It’s so much fun in the fall to go to Chelan, Washington, and visit with my high school classmates. Lake Chelan is so beautiful. And new, since I lived there, are wineries, a fantastic diversification to the famous apple industry of Central Washington. My sister and I, both graduates of... Read more →

Suddenly, last summer … I was all set to continue a busy week of gardening and enjoying summer weather. I even looked at the weather forecast and it was all sunshine, appreciated in the rainy Seattle area. However, it began to rain; then it rained some more. Almost an entire... Read more →

For most summers, my daughter Lisa, who lives in Madrid, visits me with her kids, Rafa and Cecilia. Although the visits are shorter now that the kids are older and want to spend more time with their friends, we had a great time. Fun times included a barbecue, swimming, walking in an arboretum and parks, dining out, and a July Fourth celebration. Read more →

My birthday is May 4, a wonderful time in the spring when everything is blooming. When I was a child growing up in Central Washington on an apple ranch, I used to run through the orchard on my birthday when the trees were in full bloom, an enchanted place. The blossoms were spectacular and the fragrance marvelous. Read more →

Recently, when I looked at my Comcast bill, it said my monthly bill would be going up $22.60 a month. I was upset. My bill already is high. I pay about $200 for TV, internet, and landline. For years, I had argue with Comcast every couple of years when my contract expired. I had the bundle: $33 for TV, $33 for internet, and $33 for the landline. Read more →

Winter is the pits. In the Seattle area, where the weather is usually moderate, we had a week of 20-degree weather and snow – just a skiff where I Iive but in Bellingham, Washington, near the Canadian border, snowfall totals varied across western Whatcom County, with some areas reporting more than 10 inches on the ground. Read more →

As each year ends, I like to look back on which articles were the most popular on my blog. It’s rewarding to write articles that help people. I’m glad to see that the top article from last year was on dangerous infant sleep and infant products. Thank you for your readership during 2023. I’m looking forward writing more articles throughout 2024. Read more →

It’s a flurry of activity getting ready for the holidays. I’ve purchased my plane ticket to California, started my shopping, and am contemplating decorations. My daughters came for an early Christmas last year and the year before. I “decked the halls” with a living Christmas tree, got out the nice China and red table runner, and we cooked up a storm. Read more →

For the last few weeks, I’ve been working on organizing my historical family photos. About 10 years ago, I had around 200 photos scanned. I named and dated about a third of them. The rest are numbered. I paused the project until I could buy a good scanner so I could scan the rest of the photos myself. Now, I need to name those and scan others. Read more →

I love the beautiful summer days here in the Seattle area. People are streaming into Western Washington due to the mild weather, attractive as climate change worsens, and the job opportunities. It’s so nice to be enjoying 70 degree weather as many areas of the country swelter. I’m also appreciating my wonderful garden.   Read more →