Musings
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Sunday Snippet: The Places I Love Most Edition
This might be a lazy way to blog but I’ve been thinking a lot about places that I love. Pal Carol and I are going to be going to France next fall (2027) and thinking about travel has made me consider all the places that I’ve been to and loved. This isn’t a travel memories kind of post, though. Rather, I’ve been thinking about places that have always been special to me. Places I return to for restoration and renewal. So here are three places that always make me happy and not surprisingly, they are all right here in the Midwest. Whitehall, Michigan: Wow… I’ve been going to Whitehall since…
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Sunday Snippet: The I’m Older and I’m Okay Edition
Yes, I’m going to talk about aging today, so if you’re sick and tired of hearing about people (read me!) getting older, I’d suggest you go do something else. Watch YouTube or Netflix, scroll on your phone, or read a book on your Kindle. Seems like I keep hearing that people I know or who are part of my worldview have died–Bonnie Tyler, Sam Neill, Catherine O’Hara, Robert Duvall, Peabo Bryson, David Clayton-Thomas, Neil Sedaka, Sophie Kinsella, Rob Reiner, Eric Dane (Dr. McDreamy)… and closer to home and less recently, my mom, my sister, Kate, my best friend, Dee, and other cousins, friends, and contemporaries. Kate would’ve turned 75 in June,…
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Sunday Snippet: The Who Is My Best Self Edition
This morning during my daily meditation, the guide asked us to consider that question: “Who am I when I’m at my best?” Who am I when I’m at my best? Wow, what a question. I think we, okay I, don’t stop my life to consider who I am, who I want to be, who I should be. I just push through…working, writing, doing laundry, making meals, being horrified by the state of our government, yet loving my family and friends and just trying to get through each day. Always behind everything I do or think or say is the knowledge that my heart isn’t working as well as other hearts…
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Sunday Snippet: The Writer as Procrastinator Edition
I think I’ve mentioned it before but in case you don’t know, I’ve become a world-class procrastinator—I can do something else better than anyone anywhere. I’ve passed amateur status and have just recently gotten my professional standing. Don’t even try to take me on this one, I’ll beat the socks off you every time. For instance, yesterday, after we drove home from the lake, I procrastinated beautifully about cutting back the last of the pampas grass. I found something more important to do (read “sat on the sofa reading for pleasure” here) until it was time to start supper. The to-do list I made while we drove home was really…
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Sunday Snippet: The March Lists Edition
When I’ve got nothing, which is the situation as I sit here in front of my computer this morning, pal Liz always recommends doing a list or two. I figure why not? I was thinking maybe favorites books lists would be fun. What do you think? I’ll start. Five Favorite Childhood Books (Too easy, but also fun to think about): The Bobbsey Twins books by Laura Lee Hope–I often pretended I was Nan, the oldest girl twin. The Nancy Drew books by Carolyn Keene–I loved her sporty little convertible and dreamed about a boyfriend like Ned (FYI, he’s fiction). The Jennifer Wish by Eunice Young Smith–amazing stories about a family who…
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Sunday Snippet: The January 2026 Musings Edition
How it’s already January 18? Wasn’t it just Thanksgiving? Heck, wasn’t it just summer, for heaven’s sake? Time is going by too quickly. Basically, we’re hunkered down here because the weather is so bitter, flu and Covid are rampant, and I’m doing a round of a topical chemo cream on some pre-cancerous spots on my face, which makes me look kinda gross. I feel safe in my little brick house in the Nest, but the days are are dark–not just because of the season but also because of what is happening in our nation and in the world. We watch events in Minnesota with horror, praying for the folks there,…
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Sunday Snippet: The Audio Books & Memories Edition
I’ve just started listening to audiobooks recently—frankly, since my own book, Forever Cowboy, was released on audio. (Little plug there. Yeah, I’m shameless.) Anyway, I never thought I could listen to an audiobook in the car and keep my focus on driving. Surprisingly, I’m finding that I can, indeed, listen to an audiobook and drive. I started with Claire Cook’s Must Love Dogs because I’ve read the book, enjoyed the film they made from it, and I know the story. I thought maybe if I knew a story it would be less likely to distract me while I was driving. Last month, I listened as I drove up to a…
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Sunday Snippet: The First One of 2026 and It’s a Real Snippet Edition
Hiya, Happy New Year, although if you’re like me and having a hard time with that concept, I totally get it. With the news and the condition of our country right now, does it feel like 2026 has a snowball’s chance in h-e-double hockey sticks of being happy? I dunno. I’m asking and honestly trying really hard not to think too hard about it right now. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m paying attention, listening to the news, trying to understand what’s happening. But I can’t make it my entire focus or I seriously will break down and be completely useless. Useless isn’t going to work right now. I have…
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Sunday (Whoops, Thursday) Snippet: The Happy New Year Edition
Today is the first day of 2026, and frankly, I’m skipping resolutions and a word for the year and planning all the ways I’m going to succeed and be amazing this year. My plan for 2026 is to simply survive another year of this regime. Well, okay, not simply survive, I also intend to do what I can do to resist and get educated on how I can best fight for our Constitution and the rule of law. That might mean donating to causes, marching in protests, and voting in important elections, but it won’t mean posting and reposting that resistance on Facebook. On Facebook, I’m preaching to the choir.…
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Christmas Day Snippet: The Repeat the Sounding Joy Edition (Redux)
I love to sing. I can’t sing. I mean I have a truly terrible voice, but I love to sing. Especially at Christmas. So Pandora’s Christmas Classics starts playing at our house before Thanksgiving and NPR gets switched to the Christmas station on the car radio as soon as B105.7 becomes all Christmas music all the time. I’ve played James Taylor’s holiday CD so many times I’m surprised it isn’t worn through and at least four times a week, I hunt for the Eagles version of “Please Come Home for Christmas” and Allison Krause and Yo-Yo Ma’s gorgeous rendition of “The Wexford Carol” on YouTube and play it while I’m…