Mom was a pretty good pianist. I have no idea for how long she took lessons, but after she graduated from high school, she didn’t walk away from her music. She must have played for her own enjoyment and that of others. By the time I came along, she was 39-years-old. I remember from my…
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The Christmas letter
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 3 Comments
The art of letter writing is often a bemoaned lost skill. We look at history and see the deep value of handwritten, personal letters between leaders and their spouses. They give us insight into these people and their relationships which would not otherwise be chronicled. It wasn’t that many years ago when people still wrote…
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Am I the only one?
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 5 Comments
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Grateful and giving
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 6 Comments
The folks gathered around the table were in various stages of homelessness. Completely homeless. Transitioning to homeless. Transitioning out of homelessness. With homes and now back to sitting among their friends and just listening and being supportive. There were those of us who can only imagine what it must be like to be homeless. There…
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Under the radar
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 2 Comments
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Caught in our underwear
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 2 Comments
Probably two decades ago, Terry and I and a dear friend visiting from Missouri headed to the local marina and climbed aboard our pontoon docked there. The day was pristine. The sun was shining. The temperatures were warm but not hot. It was just comfortable. As we headed out into the upper Missouri River, we…
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Like old friends
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 1 Comment
We had to be there. That’s what I thought last year when my “home team,” the Kansas City Royals, played in the World Series. But “being there” in Kansas City is a much different experience than being there in Chicago for the Chicago Cubs World Series. Wrigley Field, you see, is located in a neighborhood…
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Self-reflection
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 1 Comment
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Milieu
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 5 Comments
No doubt it had something to do with the ambiance. Ordinarily, I’m not a fan of Milwaukee as a city. The architecture is glorious. It has a world class art museum. The county museum is exciting and well presented. Miller Park is a great venue for baseball. There are lots of fun things to do…
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Like a lullaby
by Gretchen Lord Anderson • • 2 Comments
I was tempted to observe today that in Wisconsin, any excuse for a party will do. A party with beer. A party with loud music. But whether one thinks such a party is in good or poor taste, I must say that Octoberfest in any number of Wisconsin communities is truly a reason for a…