My BookStack (an offshoot of my “Substack”) is the stack of books I’ve read, reviewed, and might recommend to you. Even though many of the books I “read” are audiobooks or on my Kindle, I like to imagine a BIG stack of books I’ve finished on my nightstand or bookshelf at the end of each month.
Read MoreRemember the days when we had the option of watching a television show (we had a choice of about four channels) OR reading something printed on paper? The simplicity of our former lives seems foreign compared to today’s barrage of information.
Read MoreWhether you watch it for the game or the commercials (or to spot Taylor Swift 🧐 😂), whether you’re a Chiefs or 49ers fan (or a “who cares?” 🤷♀️ Lions fan like me), you’re probably aware that Super Bowl Sunday in America is near.
Read MoreI’ve been writing on Substack since March 16, 2023 (but started blogging ten years ago!), so I thought I’d re-introduce myself to benefit my new followers (Hello there!) and others who want a taste of what Empty-Nest Joyride! is all about.
Read MoreA tiny taste of Lent through the Little Things, to whet your appetite.
Read MoreJesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35), and as Christians, we take it to heart. We instill the value in our kids, especially at Christmastime when messages of greed bombard us. And we pride ourselves in our cheerful and generous giving.
Read MorePerhaps you’ve heard the slogan ringing in this new year: Do More in 2024!
I don’t know about you, but the thought of doing more after the past few weeks of shopping, decorating, baking, cooking, and entertaining makes me want to crawl in a hole and hide.
If I did though, I would take a book with me.
Read MoreMy name is Migizi, but you can call me McGee, Gizi, or just Gee. My purr-son, Linda, has been moving slowly after hip surgery, so she enlisted my help to get the Christmas letter done. I’d rather wrap purr-esents, but because I want to remain her fur-iend, I agreed to write the annual Hanstra Year-in-Review.
Read MorePumpkins on the front porch are rotting. Thanksgiving leftovers are almost gone. It’s time to crawl into the storage closet under the stairs and bring out our Christmas decorations. As is our annual habit, we replace our normal decor with festive trimmings.
Read MoreIt was mid-December. We were all waiting. But we weren't waiting like the rest of the world.
In homes, they waited for Christmas. Young children counted the days with their advent chains and calendars, anticipating that wonderful morning when they would tear the paper, fling the boxes, and see their wishes come true.
Read MoreAs I walk through the few remaining rows of Christmas trees, I attempt to sort out my feelings. Growing up, there were hundreds of acres of trees. These few are all that remain. I should feel something, I tell myself. While a little part of me wants to cry, the emotion that’s bubbling up instead is joy.
Read MoreI have no regrets. At least seven bene-fits come to mind as I consider how semi-retirement fits my life today.
Read MoreA sneak peek at “semi-retirement,” while revisiting a favorite Thanksgiving post.
Read MoreA week ago—six days before my hip surgery, while running errands and getting as many ducks lined up as possible, I called my husband Tom and said, “I think we should buy a recliner.”
Read MoreA sore right shoulder. A noisy kitchen appliance. And November 9.
These three things actually could save my life.
Read MoreSoon, I’ll be joining the loons on our southward migration for the winter. It’s been a good summer. I’ve learned a few things in this grand experiment that I can take with me on my future journeys back and forth.
Read MoreI turned 60 this past year, and I admit I have qualms about joining the ranks of older persons. Is my aging body a sign of weakness? Will others look at me and assume I’m incapable? If I let my hair go gray, will others see me as irrelevant?
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