Julia's Blog

Save the hot tub! That is a new mission. So the farm we are inheriting has an old dilapidated pool and pool house. Inside the falling-down pool house is a giant eight-person hot tub. The floor supports for the building are at a slant. The building inspector when my folks bought the place told them…

Have you ever had a day when you had to check to see if you had accidentally turned invisible? Somehow my white prius was easily overlooked in morning traffic. 3 times someone tried to merge on top of me. Then in the hallway twice people walked into me. On the drive home, people swarmed around…

We have spent a lot of time sorting and will spend even more time before the move and settle is done. Today we made another run of donations, dropping off things that we think people can use. After my mom died, we got rid of nothing, my dad could not bear to part with anything,…

I took a few minutes at my desk today to enjoy some dark chocolate pretzel crisps. I had just taken a bite when my phone rang causing me to jump. I put my coated treat down as my phone announced my cardiologist was on the phone. I had no idea why she was calling but…

I don’t know about the rest of you, but we make all kinds of plans. We make plans for if this happens and plans for if that happens. Inevitably something unexpected comes up and we make plans for that. People are always amazed that we can hang loose the way we do, until they realize…

While I have not always chosen the easiest path, I rarely deliberately go looking for the hardest way to go. However, there are times when interesting things happen around me. It is not my fault. Several weeks ago my husband and I noticed an odd underground gurgle. The ground shook, the noise was unlike anything…

I am a firm believer that everyone is born with an imagination. Like any muscle or skill, the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Many people put their thoughts in a box because they wander to far and fast to contain. Maybe they don’t enjoy the adventure of seeing where those thoughts are…

Okay, so it isn’t as fancy as its name. It might be made with cheap ingredients, but it tastes oh-so-good and it’s fast. We took breaded chicken patties, did a light spray of olive oil and baked, flipping halfway through until crisp and tender. Halve some white American singles or single swiss slices, put half…

As we sort and shift through goods and items no longer in use, we look for those whose needs might well be met with what we have. Today we made a donation to a senior community and memory care center. They need all kinds of things, and I volunteered to read my books to the…

We stopped by a local pond today to see the egrets. They are such cool, snow-white birds. As we pulled off, they looked up and took off, but I got a few amazing pics before they flew out of sight. Spring brings new birds, insects, frogs, and so much new growth. Mud, of course, bipolar…

All the technin this world and I often feel like I am 100 steps behind the average person, but I slog through, ask questions, Google and research. Today my brother texted me, he got an email with my name saying I was in trouble offering pics. He is a smart man and checked the address,…

If you have read my books, any or them, you might have noticed that I enjoy cooking. I can cook completely by scratch, or I can take all manner of shortcuts. Tonight I made chicken paprika, a family favorite using saurkraut, chicken, mushrooms, peppers, and a cream sauce. It is amazing, and I have played…