I am sort of a list maker. Not that I always can find the list. Or that I take it out and look at it. Or that I actually cross off everything more than two items. But I feel as if I have accomplished something just by writing the to-dos on a notepad. Mary Kay consultants …
Category: life
Summer Vacation Day 3: Back to Boone
I attended and graduated from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. It was really the only school I was interested in. I applied to UNC-Greensboro but never had any intention of attending. Not sure why I even wasted my hard-earned money to apply. I was very happy at ASU. College life suited me. I …
Summer Vacation Day 2: Sticks and stones
Sticks and stones. I had a completely different idea for today's post. Then I took a break from writing and decided to take a hike. It was a stunningly beautiful June day in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Blue skies, 72˚F, cool breeze blowing, quiet. I grabbed my camera, my purse, my walking shoes and set …
Summer Vacation Day 1: A porch with a view
Well, Summer Vacation, the 2017 Edition, is officially underway. There is the minor detail of about 20 student comments that still have to be written, but I have until Monday at 5:00 pm. Hours and hours. At the last minute, I decided to book myself into a writer's retreat. Remember, in the last post I …
Love at first sight
I can be a bit cynical. Oui, moi. But love at first sight does exist. It's the love you feel the first time you hold your child. Actually, this may be the purest form of love. I felt it twice. And I have now fallen totally in love with my beautiful granddaughter. Yes, I am …
Hearts Part Deux
I was just going to go back and edit the last post. Really, I was. Why should I make you read a whole new post? Hearts Part Deux? Seriously? What's up with that? Well, here's what. What about all of the expressions that we use that have to do with hearts? A huge heartfelt thanks …
What I am crushing on right now
When I wore a black dress with white polka dots last fall, one of the young (and dare I say handsome) teachers at school said he was "crushing on my dress." Ever since then I have wanted to use that expression. So, here goes. What am I crushing on right now? #1 My great nephew …
Reflections
It is almost time to say Au revoir to 2016. And Bonjour to 2017. 2016 had some tough days. In life, though, that's pretty much par for the course, n'est-ce pas? That's when we learn valuable lessons. It's when we learn to appreciate the whos and whats in our lives. If we are smart. And …
Après Thanksgiving 2016
It's post-Thanksgiving, T + 3, but I am still thinking about all I have to be thankful for in my life. I have fallen into a post-election sadness. Not depression, but a deep sadness for my country. Politics aside, seriously, it's not Democrat vs Republican. It's about treating others, those different from us, with dignity …
Give Thanks
Practice gratitude. Easily said. Not so easily done sometimes. But I try to do this every day. By nature, I am not a negative person. EB recently gave me this little gratitude tree. She and Son #1 have one in their apartment. Last time I was there, I noticed that theirs has more leaves on …
the sabbatical chef 