The little picture there is from last July, 2008 fireworks by our house. But it was fitting for the New Years' celebration happening elsewhere.Now the 6 year old is playing her new Nintendo DS, for which on our tenth anniversary my husband bought 'me' a Super Mario Bros game। Sigh. He says he ordered me a book too. That's...

The obligatory nod to my tenth wedding anniversary today.JR and I got married (on purpose, not a whim) at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.We drove there from our home in Garland TX in the red Camaro that we just traded in last year.It was a very nice day on New Years Eve; we were outside the chapel chain smoking...

"Bess of Hardwick; Empire Builder" by Mary S Lovell (source, personal copy) This is a non-fiction account of Elizabeth 'Bess' Hardwick/Cavendish/St Low that rivaled Elizabeth I's grandeur or wealth, but it does not get stuck in a rut of just stating facts. It is told as a well-researched story and gives a lot of...

Hello bloggers..2008 was an odd year. Even though technically it was supposed to be even. But, for this 30-something year old/married/two kids it was actually a bit too much to handle. Career change, the life adjustment to having a toddler after thinking "I was done" with all that. My oldest, a daughter, is 6 and 3/4....