Did you ever hear the old joke about the Christopher Columbus method of typing – I put my fingers down and then discover what I’ve typed? As a writer, I’ve had that kind of experience more than once. And, no, I don’t mean my typing is terrible…although I would never make a great typist, probably…
Year: 2016
The Corner of Your Eye
A few years ago, when I still had my office in our walk-up attic, I had a very interesting experience that led me to learn something new about ghosts. I often wake up in the middle of the night with an idea and go to my office and write. (The advantage of having your office…
Dads
I was one of those kids who didn’t have a dad when I was growing up. I have very faint recollections of a tall man wearing a large overcoat with deep pockets that occasionally held candy. But, unfortunately, alcohol became far more important to my father than his eight children and he left us when…
Kitchen Help
There is a family who lives in the Freeport area who has very unusual kitchen help. “We’ve lived here since the late 70’s,” said Doris (not her real name). “Our dining room and living room are right next to each other, separated by an archway. From one chair in the living room, you can see…
Stairwalker
After a program at the local library I was giving on ghost stories, a family of four approached me. They had sat quietly in the back of the room for the entire program and hadn’t offered to share anything, so I thought they were just there to listen. I found out I was wrong. “I…
Power Outage
Where were you when the lights went out? It was an exceptionally warm May evening, just a few weeks ago. Our family was gathered around the table chatting when suddenly, the power went out. Living in rural northwest Illinois, occasional power outages are just part of life. Whether it’s a combine taking out a power…
Hum
The young, college-aged man had come home for the week-end. He had enjoyed several days of visiting with both family and friends, although his last visit with friends had ended up much longer and later than he had planned. Which was why he was struggling out of bed well past his usual time. He made…
Whooo me? Yes, you!! Red Nose Day, May 26th
Knock, knock. Who’s there? Interrupting cow. Interrupting cow w…. Moo! That was one of my kids’ favorite knock-knock jokes as they were growing up. And we ALWAYS had knock-knock jokes, some made a lot more sense than others. Laughter, jokes and children, they all seem to go together. But do you know what doesn’t…
Mary’s Corn Pudding – Bradley’s New Favorite
Combine: 1 can whole kernel corn (drained) 1 can of cream corn 1 stick of butter (melted) 1 C sour cream 1 box of cornbread mix (Mary used Jiffy Corn Bread Mix) Pour into a greased pan or casserole dish (a cast iron skillet gives it a wonderful crust) and bake in a preheated 350-degree…
Voices from Above
School was finally over! And, because of a mix-up in testing, the grammar school was released a day earlier than the middle school and high school. So the two little girls rejoiced that they could stay home and play while their older siblings still had to go to school. After a quick breakfast, they hurried…