Inspired by Life ... and Fiction

Novelists bound by the pen, sisterhood, & more

Little Bits of Christmas

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If you’ve been around here long, you know that earlier this year we moved into a teeny, tiny condo in a downtown high rise. While I have lived here long enough to figure out how to live my daily life, the holidays are a new thing. So what’s a Christmas decoration-loving girl to do? It turns out that little bits of Christmas go a long way in making our space festive. Here’s what I’ve done: … [Read more...]

On Elevators and Christmas

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Yesterday was a normal day. Wake up. Spend some time with Jesus. Run some errands. Do a bit of online shopping. (Oops! Not on the to do list, but there you go!) Change into workout clothes intending to walk for a little while on the treadmill before sitting down to work on this post. But first, a trip downstairs to get the mail and pick up a package. As you know, I live in a downtown high rise, … [Read more...]

Projects That Are Bigger & Tougher Than Anticipated

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Over the past couple of weeks, my home has been undergoing some overdue improvements. The carpet on our stairs desperately needed replacing. After almost 13 years of seven people and five cats traipsing up and down the steps multiple times a day, the carpet had worn down to nothing. Rather than putting in new carpet and risking more wear and tear, we decided to make the stairs hardwood. Much of … [Read more...]

Fall Flavors

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I love October. The pumpkins are out. Football season is in full swing. The air is finally cooling off here in Texas, so I can think about chili and soups. One of my local coffee shops has busted out a maple pecan latte (which is fabulous!), and Trader Joe’s is a flurry of fall flavors. Since we’ve been in Austin, we’ve always had a Trader Joe’s grocery store nearby. In fact, from the front door … [Read more...]

Home Alone

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When my children were small and needy, I dreamed of being home alone. The thought of time in my house to do what I wanted to do sounded like a slice of paradise. Then, suddenly it seemed, my children were grown and gone and my husband took a job requiring travel. Lots of travel. And while i am blessed to accompany him often, I also often find myself (as I do this week) in the midst of my long ago … [Read more...]

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