At a grand-niece's wedding in Louisiana last week, Marv and I participated in a "longest married couple dance" for the first time. I had no expectations other than knowing that we would be making fools of ourselves as I feel we do whenever we (try to) dance. We were both raised to think dancing was …
Category: writing
Nurse Turned Librarian for a Day – Part II
Last week I said here that I loved books, libraries, and new experiences. Now, after having spent my day at the Illinois Library Association’s annual conference, add to that list: librarians. I’ve always valued librarians, especially when I was getting my master’s degree and we had to order and pay for our literature searches. Then, …
Nurse Turned Librarian for a Day
Books. Libraries. New experiences. I love them all, and tomorrow Palos Heights Public Library, by sponsoring me as a featured author at the Illinois Library Association conference, is giving me the opportunity to immerse myself in all of them at once. As a featured author, I have a full day access to the conference. Did …
Does your time in retirement belong to you?
A week ago yesterday, I had the privilege of being the speaker at a Vespers service in a retirement village. Never having done this before, I still readily accepted the invitation. I'm happy I did. You see retirement homes hold an attraction for me. I conducted my doctoral research in one, spending a summer--it felt …
Continue reading Does your time in retirement belong to you?
Literary Life Booksigning – 9/10/11
Many thanks to Amy Nagelkirk for setting up this book signing at Literary Life, a delightful bank-turned-bookstore in Grand Rapids, MI, started up and owned by physician Roni Devlin. And thanks to Dr. Devlin for now carrying Caring Lessons! If you've not seen this cozy independent bookstore, you must! Stop in at Wealthy and Eastern, …
9/11 Memorial – Healing Field – 2011 Cannonsburg Ski Area, West Michigan
A somber tribute: thirty-two hundred flags attached to white poles slipped over thirty-two hundred strips of rebar that are placed in checkered squares.
Labor Day in the Cool, Crisp, Clear Northwest
Some time ago, I wrote that you can take a boy off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of a boy. Proof once again: My husband on Labor Day driving a late 40s Farmall in the Black Diamond, Washington, parade. Older fellas lined up to discuss the make, year, and restoration of …
Continue reading Labor Day in the Cool, Crisp, Clear Northwest
Invite: Book Event, Bourgeois Pig Cafe, Chicago
As featured author on Tuesday, August 23, 7:30pm, I'll be reading excerpts from Caring Lessons: A Nursing Professor's Journey of Faith and Self. See The Reader for details. The Bourgeois Pig Cafe is located at 738 West Fullerton in Chicago. Come early and munch on their yummy sandwiches. The Bourgeois Pig is a cozy, student- …
Continue reading Invite: Book Event, Bourgeois Pig Cafe, Chicago
Zumba for Seniors, Anyone?
"You're looking go-o-od. You're looking go-o-od. You're looking go-o-od." The zumba leader sings her encouragement. Looking at my reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror behind her, I think, You lie. I look like a bag of disconnected limbs--arms and legs flailing in different directions, none of which is following her lead. There are times, I think, when I should …
Another Reason to Write Memoir
Do you think your life is too humdrum for a memoir? Dave Eggers, in The Autobiographer's Handbook1, emphasizes one reason you should write: "…because you will someday die, and without your story on paper, most of it will be forgotten." (p. 1) He says we strive to preserve the world's history from antiquity on for …
Write Along with Me 