Driving onto the grounds of the Biltmore Estate last April was an experience for the senses. As we curved up through the winding road, I opened my window to briefly brush my hand against the hanging, soft pine tree needles lining the path; pointing the way to this majestic North Carolina landmark. Glimpses of azalea … More A Special Place
Last June was a busy month for me. I had my port-a-cath surgically removed; we drove to the other side of the state to spend several days with family and I had an emotional visit with my mom as she had deteriorated so much since my last visit. She could not speak, except a loud … More Rallying to Write.. And What Happened
I think I may have fallen down the Koala hole. Okay, the Koala Quest hole. Kaolaquest.com is self- defined as The World’s Fuzziest Search Engine and I stumbled over it while reading an article which referenced the website. This was so similar in the way the enjoyable Quora.com dropped into my lap; I needed to … More The Quirky Koala
We had cooler weather recently, so it was perfect to see pumpkins at a roadside farm stand when I drove by one morning. It just felt like apples and crimson-colored leaves and Halloween all rolled into one. As luck would have it, an old favorite started playing on a 70’s music channel just as the … More Superstitious Notes
For months now, we have been receiving increasingly ominous snail mail letters and emergency texts that our phones will no longer work on January 1st, 2023. Well, specifically, my husband’s phone will no longer work because it is a 3G and Verizon will no longer support third generation wireless technology. He has delayed buying a … More New Kids on The Cell Block
For most of September, I have been on an unexpected hiatus. I needed time to finalize plans for my mother’s service, pull my thoughts and words together for a eulogy, and spend time with my visiting family. I debated how to approach my next post as I have focused (understandably so) on Gretchen’s passing. I … More Once in a Lifetime
My family will gather soon to say goodbye to my mom. It has been a month now since she passed, which is impossible to believe. I looked back at my blog and counted 40 posts written about her and the challenges of how to help an aging parent. Documenting the many situations and solutions was … More There’s More to the Story
The second I saw the Capiz shell wind chime in the store, I thought “mom.” A Capiz shell is a round, nearly flat shell and is thin as glass. In their natural state, they are a shiny white, but these store shells were dyed in beautiful shades of turquoise, purple, pale green and yellow; some … More The Colors of the Sea
I think my first “official” job was working in the Children’s Shoes department at Halle Brothers department store. I was 16. I also worked in Food Service during college, in the Communications dept with The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce (summer job), and after I moved to Chicago, I worked at Studio One recording studio in … More Life at Legacy.com
I’ll admit it, I wasn’t too impressed with the first Top Gun movie. I was in my mid-20’s in 1986 and preferred movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Abyss (that was during my James Cameron phase) and Witness. I had not been exposed to the military or military life or a defending America … More The Curious Incident at Seat E13
Leaving The Door Open 