Biography
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Navigating Life Changes
It happened to me the year I retired. You reach a certain age, and it all kicks in: Social Security, Medicare, and a fondness for hydrangeas. Sigrid Nunez Of course, I had anticipated that my husband and I would eventually retire. We would face the challenge of coexisting in our cozy, small condo, day and…
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Cherishing Friendships
When we’re older, let’s meet every Sunday at four in the cute little cafe we love. Let’s laugh at our foibles, our mishaps, and then release our mistakes to above. Donna Ashworth I am grateful for my friends. We aren’t able to meet in a charming cafe in New Orleans, but we still manage to…
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Writing Fiction
A Favorite Book Everything that is real was imagined first. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams Rosamunde Pilcher, one of my favorite authors, captivates me with her meticulous attention to detail and compelling mature characters. Among her numerous works, “September” stands out as one of my favorites. I find myself returning to it for comfort and…
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Summer Memories
And so with sunshine and the great burst of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning all over again with summer. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby As sometimes happens, what I started to write this week and what I am…
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Memories of Paris
I like the Eiffel Tower because it looks like steel and lace. Natalie Lloyd Paris is always a good idea. Audrey Hepburn America is my country and Paris is my hometown. Gertrude Stein A few weeks ago, my husband asked if I would like to go back to Paris. It’s been several years since I…
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Remembering Hugo
You think dogs will not be in heaven? I tell you, they will be there long before any of us. Robert Louis Stevenson This past December, four days before Christmas, we had to let our sweet dog, Hugo, go. He had serious heart issues and we knew it was a matter of time. It broke…
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Setting an Example
Instruction is good for a child; but example is worth more. Alexandre Dumas Many times, when facing a problem, I find myself wondering what my grandmother would say. To me, she still looms as a paragon of common sense.I remember her as articulate and well spoken. Many of her comments make me smile when I…
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The Afternoon Knows
The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected. Robert Frost This portrait of me, by Hendrik Grise, sits on the mantle above the fireplace. It moved around the condo for a few years and eventually, settled where it is now. I have considered moving it to a less visible location. Nevertheless, it remains where it…