I can still hear my father over the phone, making promises to come and spend time with my sister and me. He had a lovely baritone voice, and when he laughed, his whole body seemed to shake with mirth. I adored him, even though I probably only spent ten days of my entire childhood with... Continue Reading →
The Ideal Home is Filled with Love!
The Echota State Historic Site, Calhoun, Georgia I know the question probably pertains to the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and other decorative aspects of a house. But all of that doesn't really matter if there is no love in the house. If the people who share a home, or even one person with perhaps a... Continue Reading →
I Used to Think I was Ordinary, But No More!
Paris, France, May 2024 As a black woman raised in the South in Tennessee, I thought that I was an ordinary person, nothing special about me. I was told that I would probably live my whole life in the South, never going beyond the boundary of my hometown. I was also someone who loved books... Continue Reading →
Thank Goodness Some Nicknames Don’t Stick!
As a little girl, my nickname was Baldy. It seems that as a toddler, I contracted some kind of head rash that meant cutting off all of my hair. So, Baldy became what people called me, from aunts and uncles to neighbors. I must have been in the third or fourth grade before I even... Continue Reading →
When Getting Old Isn’t Pretty
I was a teenager during the 1960s when the world was changing rapidly. I witnessed the Flower Power movement, protests against the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Gay and Lesbian Movement. I was a feminist before I had a name for it. As a girl who had to clean house after school,... Continue Reading →
Krispy Kreme Donuts Should Come with a Health Warning on the Box!
Krispy Kreme should have a warning on the box, similar to those for gambling and cigarettes, that alerts consumers to the addictive nature of the food, especially when hot. I don't think anything has been more irresistible to me than those donuts. Once, I went to buy donuts for the whole family, which included nine... Continue Reading →
The Year as a Secret Crush Brought Me Joy and Connected Me with Humanity
His name was Lester, and he was a year ahead of me in school. I looked up his family's number in the White Pages (which tells you how long ago). I asked to speak to him, and when he answered, we talked for nearly an hour. Then he had to go to bed. He kept... Continue Reading →
Problem after Falling Found: Thank You, Lord for Protection.
I never heard of concussed teeth. I knew that we can experience a concussion in our brain. I don't watch football like I used to because when a player falls, I tremble. So, I thought the endodontist was wrong about a concussed tooth that died because of the impact of my face plant. All I... Continue Reading →
Queenie is the Only Acceptable Change to My Name!
Daily writing promptIf you had to change your name, what would your new name be?View all responses We took an Uber back to our daughter’s house in Porto, Portugal on Wednesday, because we had walked across the port bridge to get to the beach. I found out it was a bridge that opened about half... Continue Reading →
Having It All Depends on How You Define “All”
Daily writing promptWhat does "having it all" mean to you? Is it attainable?View all responses What is considered all for me may be different from how my husband defines all. For instance, we are traveling right now, and in Vienna and Budapest, I was content with two attractions a day with a day of rest... Continue Reading →
