Category Archives: Nora at home

grandkids, Nora at home, The Garden

Wonderful, Glorious Spring!

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It came early in my part of the world. A full two weeks. Generally I earmark the last weekend in April for planting. But the weather—long range forecast—said start now! My tulip magnolia bloomed for St. Patrick’s Day.

Crazy.

My ornamental cherry trees have just bloomed off, and it’s April!

So BW and I took a Friday, and hit the nursery. Oh, boy! Everything looks so pretty, so ready. Of the scents, the textures, the colors! We, of course, filled the bed of the truck as always. In fact, BW had a big tub in there, and plants went in that, too. So many pretties.

He had other things to do elsewhere after we got home, so we unloaded, I set out, changed my mind, set out another way. Then I started digging.

We have a new tool. It’s called a Rotoshovel, but I call it Magic! It’s like a big battery operated auger, just press the button, and you have a hole in seconds. I’m in love. I couldn’t have done so much so quickly or easily without it.

By the time BW got home, I had a ton in already, then together we put in more. Much more than I’d assumed we’d do in a day.

So, so satisfying. So, so pretty. I wanted heliotrope and Dragon Wing begonias, but the nursery wanted at least another week for those in their growing house.

No problem. I know where they’re going, and can save that space.

The next day, I filled pots. Lots and lots of pots, all before the family arrived to celebrate Logan’s 20th (!!!) birthday. He’d requested flank steak—that’s Grandda’s deal. I did the sides, and make the requested chocolate chip cookies as he likes them better than cake.

A fun time for all, with lots of Griffin/Nana play in there.

Sunday, I sent Kat and Jason home with a ton of Black-Eyed Susans I’d had to dig up, and some Solomon’s Seal that wanted to migrate where it didn’t belong.

We had rain almost every day the following week, and the new plants loved it.

Then today, with the heliotrope and dragon wings, and the dozen day lilies I asked BW to add to the list, I got on it.

Now everything’s in its place, and looking happy.

So far, Milo isn’t pulling a Parker and digging up plants. We hope that holds.

Oh, last weekend we kept hearing a Barred Owl in the middle of the day. We ended up following the call, and spotted him—BIG bird—in a tree near the house. We hear owls all the time, but we’ve never spotted one so close to the house. Just up there, calling for a mate.

Since we haven’t heard or seen him this week, I hope he found his girl and moved into her place.

Now, a week after that initial planting, everything looks happy. Things are budded up or already blooming. Filling in and filling out.

Nothing’s quite as happy or gratifying for me as a garden with happy, healthy flowers. It’s worth every bit of the time and effort as now I walk around, or just look out a window, and see that color and life.

If spring hasn’t sprung early for you, I hope it comes soon!

Nora

dogs!, Nora at home

Loss and Gain

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We lost our old guy, Parker, recently. He got sick so fast. Fine one day, really not fine the next. After lots of tests, screenings, and a round of antibiotics to try to beat down a prostate infection, along with a UTI, he didn’t get better, but worse.

Parker, newly adopted, in June 2015.

The next step would’ve been cancer biopsies, neurological tests. Just no, we just couldn’t put him through that at nearly 11 years old.

It’s hard to do the right and loving thing and let a well-loved pet go.

He was part of our family for a decade, so we did that loving thing. And now he’s out of pain and romping over The Rainbow Bridge with the pals who went over before him.

He and Atticus were best friends from the minute they met, and largely inseparable. So Atticus grieved as much, and maybe even more, than we did.

Usually after a loss like this I wait awhile to find another dog to bring into the family. But this time, Atticus’s sorrow was too much for me.

So I started the hunt. Not a puppy, but a young dog. He would have to be happy in a house with another dog, with people, with kids. Friendly.

I scoured rescue sites, as did BW, and while there were so many cute dogs, none of them hit that mark that says: Oh, he’s ours!

Until, a new listing, a rehoming as the little family is relocating and can’t take the dog with them. 11 months old, kid friendly, dog friendly, even housebroken—which is a bonus, not a deal-breaker. And the face! A sweet, sweet face.

And I thought: There he is!

Meet Milo.

Billed as a Lab, but I also thought: That’s not a Lab face, but so, so sweet.

A talk with the owners, questions and answers on both sides. BW and Logan went down to see the dog, make sure everyone liked everyone,

Then brought him home.

Not a Lab, but a Labradoodle—which explains the fuzzy face and wavy coat. A very handsome boy!

And as sweet as his face. Energetic? Oh yes. Happy? Almost delirious. For the first time since we lost Parker, Atticus was energized and happy, too. They played like maniacs for over an hour, non-stop, inside. Then raced around outside. Our new family member had lived in an apartment, and seems to really enjoy having all this room to run.

He jumps some in his crazed joy, but we’re working on that. He enjoys my attention, my rubs on his soft, wavy fur, sits when I tell him to and played ball with me this morning when the other guys were sleeping.

But. He has bonded to BW like glue. If BW’s not around, I’m more than good enough. But if BW is around, I’m next to invisible. It’s kind of adorable.

Taking a break.

So welcome, Milo, you’re just what we needed to fill the hole in our hearts. We’ll try hard to be just what you need, too.

Nora

Nora at home

Mission Accomplished!

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The pristine One More Room.

My annual January purge is complete!!

It’s so satisfying to have it done. And to remember when I started this routine years and years ago, it took weeks and weeks of full weekends to get it done. By keeping it up annually I can usually finish inside a month, and still have some weekend time for other things.

It’s a mystery to me how much useless crap ends up in drawers and closets. It’s a big weight off to have them cleaned out and organized. Of course, they’ll end up full of useless crap by next January. That’s the reality I have to accept.

The dining room.

In giving my own closet one more pass this morning, I found a dress—a really nice dress—I don’t remember buying and a terrific jacket I forgot I had. So win-win. It’s like shopping again without paying anything!

I found other treasures through this purge, as well as that useless crap, and that pushes me to switch things up a bit here and there. I like switching out things on shelves or just rearranging what’s already there. I like stuff, pretty or interesting things sitting around. But clutter is my enemy.

Now my house is as organized as it ever gets, inside and out. It won’t last long, but while it does, I’ll enjoy it.

I can face what always feels like the endless month of February—with an extra day this year on top of it—and have my weekends free to read, watch movies, bake or cook or whatever appeals.

Hope you’re able to enjoy something that appeals this final January weekend.

The library, ready for relaxing.

Nora

cooking, grandkids, Nora at home

Goodbye, Hello

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As in bye-bye 2023, welcome, 2024.

BW and I will have a quiet year’s end. This weekend, he’s breaking down Christmas. I put it all up, he puts it all away. That system works well for us.

I’ve attacked the One More Room and its holiday chaos. Whew. Looks pretty much normal again without boxes, gift bags, ribbons, tissue paper and so on scattered everywhere.

I’ll bake Italian bread as we’re out, and put back all the things I stuffed away to make room for Santas and Snow People and all the holiday decor. And by Monday, will feel I’ve reclaimed the house from Christmas.

I LOVE Christmas, and I love getting my house back to usual after a month or so of Santa. See you next December, Big Guy!

I’m also working this weekend as I’m taking off Tuesday and Wednesday. The gang’s coming. Kayla headed up to see her boyfriend and family for a couple of days after Christmas, and they’ll come back for a few days here before heading back to college. Her last semester!!

So I’m going to spend Tuesday making chicken en cocotte and a pound cake.  BW’s making his signature Mac and Cheese for our vegetarian. Then it’s about hanging with family over good food (and wine!).

I plan to do more blogs in 2024 about family, some travel, gardening (can’t wait to get started again) and so on. I’m sure Laura will also do some with excerpts of upcoming books, announcements, and her particular thoughts.

 I expect there will be some blogs that deal with writing, with issues, with reader complaints. Yes, I could just ignore reader complaints, comments—whining, because you know there’s whining in there—and the occasional sort of stunning to me accusations.

But I’m not wired that way. If some readers think I’d just zip it, they haven’t been paying attention! I stand up for myself, for my work. Then I move on.

So there will be, very likely, a mix as usual, of cheerful, informative, happy, day in the life, family and/or girl trips, and addressing the regular drum beat of: please write faster, publish your books closer together, why don’t you this, why can’t you that, I want this, I don’t want that.

I like to think there are new readers, of my books, of the blog, who find that mix interesting and entertaining. For those that don’t, I can only suggest scrolling by when the subject doesn’t appeal.

Meanwhile, for this final blog of 2023, I wish each and every one of you a happy new year, a teetering stack of to-be-reads, and a wonderful, healthy and loving 2024.

Nora

cooking, grandkids, Nora at home

Cookie Mania

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It’s so rewarding to have grandkids who enjoy spending a day with me baking Christmas cookies.

Kayla and Colt

Over the years, Kayla’s become Chief Baker. I am her happy assistant. I do make the sugar cookie dough as it has to chill, and I get that done before the rest arrive.

Then Kayla takes over. Two batches of the crowd favorite—chocolate chip. Peanut Butter Kisses, Candy Cane Kisses, Snickerdoodles.

Kayla and Griffin

Then the finale—the Painted Sugar Cookies.

Colt came up to give us a hand, then Griffin arrived. And this year he dived right in. And stuck with it instead of playing with his monster trucks!

Kayla, Adonna and Morgan

We also had our two additional helpers with our foundation staff, the terrific Morgan and Adonna.

A lot of hands in the kitchen, and a lot of fun.

Creative crew.

Plus: YUM!! (Exactly what Griffin says after a bite of the first cookie.)

A bit of panic when I couldn’t immediately lay my hands on the paint brushes. Kat volunteers to make some. And no doubt Katgyver could have. But we find them when I’d moved them to a more logical place during last year’s January purge.

Griffin and Kat

So I roll and cut the dough, and the gang paints.

This year, Griffin helps unwrap kisses as well as wielding a paint brush. In fact, when every cookie’s painted, he isn’t done. Kat makes him canvasses out of paper towels.

Artist at work
Finished!

I love this holiday tradition. Love the fact I started it with my boys, and then when my grandkids were little started with them. Decades of cookies and memories that last a lot longer than the yum.

Wishing you all that joy this season.

Happy, happy holidays!

Nora

cooking, Nora at home, The Garden

Fall into Fall

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While I’m grateful it’s mostly stayed warm enough to keep the windows open, summer’s definitely over around here.

Things are still blooming—more grateful—and I’m snipping a bit here and there to have some pretty in the house.

For the most part, my nose has been to the grindstone, and no complaints from me. Working hard on the second book of the new trilogy—the first book, Inheritance—will hit next month.

I’m having fun with ghosts!

But this weekend, I’ve been busy around and outside the house. I’ve harvested most of my oregano—chopped it up, froze in ice cube trays for use all winter in soups and stews. Did the same yesterday with basil. Smells so good.

BW requested tortilla soup, so after my workout this morning, I got that started. And decided to make some sour dough bread while I was at it. The house smells so good!

As we’re heading to NY in a few days—BW, me, Kat, Jason, Griffin and Kayla—I spent way too much time packing. Don’t want to take a work day to deal with that, so it’s mostly done.

Our week in NY is pretty well packed as well. But we’ll carve out time for shopping! And a visit to the Central Park Zoo, which Griffin couldn’t get enough of last fall. Laura will also be there, so we plan to do a Facebook Live sometime during the week.

I’m meeting pals for lunch tomorrow. BW points out it’s the first time I’ve left the house since Mexico. I think he may be right, but my response was: And???

Still, it’ll be nice to get out and about for a day, and see pals face-to-face.

Then it’s back to work until it’s time to load it up for NY. Excited to see Kayla on her fall break from college, and have time to play with family and friends.

I hope this first day of October is treated all of you well.

Nora

dogs!, Nora at home

Sunday in June

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BW’s been off to the beach with pals this week, and I’ve tried to make the most of the quiet house—and no cooking. Good, solid writing days—a few interruptions for other business, other duties, but a good, solid week.

That left the weekend to catch up a bit with domestic chores. Weeding, deadheading, watering, laundry—and I do believe our washer is dying, which will be a PITA to deal with. Oh, and scooping dog poop off the pavers. Why, why do they do that? There are countless places for dogs to do their business around here.

BW’s in the habit of giving the paver-pooping dogs their evening treat right around eight o’clock. Since he’s not here, they come wherever I am, sit, stare with loving and hopeful eyes. Right about eight o’clock.

How do they know it’s time? And when I go to the closet where we keep those treats, it’s insanity. Dogs are so easy to make happy.

Though we have a sprinkler system for the garden beds, the lack of rain and the heat (I LOVE the heat!) meant pots needed watering pretty much daily. But they’re rewarding me for the attention.

And finally last night, the breeze started blowing through my open windows, and I heard it coming. Some rain, at last.

So today, on this Sunday in June, after a morning workout, I could just walk around the gardens and enjoy. Something’s knocking up in the woods, but it sure doesn’t sound like a woodpecker. I don’t know what else might make a softer, slower knocking sound, but hope it’s friendly.

I’ve already got Black-Eyed Susans blooming here and there though it’s early for them. And the nasturtiums I planted from seed are growing bigger. Can’t wait until I see them bloom. The sweet alyssum and heliotrope smell glorious. My woods are green and lush.

We’ll be heading out for our family vacation in just a couple weeks—destination to be revealed when we get there. But for now, I’m prizing this home and garden time. June rewards a gardener for work done in April.

Nora

Nora at home, The Garden

Blooming May

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I’m back on my feet—a little shaky, but back—after a nasty bout with vertigo. Hit Thursday morning, and knocked me flat. I had to miss our Girls Night Out as my world was spinning. Felt like crap Friday, but at least I could sit up. Slow but steady progress, and my first sloooow walk around the gardens on Sunday.

I’m not wired to spend three days in bed, but that’s pretty much what I did.

The walk outside lifted my spirits, a lot.

So much progress with all the flowers—though yesterday’s all-day rain has some heavy-headed.

I managed to mostly pack for our upcoming Girl Spa Week. And have to be grateful the vertigo didn’t strike a week later than it did.

I hope to be back to work on Monday.

But on this Mother’s Day, the sun’s shining and my flowers are blooming. Nasturtiums are starting to pop up, delphiniums blooming, yellow flags showing their color. Everything looking happy and healthy.

And of course, my f’ing wings are in place, right behind the front garden wall by our lane. I think they’ll like it there.

F’ing wings where they belong.

Laura’s out of town for a family wedding, so she’ll post this when she gets home. And before she faces the dreaded scoreboard our clever Kat’s making for our spa week.

I’m going to select and organize the Fabulous Prizes, then suspect I’ll take a nap.

Nora

I’m not home yet, but had a moment to get this set up. Now to take some deep breaths and ready myself for the scoreboard of doom.

Laura

grandkids, Nora at home, Protect our books, The Garden

Welcome Spring!

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First, it’s been a very long gap on the blog due to reasons. But we’re back!

There’s been a whole bunch going on in the last week or so, and I hope you’ll read the previous blog and consider a donation to EveryLibrary Institute, an organization that fights book banning and library defunding. I can’t stress enough how important I consider this fight for the freedom to read what you choose. And to keep libraries open and thriving.

This isn’t just about my books, and I joined this fight awhile ago. It’s about LGBTQ readers having the right to access books that tell stories with characters who deal with the issues they deal with—and YES, this includes teens. Maybe especially. It’s about books that deal with Black history and the experiences of people of color. It’s about attacking librarians and refusing to let them do the work they’re trained to do. It’s about the right to read what we like without having one person’s opinions and feelings outweigh that right.

As lovers of books, this is your fight, too. Donate. If you can’t, spread the word. You’re on social media or you wouldn’t be reading this. Use social media to stand against the bullies and bigots, and the misinformed.

Now for something happy!

A couple weeks ago, BW and I prepped the garden beds. Prepping included digging out ten million Black-Eyed Susans. I enjoy Susies, but they tend to spread insanely and take over. So we dug, and we dug, and we transplanted where we wanted them to stay.

The happy for me is this cleared more space. So I could get more plants!

And last Friday, I took off work and we headed to our fabulous garden center, Sunny Meadows. It’s so wonderful there, so pleasant, so beautiful. So many pretties, so well tended, to choose from.

We filled the bed of the truck, and then some.

All the flowers. Photo by BW.

Then, more fun! I spent considerable time setting out, shifting, looking over, changing my mind, setting elsewhere until I had what I wanted.

Now dig!

We spent the whole day doing just that. A gorgeous day, a laborious day, a very, very satisfying day. How I love taking a walk after and seeing the color, the textures, the possibilities.

They didn’t have my precious nasturtiums, but they had seeds! Now I wait for them to start popping up.

They called for rain, and as I’m planting, I ask the Higher Power to just give me more time. Just a little more. Can I have another hour?

And minutes after the job is done, the rain comes. So perfect, and now all the new plants get a good drink!

Saturday, I started on pots. I really didn’t realize I had so many I wanted to fill.

33. 33 pots to fill. What fun!

About the time I finished, Jason, Kat and Griffin drive up. Oh, so much more fun.

Kat tells me that earlier in the week there was a day without school. What shall we do? Griffin says—holding up a finger: I know! Nana’s house.

Can you imagine how delighted that makes me?

We play many games, have many chases. Colt’s here, and Griffin insists he join in. Colt is the very best of cousins.

A happy family weekend, start to finish.

The week’s been work-focused. We’re going back to the Derby next week for the first time in three years, and I’ll be so glad to see our Derby family again. But that means nose to the grindstone.

At least until the book banning bullshit happens. But I deal with that because it’s so very important.

Today, I’m making a pot roast with all the trimmings. I deal with the majority of packing for Derby—and that takes time and thought! But I want that mostly done so I can go nose to the grindstone until we leave on Thursday.

It’s cooler and rainy off and on today, so I may not get my walk-about outside. But it’s good for the new plants, so I’ll take it.

I hope spring’s treating you well, and if you don’t or can’t plant flowers, you can enjoy what others have. And that you can spend some of this weekend reading a book of your choice.

Nora

cooking, grandkids, Nora at home

Enjoy the Moments

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I love the holidays. Seriously love all of it.

Every minute, all the shopping, wrapping, baking, cooking, prepping, figuring out.

Time and again, I think back to when my boys were little guys, so excited, so wrapped in those moments. Then, bang, it’s my grandkids. Holy crap! And they’re so excited, so wrapped in the moments. I’m right there with them.

Now I have grandkids ranging from 20 to 4.

How did that happen?

It’s still about the moments, about treasuring each step and stage and change and wonder.

My darling baby girl is now twenty, but she still bakes cookies with Nana. This year, in addition to her little brother, Colt (already 12!!!!) we include her adorable boyfriend J.R., in this long family tradition.

Kayla and JR with clean hands, ready to dive in.

They’re just great at it. Mixing, measuring, baking. I am now assistant baker instead of chief, and delighted to pass the torch.

On baking day we have Kayla and J.R., Colt, Grandda and Jason. Logan’s working—I have a grandson who has to work! And Kat’s herding Griffin.

Waiting for the mixer to finish.

We bake, and mix, and bake. Snickerdoodles (which turn out to be Griffin’s favorite), chocolate chip, peanut butter blossoms, peppermint blossoms, and painted sugar cookies.

BW and Cold prove decoratoring is serious business.

It’s a lot. It’s a marathon, but very precious. Plus delicious.

This is the weekend before Christmas, where Griffin gets a race track from his cousins. And played with it, and them, for HOURS.

Race tracks are everything.

Then there’s the countdown, and before we know it, it’s Christmas!

I do some snacks—deviled eggs, a crudite, we have some cocktail shrimp, I baked an Irish soda bread. Ripping wrapping paper and opening boxes requires energy.

Fun, chaos. Surprises, delights.

 Logan has a girlfriend who’s now part of that. But we still have a little guy, a four-year-old, and nothing makes Christmas like a little guy.

When we need food, we have a salad bar, home-made lasagna, garlic bread from the Italian bread I baked the week before. Then an ice cream bar.

Yum.

It’s a long, happy day, where the adults exchange a lot of delights. Kayla, and she’s an adult now, opens lots of clothes, Logan’s very pleased with his gamer steering wheel, Colt his computer. And Griffin’s clear favorite is the Mario Rainbow Road race track.

Heading down Rainbow Road.

Actually, I think everyone’s favorite is the Rainbow Road race track.

While the gifts are great—they really are—the true happy is the being. Being together, being in the moment, appreciating that being in the moment.

Our annual holiday photo demonstrates just that. Oh, look how they’ve grown! Look who they are right now. It’s marvelous. It was a minute ago when my oldest grandkids were shorter than me!

Family.

There’s some recovery time, then it’s New Year’s.

Griffin would play on the Rainbow Road forever, so ends and starts the change of years doing just that.

I’ve made a chicken en cocotte, and some pasta and red sauce as Kayla, as our vegetarian, is joining BW and me, Jason, Kat and Griffin for the Eve.

Chicken en cocotte a la Nora.
Nora’s famous pound cake.

We eat like royalty, then just hang out. Many races on the Rainbow. And Griffin’s favorite cousin (Kayla) plays endlessly with him. Our floor is lava! The safe places are the rugs. We can turn the lava to ice by magic, but then you slip and slide instead of burn.

Cousin time

I have no idea how many year-end steps I logged dealing with lava and ice.

Then the year ends, and somehow the four-year-old stays awake to ring it in. He insists: No bedtime! But goes off with Mom and Dad to bed without complaint at the dawn of 2023.

I’m so grateful for all of it. For the shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the baking, the cooking, the cleaning up after. For the sharing the moments with the people my grandchildren brought into our lives.

All things change; nothing perishes.

And here we are, once again standing together, an expanding group, happy together in the chaos and joy of the holidays.

Here’s to 2023. May it bring us happy, healthy, and all the moments to treasure.

Nora