This morning I awoke to the sound of a police bullhorn blaring over the neighborhood. "Come downstairs, come out the front door, keep your hands up where I can see them!", boomed the distant echoing voice, interspersed with short blasts of a police siren. Shaking off deep sleep, I crawled out of bed and shoved my glasses on. Down the hall, I could hear my parents stirring. "They've set up roadblocks," said my mom, coming into my room. "I think they're looking for someone!" "Which … [Read more...] about Police Bullhorns at 3:30 a.m. and Coronavirus Panic
Valentine’s Day Banquet and an Ordination
"What do you all think about doing a Valentine's meal for the guys?" my friend Melissa messaged me and several others last month. "It would be fun to plan but it would take several brains to pull it off." "This sounds exciting! Let's do it!" messaged Susanna. A Valentine's party? At first I was reluctant— we are a singles group after all. This could be awkward. But then I remembered it's Leap Year! More seriously— as another girl pointed out— "Last year, the guys had a Valentine's … [Read more...] about Valentine’s Day Banquet and an Ordination
What We Did in Sarasota, Florida
Last week, I touched an alligator and a flamingo, waded in the Gulf of Mexico, and saw real coconut trees for the first time. My sister and her family had invited me along for a vacation in Sarasota, Florida. We had lovely weather all week, and I was blessed with many opportunities to take photos. Venice Beach and Siesta Key Beach Partly because a Penny Letters reader recommended it, we spent a morning at Venice Beach, and I went looking for shark teeth. I didn't take any of my … [Read more...] about What We Did in Sarasota, Florida
Pennsylvanians Drive Across Georgia, Counting Dollar Generals and Eating Boiled Peanuts
"There's jokes about lots of Dollar Generals in the South," I say to my sister when I see the discount chain's black and yellow sign. "Let's count how many we see before we get to Marilyn's house." My sister, two of her children, and I are taking a detour on the way to Florida and visiting our cousin's family. Our route leads us from Savannah to Camilla, more than two hundred miles on secondary roads through forest, farms, and small towns in rural Georgia. "There's a cotton field," my … [Read more...] about Pennsylvanians Drive Across Georgia, Counting Dollar Generals and Eating Boiled Peanuts
Seashine Pictures
While looking up the word seashore, I found a new word by accident: seashine. According to Merriam-Webster, seashine means "the shine of the sea, especially the light reflected off the sea." I'm going to Florida for the first time in a few days, where we hope to enjoy both sunshine and seashine at the seashore. Thinking about going there inspired me to share some of my sea pictures in a blog post with you all. (Plus, I really don't have time to write a long post this week!) Except for … [Read more...] about Seashine Pictures