I realized today that I bake when I’m feeling a little droopy. Yes, I am a simple creature. Comfort food does indeed bring me comfort. So, today, I made for the very first time a cookie that many refined sugar eaters take for granted – the snickerdoodle. I didn’t know that this cookie had cinnamon…
Category: Writing as a Discipline
Rachael: Texas Bound
We have a big transition coming up soon. Rachael Marie Beaty will graduate from UCLA on Sunday with a Bachelor of Arts in American Literature and Culture, then move to Texas on the following Thursday. We will be driving with her for that move so it’s not as if she will disappear four days after…
Our Baby Luna
Here is our beloved granddaughter, Luna Isabella, who is now 9 1/2 weeks old. For our wedding anniversary, Ray and I gave each other the gift of going out to visit Luna and her mama, Sarah, for several hours Friday morning. Rachael joined us, and then we all met Gregorio for lunch. That was a…
The Ordination Today at St. John’s Cathedral in LA
Today was a happy day for our church, St. Thomas the Apostle in Hollywood. Two of our parishioners, Shireen Baker and Steve DeMuth, were ordained as deacons; in six months, they will become Episcopal priests. They were 2 of the 11 people who were ordained today downtown at St. John’s Cathedral with Jon Bruno, Bishop…
On Being Married 33 Years
Tomorrow is my 33rd wedding anniversary. Ray and I have somehow managed to be married longer even than my own parents, who made it to 32 years before my dad passed away. That is a strange experience for me – to be married longer than my parents who I always thought had a respectably long…
What Makes Me Dull and Uninteresting: A List
This was a writing prompt from Dinty W. Moore’s book: Crafting the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction. What makes me dull and uninteresting? A list in no particular order: 1) Being too polite 2) Being self-absorbed 3) Being afraid 4) Being nervous and self-conscious 5) Not taking risks 6) Not…
A Tasty Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
I made these cookies today. The dough is mixed, chilled, then cut into slabs for baking. I have included below the original recipe from a GREAT cookie cookbook: bigfatcookies by Elinor Klivans. (I found my copy at a thrift store and use it often.) Because Ray and I don’t eat refined sugar, I have added…
Good Storytelling in the Film “Mud”
I saw the movie Mud today and I can highly recommend it. I was impressed with the acting – a welcome surprise when it comes to Matthew McConaughey. I also thought the story was first-rate and illustrated a few elements that are important for all good story telling. These elements include: A rich setting. The…
Beach: Then and Now
The first time I sat on the beach at an ocean was when I was sixteen-years-old and I had come to Sierra Madre, CA from Texas to visit my sister, Leslie. She took me to Manhattan Beach, which was beautiful except for the offshore oil derricks. I had a brand new white bikini that I…
Luna and the Advantages of Planning
I am on the Gold Line train heading out to spend the day with baby Luna and daughter Sarah. This had not been my plan for today, but Sarah asked me yesterday if I could help her. I had a dozen tasks slated for today that I scurried around yesterday and completed. I am not…
20 Minutes a Day 