece…
I have been working on my novel in progress. This book is a big stretch for me. It’s about a 17-year-old rural Texas girl, Hannah Price, who is gifted at playing the violin and has been preparing for months to go with her music teacher for an audition at Juilliard. However, just a week before…
20 Minutes a Day 