Both of my parents practiced Clean as You Go. This can apply to anything from making dinner, keeping your room tidy, the car clean, the house and yard in good order. Wash, dry and put away whatever you can while cooking a meal. Pick up, fold, or hang clothes you’ve tried on (including in a …
My mom died from cancer in 1994, and I still miss her, as I do my dad who preceded her by five years (also due to cancer). They both inspired me in many ways. Mother’s Day has passed, but gratitude is never limited to one day a year. We have had an influx of family …
A few years ago, we were invaded by gophers and a mole or two. I think the moles left when the gopher mounds began multiplying. We had over a dozen mounds on our front lawn at one point. Argh! We put a trap in one hole and the next morning five more mounds had erupted …
According to Siri, California drought conditions started in 2000. I’m not sure I agree with her because I remember intermittent wet years that were not that long ago and wearing goloshes to muck around in our flooded backyard. I remember joyous frog song in the growing pond behind our fence and muddy dog prints on …
I didn’t realize I was a collector until I started looking closely with an eye to purging at what we have around our house. Alas, I do collect things! It became clear that my eyes are drawn to the same things. For example, whenever we travel and I look for a souvenir that represented the …
I confess. I’m a Trekkie. I became one in 1966 and still am one today. I was in college when “Star Trek” came on television – the original with William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. Oh, that enticing call of “Space: the final frontier…to explore strange new worlds…to boldly go where no man has gone before.” …
Over thirty years ago, when I was writing Redeeming Love, I had no idea of the story’s connection to sex trafficking. I wanted to share my new-found faith in Jesus Christ. Soon after I became a Christian, Rick and I had opened our home to a Bible study and our pastor began teaching the life …
This month is Human Trafficking Prevention month, though there should never be a time limit on awareness. ICE reported that 291,000 unaccompanied migrant children (as of May 2024), and more than 32,000 received notice but failed to appear. The notice, of course, does not go to the child, but to the sponsor who was “vetted” …
I have been interested in gladiators since seeing the movie “Spartacus” with my parents in October 1960 at the Golden Gate Cinerama – with the huge wrap-around screen. Years later, I created a gladiatorial character – Atretes, a captive Germanic “barbarian” – in The Mark of the Lion trilogy. It was possible for a gladiator …
It’s that time of year again when we look to the next twelve months and make resolutions. The most common are daily routine (ex: get up earlier), eat healthy, lose weight, save money, quit smoking. Most people (88% according to Google) give up by the end of January. Having had the same problem, I give …