Today I am pleased to welcome my first-ever guest blogger to Home Sweet Abbey. Joe Accardi, a friend, neighbor, and fellow writer, shares memories of the music that has shaped his life on Life Out of Tunes. This morning, both Joe and I commented on the same Facebook post about the anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Seeing that, I realized we each had something to say about that fateful day. He agreed. Here is Joe’s […]
To me, there’s nothing more interesting than living with a cat… unless it’s living with two cats. Just as people have their own personalities, so do cats. And with my girls, the contrasts are fascinating. Let me show you what I mean. Here is a photo of each, taken in the same room at nearly the same time this morning. Angie is self-assured and entitled. Nothing is too good for her. She can be friendly […]
In August, I had the privilege of going on an Honor Flight as a guardian to my boyfriend, one of the participating veterans. The three-day trip to Washington, DC was an overwhelming experience, one that is constantly on my mind as we approach Veterans Day. Looking back, everything seems larger than life. Certainly the monuments were—the World War II, Korean and Vietnam war memorials; the Naval, Air Force, Marines, and women veterans memorials, and Arlington […]
Five years ago today — October 14, 2010, I left my closing with this key. Now, don’t worry. I’m not going to go all English teacher on you and begin discussing symbolism. We all know about the many meanings of keys. Today is for celebrating here at Home Sweet Abbey. And today is for appreciating the many blessings that have come with my new home and community. Some of them were anticipated; many were delightful […]
Cats are difficult to photograph. At least, for me they are. My two are often so cute/playful/beautiful/cunning/charming that I plead with them to hold the pose long enough for me to grab my phone. They almost never do. But this morning, for whatever reason, Shadow decided to cooperate, and here’s the result…. Well, here’s the result after I chose the best of three shots, cropped it, and played with the color. I don’t mean to […]
Hey, didn’t you used to be Miss Dierksen? Yes, I reply. Yes, I was…. In fact, I still am! I occasionally hear that question—and give that reply—when I’m out and about in Woodstock, though not as often as I did a few years ago. Now in my 14th happy year of retirement, encounters with my former students have become less frequent. But that makes them all the more fun when they do occur. Before I […]
Labor Day is considered the traditional beginning of fall. But that was not the case this year at Maples at the Sonatas, where we enjoyed three-plus weeks of bonus summer. There were still several sizzling hot days for swimming. Our walking group, known for getting outside in challenging weather, took their exercise in the pool a few days. Don’t they look nice and cool here? And they can spell too. A-A-R-P… The weather has turned […]
My neighbor Art doesn’t have a formal bucket list. But if he did, sky diving would be item #1. He has wanted to try it for the longest time—so long that he doesn’t even remember how long. But life kept getting in the way, and he kept putting it off for various reasons. Then, a couple of years back, it looked like health problems had closed the window of opportunity on Art’s dream. That all […]
The first time I drove into Woodstock, Illinois, my car found its way to the town square all by itself. Or at least, that’s how it seems looking back. I wasn’t searching for the center of town, or for a place of beauty, history, culture, and shopping. I was looking for a phone booth. It was early June of 1970, and I was on a mission. I was hoping to land my first teaching job, […]
Note: This post is the second in a series about the Woodstock Square. If you like to begin things at the beginning—and if you missed Part 1 of the series—you can find that here. The Woodstock Square is THE place to be on Saturday. After all, it’s Farmers Market day. People spill out of the shops and restaurants, and the park in the center of the Square is a joyful, colorful mix of people of […]
The Woodstock town square is the most recognizable location in our city, as well as a gathering place and cultural center. For residents and visitors alike, when we hear Woodstock, it is the Square, with its Victorian buildings and brick streets, that we picture in our minds. On this Throwback Thursday, let’s take a quick look at the history of the Square. In a future post, we’re going to take a field trip to check […]
In response to The Daily Post’s weekly photo challenge: “Symbol.” Something white caught my eye when I walked past my neighbor Ollie’s flowerbed this morning. Something that, as beautiful as it was, felt out of place. I had never seen an Easter lily growing outdoors before, nor had I ever seen one blooming in July. Yet there it was, a glorious, serendipitous surprise. Symbolically speaking, the Easter lily is identified with beauty, purity, hope, and […]
It’s record-settingly official. The Chicago area just survived its cloudiest June on record. Books close on Chicago’s cloudiest Junes on record and one of its wettest; May-level chill settles in as July 2015… http://t.co/znnu4eCmIv — Skilling (@Skilling) July 1, 2015 If you were to read the entire post, you would find all the depressing statistics. If that sounds too gloomy to tackle, here are the highlights—or, should I say, lowlights: Last month our total sunshine […]
Sunset is one of our loveliest times at Maples at the Sonatas. There is so much to savor in this time of transition. And then comes nighttime, which is downright magical. Darkness settles gently, gradually over the neighborhood, bringing with it an altered perspective. Our homes, our lawns, our streets — everything so familiar that we may not even see it any more — all becomes subtly new, demanding a second look. ••• It’s a […]
There are countless ways to personalize a new home in Maples at the Sonatas. It all begins when the buyers choose one of the five Epcon floor plans offered here. It continues with the selection of upgrades and options. Then the finishing touches come with furnishing, decorating, and accessorizing. But Tom and Brenda, whose home is in the earliest stages of construction, have seized another way to personalize their home. Here is what they’ve done […]
“You see this goblet?” Chaa asked, holding up a glass. “For me, this glass is already broken. I enjoy it; drink out of it. It holds water admirably, sometimes even reflecting the sun in beautiful patterns. If I should tap it, it has a lovely ring to it. But when I put this glass on a shelf and the wind knocks it over and it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ […]
It’s not that big a deal, Cathie said. You’re welcome to come and see it, but it’s really not that much. Still, knowing how creative and crafty she is, I wanted to take a look at her project. So I walked down the street to her Portico and rang the doorbell. Immediately, I was greeted by a chorus of Shih Tzu glee coming through the door. Cathie opened it, and the three dogs’ frenzied joy […]
Where do you get your ideas? Everyone who writes must hear this question from time to time. I know, I do. It’s a hard one to answer. When I tell the truth — I get ideas everywhere— the person seems dissatisfied with its vagueness. But I can’t do better. I go through my life, and ideas just come. Or I should say, they usually do. They don’t always appear as often as I would like. […]
Here it is, one of the biggest weekends of the year. It’s Final Four time. So it was no surprise to hear some rivalry talk at our community coffee this morning. We had a fan of Michigan State wearing green. We had Wisconsin supporters in the group too, along with Big 10 fans happy that their conference had two teams in the finals. But only Sylvia and I broke out our team shirts this morning. […]
My neighbor Bob believes that every child should have an opportunity for happiness. My neighbor Jane, who spent her career working with children, saw so many who needed an advocate in life. My neighbor Maureen is willing to step out of her comfort zone to fundraise for a cause she truly believes in. All three found an ideal outlet for their desire to help children in CASA of McHenry County, an organization that provides volunteers […]
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