Author Janet McGiffin lives in Tacoma, WA, just down the hill from her son and daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, after living some time in Lakewood, WA, Greece, and New York City. She used to work for the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Health Department, was a press officer for the Washington State Senate in Olympia, and worked in […]
To Ponder
Letter: Damaged In Shipping
“A holy lesson in some cardboard.” That was the assessment of Erin Mullins who is not only kin but a kindred spirit. The box labeled “fragile,” the one bearing precious gifts, the one that arrived on her porch just before Christmas was damaged. There was a hole where there shouldn’t have been one. It didn’t […]
Letter: Marriage Made In Heaven
“Heads I win, tails you lose.” Those are the rules of a game I sometimes play with groups of youth. Hand after hand will go up to win the quarter (nickel, dime, penny, whatever I have in my pocket). Nobody ever wins, only me. Some never get it. Some somewhat-grownups still don’t. On August 15, […]
Letter: When You Don’t Know What To Do
Our granddaughter peeked from behind ‘the wall’ as she awaited her part of the drama that was being reenacted in our living room. The walls of Jericho were about to come down. In the days leading up to this past Christmas, her mother had been telling the exceptional stories of biblical history that would lead […]
Let’s Talk! – The Moment That Defines Awkwardness
Have you made yourselves comfy? Have you put away your smartphones and switched off your TV-set? For here is the first of a whole year of Friday invites to talk, to ponder, or to write. I have this fun book by my author-friend Tyrean Martinson (https://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Sized-Jumble-Writing-500-Prompts/dp/1735769509) – and prompt number one reads as you see […]
Across the Fence: Rollmops
First of all, Happy New Year to you, dear reader! How did you celebrate the turn of the year? Did you end up with a little hangover? If so, Germans have a proven method to deal with it: Rollmops (pronounce ‘rawl-mops). No, it’s not a rolling pug as the name suggests, but a rolled up […]
A Dr. Weirdo Story: A Dead Center Pitch
It was the third day in a row that Vashon Island played hide and seek in the early morning fog. It came and it went leaving me nothing but puffs of gray to see. I was getting restless. I could have done yard work . . . could have, but chose not to. My lovely […]
Letter: A Hopeless Romantic in Advancing Years
As the hourly chiming of the grandfather clock marked time, the man – his age reflected in greying temples and permanent laugh lines etched and pronounced – settled into their well-worn couch, the old leather crinkled here and there even as his eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. And he was smiling now […]
A Dr. Weirdo Story: A Smile and a Nod
Normally, if Rose is out shopping, I just wait in the car for her. When she shows me what she bought I’ll nod my head, smile, and make a nice comment, while asking some simple question about what the purchase was for . . . a birthday or sometimes just a reminder that her friendship […]