The dog didn’t eat my homework, but exploding oatmeal and broken water lines sure interfered with my novel writing this week. The story idea hit me early one morning. I jolted awake, sat up in my bed, and looked around the dark bedroom. I can scribble little ideas on my…

We focus so much on epic events, but sometimes it’s the smaller things in life that are the truly important little stories. Thank you for your patience as I took last week off to focus on family. Thank you for the flood of notes, emails, and cards expressing your condolences…

Just when I was getting a good night’s sleep — a rarity — a 2 a.m. shriek shot me out of bed and into a night of frustration. The shriek pierced my dreams and ripped me from my slumber. Shrill. Urgent. Alarming. I pried open my eyes and scanned the…

As we honor the men and women who gave their lives while in uniform, my Memorial Day gratitude seems an insufficient thank you. Each day in my journal, I note things I am grateful for. Maybe a person helped me in some large or small way. A glorious sunrise started…

Nothing is better than a cheerful server in a restaurant, even if they make a mistake or two or three. After all, attitude is everything, right?Musing: The hostess guided us to our seats through the half-empty restaurant. Since we live in a tourist town, we save our eating out for…

I injured myself last week. Stupid, I know, especially when I can only call it an old injury in celebration of my approaching birthday. I injured myself last week. In the middle of a strenuous activity, my right ankle popped. Pain shot up my leg. I grimaced. For the next…

A simple walk in the woods last week took a turn when an old nemesis stalked me and I found myself at a choke point. Others stroll down the trail, oblivious to its menacing presence. But it lurks in the forest, skulking in the shadows, waiting for me to approach. …

Moving a microphone on my desk took two minutes. The cascading project required two hours. You could say this got out of hand. It started out small. A simple task. Nothing to it. Would take two minutes. And then it took two hours. A microphone rose from the corner of…

Needed an expert opinion to solve a problem. Upon further review, the experts disagreed and clashed. Does that sound familiar? What should have taken thirty minutes ended up absorbing hours. I blame the internet. Specifically, online reviews. …