My friends seem to find watching me get reacquainted with the US rather amusing. There are so many things you take for granted living here, and being gone for three years made me forget about some of the smaller conveniences. Like renting movies. I finally got myself a membership at a video store last weekend …
Melanie Hooyenga
Distance
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but it can also make us look at things with a clearer eye. Like with writing. (Did you forget I write? Yeah, I almost did too.) I’ve been in the editing stage of my third draft since, oh… January, and while I’ve made a few half-hearted attempts …
Bovine Love
I’ve mentioned before that my parents (and therefore, I) live along a river out in the middle of nowhere. We have neighbors and stuff, but it’s fairly rural — the other side of the river is a nature preserve and there are three houses with horses and one with cows within a mile of our …
What Do You See?
See this? This is my shower curtain. I didn’t pick it out but it’s in the bathroom I use at my parents’ house so by default I claim it. Most of you probably see a bunch of circles in varying shades of blue that form a well-balanced grid pattern. Not me. Because I’m crazy, I …
This is How I Celebrated the Fourth
Red, white and blue food! I also updated my header. BIG weekend! What did you do? I hope everyone had a safe holiday.
Break Out the Daggers
… and hard candy … and pogo sticks … and puppy toenails … and roller blades … and taffy … and pointy sticks … and scissors … and envelopes* … and doorjambs* … and potato slicers* … and sun visors* … and coffee tables* … and lip gloss tubes* … and sidewalks* … and carpeted …
So THIS is What They Refer to as a Social Life
I spent several (three years) not doing much of anything, and it’s amazing how quickly you can get used to that way of life. Not that I never missed my former, busy lifestyle, but I was being a recluse in a different place, not Chicago. I think it would have been a lot harder if …
The Perfect Cup of Coffee
I left most of my kitchen things in Mexico and while I was sad to see them go, I figured it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be replaced. Among the glasses and plates were a pair of coffee mugs bought years ago at the art fair here in west Michigan. They’re well worn and the handle …
Cans From Fans
Those of you who are friends with me on Facebook have already been hearing about this, so I apologize if I’m bombarding you with information. I make it a point not to talk about work on my blog, but there’s a project I’ve been working on for over a month now that has officially launched. …
Life Lessons
While driving home from Kentucky on Sunday I was chatting with Nadine when I suddenly noticed police lights behind me. Since my natural tendency is to slam on the brakes regardless of what speed I’m traveling, I slammed on my brakes and watched him in my rearview mirror. I looked up in time to notice …