the beauty of an ordinary life
Brief, sincere, and tactful. If you remember nothing else from what follows, below, then just remember these three words and you'll do fine. One of the things I've learned from having a small stationery business is that people often are reluctant to write notes because they don't know what to write, or how to express … Continue reading Something about writing condolence notes.
I've loved Valentine's Day since my childhood. I loved decorating a shoe box to collect classmates' offerings. I loved using clunky safety scissors to cut out pink paper hearts. I loved using the sticky mucilage glue to stick doilies everywhere. More than all of those things, I loved pulling the crinkly wrapper from a cherry … Continue reading How to make chocolate-dipped sugar cookie hearts.
Whether you're following along day by day or only intermittently, by now you've likely picked up on a recurring theme in the work of the December Sanity Journal, and that theme is close examination of the people in your life and how they make you feel (more on this, later in the post). You might … Continue reading On the 19th day, some grace (and a few more things).
Let's keep this one short and reasonably sweet: One morning, about 30 years ago, I stopped at a stop light on Poplar Avenue on my way to work (at my first "real" job) and saw a bumper sticker that read: "We've got enough youth. How about a fountain of smart?" And I laughed, because I … Continue reading Day 9: How about a fountain of smart?
She arrived at the door with a big paper grocery sack, handed off the goods, and left promptly, knowing full well what life was like with a toddler and a new baby at home. In the grocery sack were three Ziploc bags: Wide noodles; sauce; chopped Romaine (freshly chopped from a real head of lettuce, … Continue reading Something sentimental.
A few years ago, when I first had an idea of starting a small stationery business, I wanted to start with Valentine's Day cards, which have always been my favorite to send (and, of course, to make). "Who would buy these in a set?" a friend asked. "I mean, why would you need more than … Continue reading A few things: February 2021
It’s like a David Sedaris essay, I say, talking to the tiny faces on the screen, listening to a wild tale about lost keys and madcap driving and children standing on the river bluff, cheering for newlyweds. (Because, even in a pandemic, people get married.) And the wedding was magical, the tale goes on, even … Continue reading Thanksgiving.
"Write it down," my friend said. We were sitting on my front porch, late one Saturday afternoon. I want to describe it as a gray and drizzling scene, with a thin ribbon of cool air riding a warm breeze, the signal of oncoming weather. In truth, I can't remember this particular detail. The day may … Continue reading Write it down.
jenny's lark 