The World Needs More…Artists
I had an old boyfriend who insisted that in his house he would hang only original art. This guy wasn’t an artist, and he was broke, but by god he wasn’t going to have any cheap posters adorning his living room walls. Even if they represented Picasso or Matisse. I remember rolling my eyes at […]
Tidings of Comfort and Joy
As 2010 draws to a close I would be remiss not to mention the things that helped get me through the year, my sources of survival, salves in the continuing healing of my grief. Looking back, there were many people (Alison, Nan, Melissa, Stacy, Sylvia, Susan my grief counselor, and yes, even Mr. X), places […]
Going to Church…In my Basement
My phone rang and rang and rang on Christmas Eve — my local line, I mean — and I knew why Eldon’s residents were calling. They wanted to invite me to church. Worried about me spending the holiday alone, my new Eldonite friends were doing what I’ve experienced them do best: demonstrate kindness, compassion and […]
Going to the Post Office without a Parachute
Eldon Postmaster, the ever-smiling and compassionate Kathy I made it to the post office with Marcus’ coat and bike jacket. Barely. The packages had sat on my desk for several days but I hadn’t sealed them. So before I strapped the tape on the Priority Mail packaging that held the coat and bike jacket I stuck […]
Sweat, Tears and Boxes in the Basement
I’ve been spending a lot of time in my basement lately. Why? Because it’s zero degrees outside, my basement is dry and spacious, and Marcus bought a bicycle trainer before he died and I figured I could put it to use. A trainer is a bike stand in which you hook up your rear tire […]
Pie, American Gothic Style: My Latest House Guest Writes About Her Stay
I don’t normally do this, re-post someone else’s blog, but this story by Christine Buckley still resonates with me. Christine was my latest house guest at the American Gothic House and she wrote about her pie baking experience here. In her piece, she truly captured the essence of pie and how it heals, something I […]
The Day the MINI Coopers Came to Town
Just another day at the American Gothic House. When you live in the American Gothic House you never know who — or what — is going to turn up on your doorstep. Case in point: yesterday, a group of 15 MINI Coopers, driving in two groups from Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, converged in Eldon, […]
Aldi Fever: My Love Affair with a German Grocery Store
The connection to past and present, lit up in neon. I love Aldi. Aldi is a German-owned discount grocery store chain in both Germany and the U.S. (Aldi U.S. has 1,000 stores in 29 states. And, a little known fact, Aldi also owns Trader Joe’s.) Marcus introduced me to Aldi when we were still dating. […]
Deer Poop Pie
This is what “House Arrest” looks like. Who knew that living in Iowa could be so perilous? Perilous to my dog Jack and to my wallet, I mean. One thousand dollars spent between two veterinarians in two different towns and we are still not quite sure what has caused the incessant vomiting in my little […]
Essential Pie Tools
I opened my Pitchfork Pie Stand at the American Gothic House two and a half weeks ago and have been reminded that making pie in large volumes requires more than my usual two tools of a rolling pin and a mixing bowl. I have also discovered some new, indispensable items…some you can purchase, some you cannot. 1) Transport […]