If you’ve taken one of my personal essay classes, you’ve probably heard me say this more than once: Use your writing to discover something you didn’t know when you started. That’s not just teacher talk. It’s how the best essays—especially the personal kind—find their legs. Here’s the thing. When you sit down with the intention…
Buddha in the Orange Grove: A Tranquil Place
Several years ago, we bought a large statue of Buddha from an estate we were handling. The statue had been stored in a small closed garage for years with miscellaneous household objects and boxes stacked all around it. Ray and I were happy to unearth this beautiful Buddha and knew that we’d like to find…
5-Star Macaroni and Cheese Recipe – Pure Comfort Food
When in doubt about the current state of the world, I reach for comfort food recipes. Mac and Cheese is one of those dishes that ranks way up at the top of my comfort food list, so yesterday I found an excellent recipe and made it for dinner. This particular recipe calls for 1 cup…
Flash Fiction: A Matched Pair
Madeline was tired. She had been boxing up all sorts of antiques all afternoon since the owners, Maude and Jason Fredericks, were going out of business. These boxes would be heading to an auction where they would all go for what Maude described as “pennies on the dollar.” Madeline was especially upset about three different…
A Summer Salad Worth Making
Cindy Betty, Liz’s mother-in-law, introduced this salad to me, and I knew from the first bite that I’d be making it myself before the month was out. This salad isn’t just delicious—it’s pretty, too. Bright colors, fresh flavors, and that sweet-tangy kick that makes you want to go back for seconds. Maybe thirds. The vinaigrette…
Bastrop Post Office Named After 1st Cousin, Billy D. Waugh, ‘Godfather of the Green Berets’
Today, husband Ray, brother Sam, and I attended the renaming of the post office in Bastrop, Texas, after my late first cousin, Sergeant Major Billy D. Waugh, a highly decorated Special Forces officer also known as “the grandfather of the Green Berets.” Below is a news link to the event: https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/bastrop-post-office-renamed-after-local-veteran-sgt-major-billy-d-waugh I saw many of…
Where Mama Was
When I was little, I was a Mama’s baby; I mean, a BIG Mama’s baby. At night, I sneaked into her bed to snuggle; in the daytime, I played near her while she read, typed, or worked on bills. By age five, I didn’t mind playing in another room or outside in the backyard as long…
What the American Dream Looks Like
I wrote this piece several years ago. Fong not only attended medical school, but is currently completing an orthopaedic surgery residency. His brother graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a degree in computer science, and his sister is also attending UCSD, where she is studying engineering. I’m proud of these kids and…
Happy Upcoming Anniversary, Sarah and Gregorio!
This is a piece I wrote back in 2014. Sarah and Gregorio’s wedding date is approaching, 11 years later, and I thought it’d be fun to share the tension that preceded that civil ceremony before their big church wedding near Thanksgiving. Sarah and Gregorio told us several weeks ago that they were going to get…
My First Reading & Book Signing for Hope in a Time of Dying
This past Sunday, I had the privilege of giving my very first reading from Hope in a Time of Dying at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church in Hollywood. At least forty people came, and many lined up afterward to buy a copy of the book. The focus of the reading was on passages featuring…
20 Minutes a Day 