Giving Thanks in An Exceptional Year

I always prefer to focus on gratitude, yet I hadn’t been feeling it this Thanksgiving week. So I posed a question to our community via Facebook: In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I wonder if you would share what uniquely 2020-related things you are thankful for? In this exceptional year, I thought we might move beyond … Continue reading Giving Thanks in An Exceptional Year

Books Make the Best Gifts – Holiday 2020

I just finished reading my 74th book in 2020. Way back in January, or what feels like eight years ago now, I set a goal to read 55 books; Goodreads tells me I'm at 135% of that goal--and I'm not done yet! Still, it's time to purchase holiday gifts and I have some readers on … Continue reading Books Make the Best Gifts – Holiday 2020

Storm Reflections

Today it’s blustery and gray outside, and the forecasted rain is most certainly on its way. It’s chilly and the storm hasn’t yet hit. It will be colder and wetter soon. But not that long ago the sun radiated through the autumn-bedazzled green-yellow trees. The sky was a brilliant blue and even with a slight … Continue reading Storm Reflections

2020 Travel: Tahoe

A week ago I began a blog and Instagram series on 2020 Armchair Traveling: My Life in Coffee Mugs. I wrote about New York City, Norway, and the San Francisco Bay Area and on IG posted about each of these destinations as well as San Diego. This is the final post in this series...for now. … Continue reading 2020 Travel: Tahoe

2020 Armchair Traveling: San Francisco

This week I’m armchair traveling on my blog and Instagram to share My Life in Coffee Mugs. I grew up in San Diego. I went away to college and eventually returned. And then we moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where we’ve lived for almost 15 years. The Bay Area is where our kids … Continue reading 2020 Armchair Traveling: San Francisco

2020 Armchair Traveling: Norway

This week I am sharing on my blog and on Instagram about My Life in Coffee Mugs. On Monday, I wrote on the blog about New York City. On Tuesday on Instagram I posted about my hometown of San Diego. Today I am blogging about Norway... We celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with two weeks … Continue reading 2020 Armchair Traveling: Norway

2020 Armchair Traveling: My Life in Coffee Mugs

Along with so much else in 2020, travel has been cancelled. Good thing my coffee mugs remind me where I’ve been--exactly what Starbucks intended, right? This week, I’ll let my warm cuppa whisk me away to share a few highlights from my life. Today is my birthday. It’s also an ordinary Monday in an exceptionally … Continue reading 2020 Armchair Traveling: My Life in Coffee Mugs

Following the Words: Scattered

One evening I heard myself say to my husband, “I feel scattered.” I went on to explain just a few of the dizzying directions in which my brain was spinning: the books I’m reading--to study the author’s writing style, to challenge myself to learn about life from a different perspective, to unwind before bed; my … Continue reading Following the Words: Scattered

All Saints’ Day

Still trembling with fear, I grabbed Mom’s arm in wobbly desperation. “Do Not Ever let me ride that again!" I gasped. "Even when I’m a teenager and I come here with my friends, tell them I Am Not allowed to ride that ride!” My mom took me and my sister to Disneyland, an hour-and-a-half drive … Continue reading All Saints’ Day