After a fairly long hiatus I’m finding my way back to this site. Life is like that, isn’t it? (Oh pandemic, oh life, loss, learning, and … laughter.) But here I am, happily involved in so many new projects, so grateful to be finding my way through a new decade. It seems only fitting to begin with this recent piece I wrote for this remarkable woman, Suleika Jaouad, and her followers on The Isolation Journals. Click link and scroll down to read my piece but not before you Jaouad’s story. It will grab you and not let go. As for my contribution, a life without regrets? While certainly not entirely ..read more

I should probably begin this review with a friendly disclaimer since, prior to publication, I was asked to write a blurb for A Small Earnest Question, by J. F. Riordan. Now, with that out of the way, allow me to introduce you to a fine read. (Oh, it feels like your summer is about to get better!) My initial attraction to this well crafted story was the setting, Washington Island, a remote bit of land in the Great Lakes. This beautiful little gem is isolated enough from the mainland that, to survive, locals have to forage strong, albeit sometimes unusual relationships. But without tourists and ..read more

These days, I am deep into Stamped from the Beginning, The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America, by Ibram X. Kendi. (Bold Type Books, 2016)  It’s a heavily researched read and utterly worthwhile. I’m taking my time with it as there is much for me to learn. With practically very page, I find myself considering a piece of history from a different perspective, which is leading me to new places. (That’s a bit embarrassing to admit but these days but I am all about my own accountability.)  But there are times  when escaping into entertaining fiction offers a counter-bal ..read more

Dear Tracey, Can you tell my why some people are so hell bent on refusing to wear masks? I don’t get it. My mother is in an assisted living place and she’s terrified the virus will get in there and infect all of them. She says she feels like a “sitting duck” and I don’t blame her. She calls it “The Invisible Killer” and I don’t know how to reassure her she’s safe.  The people who work there tell me they’re doing everything possible to protect the residents but honestly, that doesn’t make me feel better. We all know this virus can run through a nursing home in a flash.  I don’t want m ..read more

It’s closing in on that time of year when so many different graduations are on the horizon. We happily attend the ceremonies and then join family and friends to honor our graduate, appreciating these social rituals that mark special milestones in life.  Whether it’s a graduation ceremony and party, a wedding, family reunion, or a funeral and a wake, rituals deeply connect us to ourselves and each other. These long established practices are meaningful, emotionally fulfilling, and richly satisfying.  Interestingly, when we pause and consider our daily routines, we often discover anothe ..read more

Are you stuck in your home, hoping your children’s brains won’t turn to mush before the shelter-in-place orders are lifted? Do you find yourself wondering how to keep them entertained without relying on too much screen time? When they ask to watch Frozen again for the 10th time, do you wish you could conjure up a book related activity for them? Do not fear! The libraries of our nation are coming to the rescue. Though individual branches are closed, rich online libraries are at your fingertips. Ebooks, audiobooks, and articles are just a search away.  Just for fun, I opened my local Humbol ..read more

Dear Tracey, Pease help us. My whole family is upset because we can’t get my 77 year old dad to stay home like he is supposed to. He says this is all a “big fat hoax” and that nobody is going to tell him “what to do.” He insists he “feels fine.”   This attitude of his is especially ridiculous because both of my parents have health issues but that doesn’t seem to get through to  him either.  My sisters and I have worked it out with my mother. She gets it!  We’re buying their groceries and doing other errands for them.  There is absolutely no good reason for Dad to be ou ..read more

I’m not exactly sure when I started loading up my nightstand with books, but it’s been a practice for as long as I can remember. How about you? Is your stack full of fascinating titles, some revered, some pure escapism? Perhaps you lean toward psychological thrillers? A well-researched biography? Or, are romance novels your guilty pleasure? I currently have four very different titles within arm’s reach. There’s “Frida” by Hayden Herrera, a richly detailed biography of Frida Kahlo that primed me in the best possible way for our recent trip to Mexico City. On top of this sits “Wor ..read more

Reading has always been one of my most treasured activities, and why not? A good book can transport me back to a rich time in history, whisk me off to a tropical island, make me laugh until tears run down my cheeks and even teach me a new embroidery stitch. Why, I’m happy just walking through the front door of a bookstore and breathing in the unique blend of paper and bindings. (I’ve never been able to identify exactly what books smell like to me. It’s an earthy, smoky scent, a bit woody, too, and it’s always so pleasant, so comforting.) Ah, books, where would we be without them … especially n ..read more

Where to even begin? When I wrote my last column my husband and I were on the brink of beginning a long awaited, 24 day adventure in Mexico City and Oaxaca. We had Spanish classes scheduled for the mornings and in the afternoons we would explore the rich culture and interact the warm and friendly people of Mexico … and then along came COVID 19. We left the states just as this lethal virus was beginning to make its way around the  globe. While aware of its presence, it felt so far, far away from us. We had our eye on it. I had packed hand sanitizer, Clorox wipes for the plane and other sur ..read more