Shortly after I moved to Germany, I signed up as a volunteer for the Girl Scout troop at U.S. Army Garrison Schinnen in The Netherlands. One of the most rewarding experiences I had as a volunteer was helping the troop place American and Dutch flags on the graves at Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. ItContinue reading “Remember and Honor”
Tag Archives: #personalessay
You’re Invited
As we turned into the parking lot near One Observatory Circle, the butterflies in my stomach began fluttering faster and harder. I saw the shuttle that would drive us to the Vice President’s Residence, but before we could board, we had to be cleared by a Secret Service Agent. Once we were seated on theContinue reading “You’re Invited”
July 16
I feel guilty about this, but July 16 passed this year without me remembering it as the anniversary of Grandpa’s death. I think that’s the first time that has ever happened. Nineteen years. *** I was studying in Bath, England that summer, my senior year at Ohio State. It was the most exciting thing toContinue reading “July 16”
Fruit Forward
The Craigslist ad beckoned to me – pouring and selling wine as an independent contractor around Southern Maryland? I’ve never been much of a salesperson, but how hard can that be? Wine practically sells itself. All I had to do was invite people to taste. I responded to the ad and received a request daysContinue reading “Fruit Forward”
The Accidental Gardener
We closed on our house two years ago today, and with the house came a decent-sized vegetable garden. It was all a bit intimidating. I had only been a homeowner once before and never got around to doing much in the way of gardening. Throughout Lance’s military career, we lived in a lot of rentalContinue reading “The Accidental Gardener”
Sheep Shit Shirt: An Oktoberfest Story
As I glanced at the empty seat next to me on the luxury coach and then gazed out the window, I knew without a doubt that the man exiting the hotel was going to be my seatmate. The first thing I noticed was his t-shirt, which advertised sheep manure. A minute later, he slid intoContinue reading “Sheep Shit Shirt: An Oktoberfest Story”
Sentimental Journey
The night before Grandma died, she woke up, briefly, and teased my brother for coughing. “Ah-choo,” she said, smiling. Then she slipped back into unconsciousness. That was the last we heard her voice. It was just a couple weeks between her diagnosis of terminal cancer and her death. We thought it was Alzheimer’s, but itContinue reading “Sentimental Journey”
Words in Bloom 