memories
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Maxine’s Desk
My mother-in-law, Maxine, was the most gracious woman I’ve ever met. No contest. I suspect Mother’s Day planted her in my heart and she’s been hanging out with me this past week, bringing sweet memories forward everywhere I look. I’ve written about her up-bringing – the beautiful home she was raised in and the notoriety Continue reading
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Fresh Peeps & Pink Parasols
It’s finally Spring-like around here! I can’t resist sharing my all-time favorite post about my dad, our daughter Delaney, and Easter peeps. With a little Mary Poppins thrown in for good measure. This piece was originally posted on the Heart of the Matter in 2023. Enjoy…whether you celebrate Easter or celebrate love…or both. I’m sending Continue reading
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A Story Told in Four Vignettes
Life with my mom, Sue, was complicated from the get-go. Especially when I began to ask questions as a toddler about my disabled sister, Lisa and her differences. I was a child trying to understand but I was shut down, left and right. I wrote about the first altercation with Sue, related to Lisa in Continue reading
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Authenticity is Everything
Three simple words of advice. Straightforward and mantra-like across many decades, thanks to my dear friend and mentor, Dr. John Muchmore: “Authenticity is everything…” Today I ‘m resharing a post I wrote about John in November 2023 – in tribute (see below). The lifeforce that was John Muchmore passed away last week. He was beloved Continue reading
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Quiet Confidence
I had a strange moment the other day. It happened while I brushed my teeth…but I promise this isn’t a disclosure about personal hygiene or bathroom humor. I should clarify. Disclosure, yes. But I’m not telling on myself. It’s a story with a resonate undertone about the power of quiet confidence – a desirable quality. Continue reading
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Lisa’s Patch Jacket
This is my first post back in the WordPress saddle for 2025 and I want to share how grateful I am for the opportunity to step away, work on some other projects and spend loads of time with family and friends. I know I missed many of your posts and for that, I’m sorry. I Continue reading
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Santa Sue
(I shared a portion of this post a couple of years ago and couldn’t resist a ‘take two’ moment today…a smile about my complicated mother and her love of Christmas.) My mom, Sue, was a party girl at heart and Christmas was her favorite holiday. Even when money was tight, she’d find ways to rally people Continue reading
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Her Cookie Jar Was Never Empty
A dear friend lost her mom last week and I’m heartbroken for her, as you might imagine. After a long illness, her mother’s passing wasn’t entirely unexpected, but I’ve learned. It doesn’t matter. Loss is loss. As I read her mother’s obituary, I smiled. An endearing goodbye invites friends and family to grieve while commemorating Continue reading
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Where You’ve Always Been
June is a tricky month for me, full of celebrations and remembrances of people loved and lost. Birthdays, for sure, but also anniversaries of loved ones’ passings. Memories swirling together. As this month winds down, my head and heart are simultaneously full, so I reach for any scrap of paper to play poet. A post-it, Continue reading
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Surround Me Now
Today marks the 27th anniversary of my dad, Sonny’s passing. Living with loss is one of the life’s greatest achievements, I think. Not a day goes by without thinking about my dad – for one reason or another. Every year he consumes my thoughts when June 10 rolls around. Sometimes fleeting glimpses of silly moments Continue reading
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ICYMI-Monday: Comfort in My Hands
Yes…this is a rewind post, brought to you by a dream. Last night my dad appeared in a goofy romp of an overnight, subconscious interlude where he wore his favorite swim trunks, preparing to dive into his pool, whilst wearing the most unlikely garment up top: the sweater his beloved sister knitted for him, decades Continue reading
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When You Crack Yourself Up: Just Go!
Some of my all-time favorite posts are those that are confessional. Where I tell on myself. I started the ‘Crack Yourself Up’ series in 2022 and if you’re curious about reading more about silly…stupid…Vicki, here’s a link so you can catch up. Or not. You decide. But the point of this post? I’ve got a Continue reading
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Sentimental Significance
Some of you might recall the stories I shared about our big kitchen remodeling project. The kitchen refresh that morphed into a bathroom remodel…and then a gut of the laundry room. Guess what?! We’re on the other side and we survived! Paul and I are still married (and speaking to each other!) and we’re beyond Continue reading
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Thanksgiving Delights
I grew up enjoying David Letterman’s special brand of irreverent humor. Considering how provocative and outrageous comedy has become, Dave’s mild-mannered grumblings and observations seem ultra tame in the looking back. Odd, though…my dad disliked Dave, sharing often that he was no competition for his beloved Johnny Carson. Loyal to a fault, dad thought Letterman Continue reading
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Little Me
Inspired by Maryanne and her beautiful blog, I learned this morning that it’s National School Picture Day. Was it designated as such because ‘throwback Thursday‘ is still a thing? I’m not sure…BUT…I loved Maryanne’s post and the sweet school picture she included. It didn’t take much prompting from Maryanne to dig out one of my Continue reading
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Lovely, Little Books
My mother-in-law, Maxine, was one of the most gracious women I ever met. I cannot believe she’s been gone since 2009. She was around for many years of the mayhem with my mom, Sue, and despite being shocked and overwhelmed at times, Maxine was always a soft landing spot, reminding me that Sue’s lack of Continue reading
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Loving Lisa: “They’re All Together Now”
The eighth anniversary of our mom Sue’s passing was this past Monday. I knew it might be a tricky day for Lisa, my disabled sister, so I was prepared with extra energy and love to help her over any rough patches. Our beloved cousin, Dan, passed away just a few months ago and Lisa’s still struggling Continue reading
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Protecting the Potential for Joy
I think I’ve crossed over to another phase in life. My adoration for vintage films (and I’m talking my own form of vintage – films popular from my youth) is a new-found source of entertainment happiness. Maybe it’s because I can’t tolerate much from broadcast television or cable news. I don’t want to be an Continue reading
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175 Sleeps
It’s been nearly six months since we said goodbye to our seven-pound wonder dog, Sadie. Twenty-five weeks ago last night, the hubs and I had a fretful, sleepless night as our little girl’s health declined rapidly – waking at midnight with tremors and neurological issues. Those eight hours that we spent cuddling her, comforting her, Continue reading
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The Concert That Never Was…
My parents, Sue and Sonny, adored Tony Bennett and during the time they lived near San Francisco, they’d make a point of attending one of his concerts every year – often around Christmas or New Year’s Eve as a way to celebrate their birthdays and holidays all rolled into one. In 1989, the concert date Continue reading
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Peek Inside: “Surviving Sue” – Dads & Daughters
I love the interest readers have about my dad’s story. It’s one of the themes in my book, the ‘special survival bonds between dads and daughters’ and this week I’m sharing more about my dad. As Sue’s spouse, my dad had his hands full. Mix in a successful career and complexities with his own extended Continue reading
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Hello, Dad!
My dad passed away just a few days before Father’s Day in 1997, after we’d just been on vacation with him. I share more in my Heart of the Matter post today – about remembering my wonderful papa on Father’s Day…and every day…but here? I’m letting the photos tell the story, especially a couple of Continue reading
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Loving Lisa: Raindrops & Teardrops
My sweet sister Lisa, despite her disabilities, has a magical memory. Savant-like, especially related to music that underscored both joyful and challenging moments as we grew up. Whenever Lisa gets a song in her head that propels her into recall mode, I stop whatever I’m doing because I know the memory will be rich and Continue reading
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Love, Loss & 9 Percent
We have a blessed 9% in common… Continue reading
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I Didn’t Mean to Start a Hair War
The day Vicki ruined lovely Laurie’s hair… Continue reading
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Blogging Buds: Writing About Fathers
Keeping the loved ones close…in our memories. Continue reading
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Vicki Needed to Vent 😊
I feel so much better now… Continue reading
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Pieces of Me
Self-understanding…one piece at a time… Continue reading
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Books That Inspire…Instill Hope
Dads…Daughters…Love Continue reading
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It’s In the Cards
When a vintage poem brings a smile. 😊 Continue reading
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Heart, Mind & Soul
A tale of an ancient Anglo Saxon word…and a tattoo…from the heart. Continue reading
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Finding the Funny Bones
Put on your dancing shoes…find those funny bones! Continue reading
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Every Picture Tells a Story
Hey mom…life is pretty good… Continue reading
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Comfort…In My Hands
I know it just looks like a sweater, but it’s so much more… Continue reading
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Happy Is…as Happy Does
Look at that swagger…just look! Continue reading
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Mountain Magic
Unexpected glimpses and glimmers of love… Continue reading
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Aunt Bea’s Wit and Wisdom
Aunt Bea knew best…parenting IS hard… Continue reading
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She Was a Pretty House…
I don’t know if my love of Queen Anne architecture is a nod to nostalgia or something else. Like many things in my life, design-wise, I don’t question it. It just IS. Back a few generations, this stately home was built by my husband’s family, right around the turn of the century…I mean the last Continue reading
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Hello, Yellow…
An old yellow bowl…holding memories AND meatballs. Continue reading
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Shake, Rattle & Roll
What do you do when a piece of furniture wants to chat? Continue reading
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Verbal Guard Rail: Thanks, Dad!
Wisdom in wee morsels from my papa… Continue reading
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Power of Play
Keeping childlike wonder within… Continue reading
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Well Worn and Loved
Vintage shoes…the memories they hold. Continue reading
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Maxine’s Gingersnaps
Gingersnap cookie recipe and remembering family. Continue reading
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Memories Matter
Memories and family mementos matter and help with grief. Continue reading
“Surviving Sue”, a special story about resiliency and love: Eckhartz Press (paperback) and eBook on Amazon.
Peek Inside “Surviving Sue“
Visit Resources on Atkinson Group Solutions for more.
Podcasts
Listen to the “Sharing the Heart of the Matter” podcast.
You can find our podcast on Apple, Amazon, Spotify and Pocket Casts. Please subscribe!
Workshops
Chicago Writers Association Speakers Bureau – Writing for Wellness; Navigating Elder Care with Grace & Humor; How to Create a Writing Platform; AI for Caregivers
About Me
Learn about five books that inspired and supported my writing journey by visiting my personalized book review page on Shepherd.
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