My Third Beach Birthday
I’ve mentioned before that I spent two of my birthdays at Cannon Beach, Oregon—my 12th and my 15th. Last Saturday was my birthday (not a milestone), and I was fortunate to spend it on a beach as well—this time Richmond Beach, Washington. It’s been a long timing coming since my last beach birthday, but I […]
A Quarter Through 2025: Am I Voting “Present”?
On New Year’s Day, I posted that my resolution for 2025 was to vote “present” when confronted with decisions about what to do. In other words, I resolved to balance my propensity for planning with living in the moment. To focus on what should come next in the immediate moment, rather than worrying too far […]
The Pig War and the Peace Arch
My husband and I visited the Peace Arch on the border between the United States and Canada last weekend. The scene was idyllic—water, gardens, and an inspiring arch that reminds us that the U.S. and Canada have had friendly relations for a long time. “Children of a common mother,” says the U.S. side of the […]
First Visit To the Seattle Symphony
I love classical music, but in recent years, I haven’t had many chances to experience live performances. My husband finds it difficult to sit comfortably for long stretches—especially in the cramped seats of a concert hall. I’ve gone to a few performances with friends, but not as often as I’d like. One perk of living […]
Draft 3 Is Done!
I am pleased to report that I finished the third draft of my work-in-progress this past weekend. It’s taken me four months to complete this draft. And now I have launched into Draft 4. There are some things I feel good about at this point in the book—much better than when I started this draft. […]
Unpacking Mental Boxes
My husband and I closed on the sale of our house in Kansas City recently. We moved to Seattle five months ago, and through the winter the empty house was a worry. Kansas City had a cold and snowy winter. That meant a risk of frozen pipes and other cold-weather disasters, as well as a […]
Carkeek Park: Beaches and Beavers and History
On the fourth Wednesday of the month, I usually write a post with a historical theme—an event or place that features in one of my historical novels, for example. Today, I am detouring slightly to write about a place I recently went to that brought historical events to mind. One of my favorite things about […]
Popcorn Brain
A friend of mine recently emailed me an article from the Mayo Clinic on “popcorn brain.” I might have thought she was trying to send me a message, except she copied several other people on her email, too. So I decided she was not singling me out. I’d never heard of “popcorn brain” before. But […]
Tax Time Again . . . It Gets Worser Every Year
As I noted in a 2015 post, I started using an accountant to prepare our tax returns for the 2014 tax year. But my dealings with the accounting firm have not gone well, as I noted in a 2019 post. Nevertheless, inertia is a powerful force, and I am still using the same firm. Even […]
The Birthday Dinner that Wasn’t
My granddaughter just turned two. Her parents and my husband and I planned a pizza and cupcake dinner at our apartment to celebrate—complete with gifts and singing, of course. Unfortunately, midday on the Big Day my daughter texted that the birthday girl had vomited. With toddlers, one never knows if stomach upsets are a fluke […]