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And then this happened…
Feeling very emotional, one day, I wondered if I could release my emotions through a fictional scene created from emotions I was feeling. In my mind, I was screaming right along with her. Here is the result… “NOOO!! It was NOT supposed to happen this way!!” Her screams echoed through the trees. “Nooo! Nooo! Nooo!…
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Scotland or Hawaii
If I won two free plane tickets, it would be a toss up between going to Scotland or Hawaii. Ever since our daughters traveled to Scotland and shared their stories and photos about their time in that land of castles, I have wanted to go. I have always wanted to go to Hawaii, but have…
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Fact or Fiction
The discovery tonight that fiction writing is not my inspiration or gift. Rather, non-fiction journaling of thoughts and experiences holds me captive to the words I want to imprint on paper. Stephen King’s dark, scary novels do not interest me, but his Memoir of the Craft of Writing called On Writing has held me captive…
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An Unexpected Joy
Reading for fun is one of those guilty pleasures I do not allow myself time for very often. It seems that my mind has this crazy belief that if there is time to sit around and read, then the reading should be for learning or increasing knowledge about a subject of great interest, not just…
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Making the best of it
Monday. Sitting here with my husband at the North Clinic Check-in, waiting for his appointment with the orthopedic surgeon to look at his left knee. Again. The appointment, which was scheduled in August, can now be canceled. Three days ago, my husband stood up from the bed with the aid of his walker and nearly…
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Step it Up
The number of steps from my car parked in the parking garage at the University Hospital to the top of these stairs is 210. The number of stairs between the escalators is 25. The number of steps from the bottom of the escalators to the cafeteria is 103. I did not count the steps from…
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Hungry
What is one word that describes you? I asked my husband this question about me. He said “Hungry.” He said I am hungry for knowledge and for experiences. He is so right! In fact, here is an article I discovered today. It is one that lists many accomplishments of our president at the time. These are…
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Definitely by Car
You’re going on a cross-country trip. Airplane, train, bus, car, or bike? There is something about neatly packing the last needed clothing item in the already full suitcase, putting all of your strength and weight into closing it tight enough to zip all of those precious belongings inside, the night before leaving on a cross-country…
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Hospice or Not?
My dad had his first stroke on December 14th, 2023. After a series of watershed strokes, several rides to the hospital in the back of an ambulance, time in and out of the emergency room, a couple of weeks in a rehabilitation center, and three more trips back and forth to the ER, he…
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The Empty Chairs
Friday night was the third Friday we played pinochle without my dad sitting across the table from me. Someone was sitting in his chair, but it did not matter who occupied his seat. The emptiness permiated the entire house, as did the smell of all of the flowers from his funeral. My sister and I…
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A tender mercy
My thoughts are all over the place. Not sure where they will land. My parents have lived in the same house for 56 years. It is the same house where my sister, brother, and I were raised. Lying here alone, waiting for sleep to overtake my overactive thoughts, in the same room where I was…
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Check Out This New Blog
Just read a great blog post from a new blogger. Find the well-written story at chattermanjoe.wordpress.com. This story made me giggle to think he did this while his wife was gone on a trip, kind of like “when the cat’s away the mice will play.” It is a good start. I hope he keeps writing!…
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the sound of chatter at a cafe
the quiet clicking of a keyboard
bird-chatter in the trees
Get comfortable… this is where I share stories, memories, and the everyday chatter of life.
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About the Author
My husband and I raised three daughters together, and when I look back, it’s hard not to feel a deep sense of nostalgia, not just for their growing-up years, but for my own childhood, courtship, and the early days of our marriage. Those memories hold a little bit of everything, laughter, heartache, and a whole lot of love woven through it all.
I’ve found such joy in journaling, writing, and blogging about the things that matter most to me like God, family, life experiences, thoughts and opinions, memories, feelings, traditions, hobbies, and family history. There’s something important about putting these moments into words, about capturing them in a way that can be revisited and shared.
Through my stories, traditions, and reflections, I hope to connect with others who value these same simple, meaningful parts of life, and who might be willing to share a bit of their own stories, too.
Many of you already have, and that means more than you know.
ChatterLei 