It’s more of a sense than a knowing really. The eyes glow blue-green from dense shadows. Those eyes hold you in their gaze so you barely notice the crouching form poised to inflict pain. Malice is in her heart as she prepares the attack—there will be no survivors. She waits until you seem unaware and then…argh! Tiny little claws grip… Read More

The glow from my computer screen has become almost hypnotic. Is that good? In a very non-Feng Shui arrangement, my back is to the door of my office as I sit in front of the computer working. Normally that is a non-issue, but on more occasions than I care to admit my husband or son have come up from behind… Read More

Have you ever been distracted to the point of being on auto-pilot? Many people mention they don’t remember driving to work, or if they turned off the oven when they left home. Have you ever put the milk in the cupboard and the cereal in the refrigerator? Why are we so preoccupied that we allow routine to numb our brains?… Read More

Do you ever have one of those days when something random pops in your thoughts and you say, “Where did that come from?” But then later that very thing or person appears seemingly out of nowhere and you start humming the theme song from the Twilight Zone? Yeah. Weird, right? So I’m doing housework and I reminiscing about our cats… Read More

The car pulls up, doors swing open, trunk yawns in unison with the early hour, and luggage hits the curb with a soft whompffff. The moment has come to say our goodbyes, and I brace myself. My husband is off on a quick trip to visit his son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. The bustle at the airport always brings an edgy… Read More

I jab my index finger onto the tiny button located on my car’s dashboard. Like magic, the miles between fueling return to zero. Wouldn’t it be fun if we could re-set our troubled times like that? A small button on the body part of choice would quickly rid us of hurt feelings or missed chances. I’d probably wear mine out!… Read More

I had to give a class presentation. Speaking in front of others remains one of my least shining moments. I talk too fast, my hands tremble, and I lose my train of thought at key moments. Knowing my foibles, I decided to be proactive and bribe my way into the minds and hearts of fellow classmates. I baked three dozen… Read More

I think there has been a universal energy shift lately. People who tend to be very upbeat in my world are more cautious and slower to twinkle. It isn’t so much about the economy, or world situations, it is simply weariness in attitude. I’ve been trying to remain steadfast in my optimism, but there are days the rough stuff scrapes… Read More

There is an insecurity to being a writer. The words come forth in similar fashion to the babies I have had the privilege to birth…with much pain and occasional screaming. To have you tell me you like what I do, to keep going, and to keep being my quirky self, is an exceptional thing. It is with humble toe-in-the-sand happiness… Read More

When I was in Chengdu, China, my friend Dianne and I took a taxi from the grocery store to our hotel. We weren’t being lazy; we had a lot of bags to carry. The cab driver was listening to some sort of comedy show on his radio, but since it was in Chinese we couldn’t understand anything being said. After… Read More

My husband was watching me as we walked Booker this morning. It was an unusually warm morning for October and I was wearing flip flops. Part of me wanted to pretend it was still summer, but the other part of me was being lazy. It’s easier to slide on flip flops than to put on socks and shoes. Oh, the… Read More

My husband and I were driving Booker to the paved trail near town for a good run. Now, before you get all snippy and say, “Why didn’t you just run him to the trail?” I’ll just say we live miles from the trail and it would require going through traffic situations we don’t care to bring a dog through on… Read More

I don’t know about other women, but I tend to decide where I’m at on the chubby scale by how my clothes fit. I refuse to step on the actual scale and actually know what I weigh because I don’t want certain numbers flitting around in my head causing pain and guilt. Hey, it’s my reality! Today I pulled out… Read More

I walked through the living room many times today and felt a warm glow each time. Nope, I wasn’t having hot flashes. (Well I was, but that wasn’t the reason.) My smile-a-minute feelings are because my son gave me a bouquet of flowers. The vase sits on my coffee table and catches my eye with creamy fuchsia rimmed roses, deep… Read More

It started with a weird sound. Instead of the background thrum the dishwasher usually made as it lightened my daily task, I heard a harsher mechanical sound. Imagine a grinding angry sound instead of a happy hum, and you’re close. Hmmm. A few days later, although the dishes were still coming out clean, I noticed the dishwasher was not fully… Read More

The call came in yesterday—there was to be a potluck lunch held at my husband’s office for a worker moving on to a new job. When my husband came home last night I asked him what he was going to bring. “What do you mean?” he said. “You are going to be part of the luncheon, so you need to… Read More

I hate sewing. Okay, hate is a strong word. My inablility to sew is more like a genetic flaw that I resent. My grandmother was a fine seamstress. My mother made beautiful quilts and was a prolific embroiderer. Me? Nada. The seamstress genetic pool dried up when I arrived on earth. I prick my fingers, tangle the thread into hopeless… Read More

The past few days have been hovering around ninety degrees. The last time I checked, the calendar says it is September. Ninety degree days are fine for those less moody states like Florida, Texas, and California, but here in Minnesota the warm days are doled out like ice cream in hell. We get confused when we don’t see our breath… Read More

I have class tonight and feel a bit floopy about being prepared. Floopy is Latin for “uncertain,” “nervous, “and many other definitions that the word floopy stands in for nicely. I’ve read the material more than once; I’ve made notes, and pondered the meaning of the work. However, I still feel floopy. If I could stick my finger on my… Read More

While the title sounds like a new food on a stick at the State Fair, I’m actually talking about Booker’s oral needs. He loves to carry found objects in his mouth when we go on walks. For awhile he was wrapping the leash around his nose and then holding the slack in his mouth. This was cute until we realized… Read More

The second crop of raspberries is ripe, and I was out there this morning vying for my share. The canes are a tangled mess daring the undetermined to stay away. No matter. If the bees and other assorted bugs can go after the quilted fruit jewels, so can I. Many of the berries literally fell into my hand begging me… Read More

It’s always a fun challenge to come up with healthy and tasty meals. I knew I wanted to make a casserole—in Minnesota we call those bad boys “hot dishes”—and to keep it simple. Looking about for ingredients I pulled a package of frozen tortellini from the freezer. While the pasta boiled, I went to the garden and picked handfuls of… Read More

A friend of mine just had a book launch for her second mystery novel. I attended the event and told her I couldn’t have been more proud if I was her mother. She laughed and poo-poo’d all her hard work. It is so refreshing to be around women who have a clear view of who they are and what they… Read More

I received a long awaited email this morning from a friend who has been going through challenging times. Her humor, laced throughout the text, assured me that she is doing fine despite the hellish summer she has experienced. Sometimes, even when a person is strong and extraordinary in most areas of life, there comes a breaking point, and my friend… Read More

While on the camping trip I said, “I do” to a question my daughter asked. I don’t recall what was asked, but when I uttered those two words in response she said, “So that’s where I get it.” “What are you talking about?” I asked. “Where you get what?” She measured her words before answering, which is never good. “I… Read More

I feel like my summer is winding down, and it causes a tightening within my chest. I’m seeing more geese heading south, the fall blooming flowers are, well, blooming, and my college classes start next week. Everything in my heart says to enjoy each day as it comes. But, in my reality-based experience, I know that nature is preparing for… Read More

There’s something that clicks in my woman’s soul when the shutter on my camera captures an image, but it’s hard to explain. I had spent the afternoon discussing an independent study class with a professor, and she brought up some interesting questions for me to ponder. Part of my area of interest is how older women are portrayed in ads,… Read More

It was a day I could finally wrestle some outdoor chores. I knew the weeds had become fat enough and tall enough to qualify as sumo contenders, but I had to try to bring them down. I put on my warrior gear—shorts, tank top, and sunglasses–and took my defensive hands-on-hips stance. “Here weedy weedy, here weedy weedy”, I hissed. I… Read More

Today my son turned thirty one years old. We made plans to meet for lunch and conversation. I’m proud to say we have always had a strong relationship and open communication, and I never take for granted how special that is in a world of dysfunctional families. As I thought about that moment thirty one years ago when he came… Read More

Tuesday’s storm left my wireless printer pouting. In fact, it was in such a mood that it wouldn’t print at all. I recently had some computer tweaking done, and completely trust the young tech who works on my issues. (Computer issues, that is. We haven’t yet crossed the line into emotional therapy, although the two are closely linked.) The challenge… Read More