Mother Shireen Visiting at St. Thomas

Last night for the Latin Vigil Mass and today for the High Mass (read lots of bells and smells), I had the pleasure of serving with beloved Mother Shireen Baker, who is St. Thomas the Apostle’s own homegirl. She is the Assistant Rector of St. Clement’s by-the-Sea in San Clemente, but she was gracious enough…

Movie Night: A Perfect Valentine’s Day “Date”

Ray and I are celebrating Valentine’s Day by staying home, watching movies and relaxing. Heaven. We just finished watching a puzzling movie entitled “The One I Love” that stars Elizabeth Moss and Mark Duplass, who is currently starring in a TV series we both like called, “Togetherness.” The only other actor in the movie is…

Quiet Time

I hate to be one of those people who writes to complain about how tired they are, but that is exactly what I am going to do tonight. So, you might want to chalk this blog post up as boring and head on to others that capture more of your interest. I am lying here…

4-Star Pumpkin Lasagna Recipe

I made this recipe tonight for a family dinner to celebrate Rachael’s full ride to Chapman Law School. I got the recipe from Food and Wine Magazine. This makes a creamy lasagna that is full of flavor.  Everyone – especially Rachael – seemed to love it. Let me know if you try it! Pumpkin Lasagna…

Great Article on Flash Fiction from The Review Review

This is a great article on flash fiction, which includes a definition along with helpful hints.  This is well worth reading. Enjoy! Len Flash Fiction: What’s It All About? By Becky Tuch Flash Fiction: Stories under 2,000 words. Seems easy enough, right? Just get rid of rambling digressions, eliminate flashbacks, cut extraneous descriptions and presto!…

Tasty and Inexpensive Food Recommendation in LA

Ray and I stumbled upon the Malibu Fish Grill today since we were driving down Melrose between Highland and La Brea (specifically 6803 Melrose) around noon and we saw their sign advertising $2 tacos for “Taco Tuesdays.” We circled the block and were able to park easily in the parking lot right in front of…

Flash Fiction: Out of Time

I can’t say how it happened. One day I was willing to stay and the next I wasn’t. No big bells and whistles. Not even the infamous toothpaste cap out-of-place. Just done. All the juice drained from the relationship like a lemon accidentally left in the car for too long in a hot summer. Desiccated…

Slumber Party with Baby Luna

Grandma is tired tonight. Lots of fun with baby Luna this afternoon and evening. We are enjoying a sleepover with our 22-month-old granddaughter. Currently, she is snoozing beside me in our bed. Sammie, the Scottie, is asleep at the end of the bed; Cordelia, the Corgie, is on the floor; Ray, the Grandpa is yawning on…

The Movie: “A Most Violent Year”

This movie, which stars Oscar Isaaks (Inside Llewyn Davis, Ex Machina, In Secret, etc) and Jessica Chastain (The Tree of Life, The Help, etc.) chronicles the life of an immigrant and his wife who run a heating oil company in 1982 in New York City, a violent year in the city’s history. Isaacs play a…

Congrats to Rachael: Full Scholarship to Chapman Law School!

I am very pleased and proud to announce that our youngest daughter Rachael has been awarded a full scholarship to attend Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law in Orange, CA starting in the fall, 2015. I am thrilled with the news of her admission, but the addition of a full scholarship moves me almost to the…