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Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Day Trip: Taylor, Texas

January 15, 2020 By D'Ann Mateer

When we moved to Austin almost 4 (gasp!) years ago, my husband said we’d spend our weekend taking day trips around Central Texas. Little did he know his job would be so all-consuming and travel heavy as to make that nearly impossible! But just before Christmas, when the frenzy of holiday parties had ended and we hadn’t yet left to visit family, we had a rare, free Saturday and beautiful weather, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Assorted & Sundry, Family, History

A Prayer for 2020

January 1, 2020 By D'Ann Mateer

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, I thought I would offer up a prayer for us all: O Gracious Lord, In this coming year, teach us to trust You more, to love You more, to obey You more quickly and more completely, to forsake our besetting sins, to bridle our tongues, to live as children of God. May we be quick to repent and forgive, seek continual refreshment through Your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Faith

Christmas Reads 2019

December 18, 2019 By D'Ann Mateer

I love a good Christmas novel or novella as much as I love a good Hallmark Christmas movie. Of course there are the perennial favorites like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, A Christmas Carol, Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, and The Night Before Christmas. But every year there are other great stories set around Christmastime. Here is a list of what I’ve read and enjoyed this year: Royally … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Reading

Our 2nd Annual Thanksmas

December 4, 2019 By D'Ann Mateer

For the second year in a row we’ve celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with all our kids (and this year our granddaughter, too!) in a whirlwind 48 hours. It works out best, at least right now, for our boys to go to their in-laws over Christmas, and so we do Thanksgiving and Christmas in one fell swoop in order to get to do it together. The kids starting trickling in on Tuesday. By … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Family

A historic hotel and a good friend

November 20, 2019 By D'Ann Mateer

I went on a trip to Washington, D.C. with my husband last week. No surprise there. I often travel with him. And I’ve been to D.C. with him about a bazillion times. (Ok, that might be a slight exaggeration, but still!) We’ve stayed at several different hotels in the city over the years, but the one we’ve stayed at the most—and the one we returned to this trip—was the Mayflower Hotel. (Yes, that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Friendship, History

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