Committed

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In my happy place with my AGA!

The Coronavirus has done what nothing else has been able to do.  It has kept me away from my grandchildren. April 2020 is the first month that I have missed seeing my grandchildren in more than fifteen years. While the reason for this is out of my control, that does not make it any easier. The oldest grandchildren are granddaughters who are fifteen, thirteen, and seven, who lives in Georgia, and they are used to my monthly visits. Our youngest is grandson Drew who lives in Raleigh. Continue reading

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Time Stands Still

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Robby (Left) and Stephen (Right)

The Coronavirus and Covid-19 have disrupted our lives immensely for about six weeks. You are most likely tired of talking about it and reading about it. Regardless of when or where it actually started, for most of us, it came out of nowhere. It locked us in our homes, closed many of our businesses, and left many without a paycheck and some getting their food for the first time ever from food banks. We still do not know when to expect the worst of this to end. But we know it will end. Most of us will return to normal, although many are thinking it will be a new normal. But nonetheless, this is not permanent. Unlike death. Continue reading

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Still Staying-in-Place

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There is beauty all around!

It has been more than a month since most of us were ordered to stay-in-place. Almost all states have this order in effect until the end of April, although a few states are beginning to reopen. Even in those states, things will not return to “normal” for who knows how long. Restaurants and bars are the businesses most in danger of staying shuttered-in-place for the foreseeable future.  Some of those will not reopen, unable to withstand the loss of income. Our economy has been damaged beyond our imagination. In all of those businesses are people who are now trying to live on unemployment, or worse. We have become well aware of just how vulnerable we all are. Continue reading

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The Lessons of this Time

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Our azaleas bringing a breath of Spring.

Covid-19 has changed our lives. Some of the changes have been difficult. Even so, there are lessons learned that would not have been learned any other way. Some of the changes provided us some positive benefits that we also would not have had any other way. The challenge will be to hold onto (at least the memory of) both when we are able to return to (our new) normal. Continue reading

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You Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Till It’s Gone

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A Covid-19 Care Package from our family in Georgia, including the sweetest handwritten notes from our three granddaughters!

Joni Mitchell’s words were made for this time. There is so much about our normal lives that is gone since Covid-19 arrived on the scene. What we do not yet know is how much of it will return, either because it can, or because of the changes we individually and collectively make. We probably have at least one more month of our current reality, then (hopefully) our new normal will set in. Continue reading

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My Happy Place

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I love, love, love my AGA!

Growing up, I do not remember ever cooking with anyone. Not my mother, not my grandmothers, not anyone. What I do remember is the many good meals I had at the home of my youth group leaders, Jean and Marshall Jackson, who took me home from church with them most Sundays during my teens. It was in their home that I was fed in more ways than with food.  Seated together as a family at their table, I experienced having good home-cooked food and nourishing conversation. I have never thought about this until now, but that is where my love affair with home and food began. It continued in the kitchens and at the tables of my first Mother-in-Law, MawMaw, and Shirshee, who became my chosen other mother and daughter Tara’s other grandmother. These three women, Jean Jackson, Miriam Pennington, and Shirley Davis sparked my love for food and family, and I can still see and feel their kitchens and tables, laden with delicious food and more love than I had ever known. Continue reading

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Our Current Reality

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Spring is here and Easter is coming, even when our current reality can have us focused only on survival.

This is my fifth day of (partial) self-quarantine.  While not (yet) required, my husband and I have remained in our home most of the time for the past five days. I have mainly only gone out to the grocery stores. I have also supported the drive-through at Starbucks and made one trip to TJ Maxx. Mike has ventured out to his office a couple of days, being only one of two (physically distanced) people there. I think for both of us our outings have been more for diversion than anything else. The rest of the time we have hunkered down at home, doing what we do during normal times; Mike on his computer, and me in the kitchen. So far, it has not been too difficult. That will certainly change if this current reality becomes our new normal. Continue reading

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Interdependence During This Crisis

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What a time we are having. There is no need to list the details since we are all well aware of them. Our world has changed overnight. Many people are suffering, and it is predicted to only get worse. First, there is the issue of physical challenges, including the coronavirus. We are told to minimize our physical connection with others, and practice social distancing. As a result of this, in many states, restaurants and bars have had to close to dine-in customers and limit their offerings to takeout and drive through. Continue reading

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What Do We Really Need?

IMG_2518 (1)Years ago, I learned the difference in wants and needs, but too often I have bought items that were clearly in my “want” category. I do not even know where some or even many of those things are. When I find something in my closet that I have worn so few times to warrant the investment, I wish I had the money that was spent on that item. Some of those items were most likely impulse purchases, and often, expensive ones. I am changing that behavior. One of my major commitments (you may call them resolutions) for 2020 is to manage my money, something I have never done. At 68 years of age, it is long past time. It isn’t fun, to say the least, but it is eye-opening. Continue reading

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The Little Voice and the Feeling Inside

IMG_2684 (1)How often do we hear a little voice inside of us, or feel in our gut that we should not do something, and we do it anyway? If this resonates with you, you can think of more than one example of this and wish that you had listened to the voice or followed the feeling you had! If you have not experienced this, you can read this to better understand others who are different from you. Continue reading

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