1. Quite a few years ago, I told my BFF that I wanted to make it to 80 years old. (Since my parents died at 68 and 69, that seemed like an achievable goal.) She replied, "Yes, and I'll bring my 40 year old son along to sing Happy Birthday." She also said something about us being in the nursing home, but I prefer to forget that bit.  2. After I moved to North Carolina last year, I started using a tin for chocolate chips that commemorated the 75th anniversary of the chocolate chip cookie. It turns out they were first created in the late 1930's by Ruth Wakefield, owner of the Toll House rest ..read more

Sorry for my late arrival to SJT on Saturday afternoon. When Bob offered us the topic of miracles for our April reflection, I admit to feeling challenged. I didn't think I had any personal miracles to share and struggled to find a way into this month's topic.  I planned to write this post yesterday, but I was involved in an accident while taking my grandson to pre-K (He's no longer in preschool, according to him.). Someone was waiting at a stop sign to make a left turn onto a busy street. Suddenly a large SUV was coming at me. I was in the second lane. I swerved and he hit the back panels ..read more

      Slicer friends, gather round. Celebrate!   Story threads connect us, bring comfort.   Thirty-first day of March, confetti!    Rules for a tricube: Each line contains three syllables. Each stanza contains three lines. Each poem contains three stanzas.       And from my archives, an Easter acrostic  written for NPM and SJT in  2017.       Everlasting joy As we praise the God who So loved the world  That He sent His son. Every soul has cause to  Rejoice!  He is risen! -Ramona Behnke I like ..read more

I frequently do an analysis of the topics and types of writing I've done on the last day of March. This year I'll do it a day early since tomorrow will be an Easter slice. I arrived at a significant milestone this year. I missed not one, but two days of slicing!  I had decided that I wouldn't participate this year since I was doing a lot of traveling in March. But I made the mistake of reading a few slices two days in and decided that I needed to participate. So I jumped in on March 3rd and have now completed 28 days of writing.  The lesson I'm taking away this year is to never let p ..read more

With only three days left to slice, it seems the perfect time to share a post of Top Three Lists. I've enjoyed these lists as a way to become better acquainted with fellow slicers and make connections. I've shared thirteen in honor my thirteenth year of slicing. Ways to Spend a Rainy Day - Read, Nap, Watch a movie Places  - Libraries, Bookstores, Museums Collections - Mugs, Quotes, Heart-themed Christmas Ornaments Middle Grade Books - The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Three Times Lucky, Gossamer British Crime Series - Vera, Shetland, C.B.Strike Flowers - Daffodils, Roses, Peonies Cookies ..read more

As a retired educator, I miss the firm deadlines I used to have for pounding out my slice. One time that I enjoyed was writing in the morning before leaving for school. I sometimes found that finishing my slice made for a later arrival at school with less time to prep for the day.  I wrote with my students during our Slice of Life writing time in class. I wrote in my notebook and then just had to retype it onto Blogspot (often with a few revisions) after school and hit post before heading home. On particularly busy days, I would find myself at 8;30 pm (11:30 pm East Coast time), frantical ..read more

 Wake up earlier than usual to pick up before the housekeepers come at 8 am. Arrive at daughter's house to stay with two grand boys while eldest grand boy goes to the doctor. Look over tax forms before husband submits them. Begin planning page for possible trips. Receive text that another person can't make it to book chat today. The remaining three of us decide on rescheduling rather than heading out on this gray, mizzly day. Join husband for a run to WalMart which is surprisingly uncrowded. (Who actually runs errands on a gray, mizzly day?) Find a can of pumpkin in the pantry for daughte ..read more

I pop by the library on Thursday to pick up books from my holds shelf. As always, I stop by the children's display of new books and pick up a few new titles. We are going to Boone for spring break with daughter, son-in-law, and the three grand boys. With no time to the preview books before our trip, I stash the book bag in the car, count the number of books to ensure I'll come back with all the books I take, and wait for a ready audience. It doesn't take long.   These three active boys are more than willing to settle down with me for reading time. In fact, one of our rotating activity sta ..read more

Today's prompt came from Tammy's Sunday Coffee Share. I loved our Sunday chat over coffee (hot chocolate for me). If you're in search of an idea for writing, Tammy provides prompts at the end of each new tidbit of sharing. I chose this one. Write about a community you are glad to be part of. Book Chat is my new favorite book club. I was invited to join by my daughter's neighbor, Donna, via text. We hadn't yet met in person when she picked me up for my first meeting. Here's an explanation of Book Chat from our organizer, Maureen, to a recent new member: "No book reading required! We just talk a ..read more

When I have tech issues, it's best not to ask my husband or my children for help. Back in the day when I had apple support (when I purchased a new computer), my children blessed the young people who sat patiently with me at the apple store to teach me the skills I needed. It was such a strain on our relationships that I preferred turning to someone outside of the family for needed technical support. But for years, my go-to tech person has been a young man who is like a member of our family. We met him in Seattle, touched base with him a few times when he was in college, and kind of adopted him ..read more