Happy birthday to my old friend and first cousin, Lee Leatherwood, who preceded me into this life by six days. We have known each other all of our lives, having lived only a block away from each other for our first five years, then only a few blocks away until we were eighteen. Then, we…
Category: Writing
Nico’s Arrival: A Few Scary Moments
Ray and I had a good cry yesterday after they wheeled Sarah into the operating room for an emergency c-section after 12 hours of labor. Her blood pressure had sunk to 30/60 and baby Nico’s heart rate had dropped to 80 from 155. Suddenly, the medical team went from one nurse to a whole roomful…
5-Star Recipe for Chocolate Butter Cake w/ Buttercream Frosting
Since baking is my coping mechanism for stress, I thought I’d share another recipe. This is from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible, a book I would highly recommend if you love baking cakes. I have tried many of the recipes for cakes and buttercream frostings and they are all delicious. Since I bake with…
Still Pregnant
Hi, my friends. Yes, we are still waiting for baby Nico to decide it is time to make his appearance. We (all members of the family) are learning more about patience than anybody ever wanted to know , along with what life circumstances can and cannot be controlled. Alas, baby Nico is healthy and apparently…
Book Review: Finding Grace
I am very proud to say that I was the story consultant and first editor on Finding Grace, this very fine book by Patricia Dunn-Fierstein. This coming-of-age novel set in the Deep South during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement tells the story of Charlie, a thirteen-year-old girl, whose new friendship with a…
Repost: The Messiness of Change
I have always hated what comes first when contemplating change: the ruin of what is; the demolition of the status quo; the process of undoing in order to redo. This has caused me great discomfort, a person with a strong need for tidiness and order. “Let’s knock down that wall,” my husband might say as…
When In Need of a Comfort Activity
A comfort activity. That’s what I needed this afternoon while I continue to wait, wait, wait for that telephone call that starts with, “We are on our way to the hospital. Sarah’s in active labor.” Alas, how to fill the time until that call comes? How else? Bake! Don’t ask me why but lately I’ve…
Happy Birthday, Brother George
My brother, George, who died several years ago, would have been 66 on this day. George was my closest brother in age, being 3 years older than I am, and he was one of my best friends. We had a connection that was special, and I miss having him around to talk with. I had…
The Liminal Experience
Liminal time. That’s what we are now in as we await baby Nico’s birth. Liminal is defined as: 1) of or relating to a transitional or initial stage of a process; 2) occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold. Days, hours, moments before and after birth are liminal points, as…
Hear, Hear to Uncertainty
The baby waiting continues. Onto other topics… A very long day today. I am trying to get all my work done now so that I will be free for you-know-who when he decides it’s time to show his face. As a result, I am staying up too late tonight getting details handled before heading over…
20 Minutes a Day 