I know I’ve said it before, but one of my favorite things to do is to read a good book. I’ve been known to stay up into the wee hours of the morning to finish a good thriller or suspense novel. Because I love reading so much, I was interested to see PBS launch its Great American Read series, which according to its website, invites people to vote from a list of 100 books that were selected as finalists from a prior survey. “America’s Most Beloved Book” will be revealed by PBS on October 23.

It just wouldn’t be summer without baseball! I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid, walking into town with my little sister to watch our big brother, Joe, play on the Little League team. After a game, we would walk to the store for a popsicle and candy. I grew up in Maryland, so I was a Baltimore Orioles fan – still am. But, I love the Detroit Tigers, too. I enjoy watching when the Detroit Tigers play the Orioles because I’m not disappointed, no matter who wins the game.

The history of Memorial Day dates back to the American Civil War and was instituted to honor soldiers who had died during the Civil War. It has been said to be inspired by the way people in the Southern states honored the dead. Previously known as Decoration Day, the first national observance took place on May 30, 1868. In the late 19th century, the holiday became known as Memorial Day and was expanded to include the deceased veterans of all the wars fought by American forces.

I am a bird watcher. Never in a million years would I have thought I would be a bird watcher because when I was a kid, I watched Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense thriller, The Birds, and it terrified me! It’s the story of a series of sudden, unexplained and violent attacks by birds on the people of Bodega Bay, California. Things start going a little crazy when seagulls attack kids at a party, and before long, the whole town is under attack, with birds nearly breaking through barricaded doors and windows! I can’t believe my parents let me watch it! They probably wouldn’t had they known how scary it was. For days, I couldn’t walk outside without looking nervously to the sky.

Spring is in the air! Well, maybe, not really. But it sure beats the brutal cold and snow that hung around here for the last few months. Just the promise of warmer weather has helped me beat the Winter Blues. And, there is so much to look forward to: like Daylight Saving Time, which begins on March 11, giving us a little more “daytime” to enjoy.

Have you ever had trouble forgiving someone? I mean, some things are just unforgivable. Right? I just finished reading a recently published book about forgiveness which I found to be very inspirational: Taming the Tokolash – Through Fear into Healing: A Trauma Survivor’s True Story, written by Mandy Bass. This is a story about a woman who was brutally attacked by a young man and how she forgave him – an act that changed his life, and hers – forever.

I always look forward to a brand-new year – it’s like starting over with a clean slate. But, I want to take a few moments and reflect back on my 2017. It was a challenging year in some respects, but I like to view challenges as learning experiences and opportunities for personal growth. I had many positive experiences in 2017 – here are of few of the highlights.

My Christmas Eves now are filled with visits from my three children and five grandchildren. For them, I like to re-create the simplicity of Christmas Eves I enjoyed when I was growing up. The day was always filled with excitement for me and my three siblings, and we’d spend most of the day wrapping gifts for each other and our parents, and putting them under the tree. We always put up the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and decorated it while drinking hot cocoa, eating sweets and Christmas cookies, and playing Christmas carols on the piano. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of love.

I’m sure you’ve heard Sarah Palin’s quote about hockey moms: “They say the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull – lipstick.” I’ve never really completely agreed with that. Hockey moms are so much more. They are tough, dedicated, hardworking, caring, and they have the gumption to help their child to succeed in the fast-paced world of hockey.

I think September is one of my favorite months of the year. It’s the last month of summer and the weather isn’t too hot, the sunsets and sunrises are brilliant, and it offers the last chance to enjoy the final days of summer before the fall chill sets in.

It was 43 years ago, August 8, 1974 – a day that I will never forget – when Richard Milhous Nixon resigned as President of the United States of America. For me, it was a very exciting time in my life. I was living in Washington D.C., working as a secretary for President Nixon’s speechwriters. I worked long days and sometimes long into the night when a speech was being written. I had recently married and was enjoying life as a newlywed. After growing up in a very small town, I loved visiting the plethora of museums, restaurants and art galleries, attending cultural events, and all the diversity the city had to offer.

My City Magazine has recently highlighted the art collections of various Greater Flint community members. I’d like to tell you a little about my own.