Last week’s kindergarten recollections got me thinking- -what other memorable things happened in grade school? Fortunately, Mom is cleaning out some boxes from her attic and gave me a treasure from Mrs. Campbell’s fifth grade. An essay, some hand-drawn illustrations...

Mother’s Day is nearly here, a natural time to reflect on the life you’ve shared, and may still be sharing, with your mom.   First, my condolences to those of you who lost your mom this past year. The first time is, I believe, hard for almost everybody. I’m one...

Remember when you were a kid, toiling through homework at the kitchen table? How many times did you look up and ask your Mom or Dad “How do you spell __________ (insert word of choice)?” If your parents were like mine, the answer never varied, no matter the word. What...

Some weeks are theme-driven. This week’s theme is repairs and maintenance.   Counting Saturday as the first day of my new week, I took on the repair of a short story with a submission deadline on the following Tuesday. I met Saturday afternoon with my critique...

Many years ago, a co-worker was telling a story about her young granddaughter. I don’t remember what the child’s achievement was, but I do remember that she’d said with pride she’d done it her own big self.   Independence is a good thing, especially when there’s...

Usually my weeks follow a predictable pattern. I work on writing projects Monday through Friday, catch up on odds and ends on Saturday and clean house on Sunday. Maybe it’s because it’s spring, a season known for unpredictability and change. That’s certainly true of...