When I was a kid I was fascinated with Virginia City, Nevada. I loved the hills, the old buildings, the wooden sidewalks, the sweet shop, the sarsaparilla, the jewelry stores, the history of gold miners, pretty much everything except the dirt and heat. During one visit I talked my grandparents into buying me a chance … Continue reading Mining My History →

While it took a few marriages to find and marry the love of my life, I have been extremely fortunate in the mother-in-law department. The first, Darlene, was simply a good person. We didn't agree on religious views or gender roles, but she was kind, well-organized and one smart cookie. She was a practicing Jehovah's … Continue reading Ode to my (first) mother-in-law →

I cry multiple times over multiple days during the last week of every semester. Occasionally there are tears of frustration (I mean, come on, how come you don’t remember the six lessons about plagiarism??), but mostly tears of joy and sorrow. The joy of impending downtime and the sorrow of leaving my students behind pull … Continue reading Ending is such sweet sorrow →

Pink champagne cake from Schat's Bakery complete with a vintage June Angel cake top. I ordered a birthday cake for myself this year; I have never ordered a cake for myself. Ever. The cake was in the house less than five minutes before I cut into it. One of the perks of being an adult … Continue reading Birthday Musings →

Before new knowledge has permanently embedded itself into my sense of family history, it feels important to take one last look at the picture I already have in my head about Great-great-great-great-grandpa Henry Munroe. The first point of contact is through his daughter, Mary Louisa; "Little Grandma" as she is known in my family, was … Continue reading What I Know So Far →