We have just deposited my nephew Jim, his wife Karri, and their kids Eli and Sophie back at LAX after a visit that spanned exactly 17 hours (with a few hours in there for sleeping). They are now at the Bradley Terminal where they’ll be boarding a flight to Istanbul at 7:30 this evening. After…
Category: Writing
Heading to the Airport Shortly
I am sitting here tonight waiting to drive to the airport to pick up my nephew Jim, his wife Karri, and their two kids, Eli and Sophie. They are staying overnight with us before heading off to Uzbekistan tomorrow. They are going to visit an American couple who are temporarily living there because the wife…
Our Christmas Day in a Few Photos
Ray and I had originally planned to stay home today. We were with our kids and grandkids yesterday. But after watching our Christmas Mass online (still worried about exposing our relatives to Omicron through active church attendance), we both were pretty droopy. Okay, maybe I even shed a tear or two about missing Midnight Mass…
Our Family Christmas Eve Celebration
Our family gathered at Sarah and Gregorio’s home for our Christmas celebration this afternoon and evening. We had lots of great food, too many tasty desserts, and an abundance of presents to share with one another. I am so grateful to be surrounded by such a dear family, who love to be together, crack jokes,…
A Recipe for a Delectable Holiday Chocolate Cake with Butter Cream Frosting
If you want a foolproof cake for the holidays with a frosting that’ll knock your socks off, then just follow the recipes below. We substitute honey for ours, but I have kept the original white sugar measurements if you would prefer to go that route. The first recipe comes from the back of the Hershey’s…
Flash Memoir: Nils, Norway, and the Chicken House
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…
My Upcoming SCN Online Class: Literary Elements in Toni Morrison’s Novel, Beloved
At the end of January, I will again teach a six-week online class through Story Circle Network on Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved. We’ll be looking at the literary elements and devices that Morrison uses to add depth and power to her work. What are literary elements and devices? You know them by different names: metaphor,…
A Stew Recipe Worth Trying
My daughter Sarah makes this soup all the time. I asked her to send me the recipe. The soup it rich, hearty and delicious. I believe you will love it. Here’s the recipe African Chicken Peanut Stew Servings 6 to 8 servings Use chicken legs, thighs or wings for this recipe. They have more flavor…
Poldark, the PBS Masterpiece Series We Just Stumbled Upon
Ray and I began watching Poldark last night. After staying up way too late, we finished the first five episodes and hated going to sleep even then. The series started in 2015 and ended in 2019, so we are, as usual, late to the table. However, I can say, so far, so good. We both…
Happy Birthday, Kevin!
Kevin is my niece. She is my sister Leslie’s daughter and she’s exactly ten years younger than I am. Her name is Kevin Elizabeth and she was named at a time when there were at least a few girls who were also named Kevin. That was before it became pretty much exclusively a boy’s name….
20 Minutes a Day 