
Most of my family (including my momma) at Stonehenge. It was a beautiful, sunny day with red poppies blooming everywhere. Just gorgeous.
I’m not completely sure how I found my way here. I impulsively joined WordPress in late April 2017 and learned after the fact that this is more of a venue for actual writers, so I’m kind of an odd duck. I’m not a writer but a reader (hence all the book reviews), so I think I may have found my personal nirvana by landing in a place with an abundance of interesting reading material.
I’m disenchanted with the vapidity of television (haven’t watched since 2010 when I started reading more), and with social media and all the negativity, insincerity and vanity that goes along with it. I’m searching for something more authentic, and I’m already seeing a lot of that here in your posts. It’s a breath of fresh air, and I’m grateful for it. I’m learning a lot from you as well, so thank you for that.
I was raised in a small town in the Great Plains (my graduating class had 26 people and that high number was due to the fact they bused kids in from two neighboring towns). I’ve lived away from my hometown longer than I ever lived there, but those roots go deep, so my upbringing is still a huge part of who I am. My parents were born during the Great Depression; my dad was actually born in a cave house dug out of the prairie dirt. I was raised by people who could do just about anything, worked hard, and dealt with whatever came along without complaint. Mom finally retired at 80 years old and is still living independently in the same town Dad was born, raised, and buried.

This was the landscape of my childhood.
I have been married for 20 years and have a blended family with 5 kids and an adorable grandson. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 19 years. My youngest is nearing 12, so in a blink of an eye that stage of my life will be over and I’ll have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up. 🙂 I volunteer several days a week at our local food bank and serve in a small capacity on its board, but I’m most often found driving my kids and their friends to various places (mainly nerd conventions and professional wrestling events). We live in a fishing village in the Pacific Northwest.
I generally read (or listen to) 10-20 books a month. I’ve logged over 1,000 “read” books since I started keeping track in 2010. My reading interests vary by mood. I read for fun and write reviews to help me remember the books, so I’m basically just talking to myself. I’m working on my efficiency, but I’m verbose in writing as well as in person, so bear with me as I make improvements.
I love seeing new places and am thankful whenever the occasion arises to see iconic or historic sites. With only limited opportunities to travel, however, I often have to live vicariously through other people’s stories.
These places are on my please, please, please, someday list:

Ireland – Have you seen anything more beautiful? What a great shot.
Clementinum, Prague

Austrian National Library, Vienna
Eilean Donan Castle, Highlands of Scotland
Well firstly, thanks for following my blog. And then, I have lived in England and Scotland and occasionally have written about my time there, I have lived in Canada and have written a little about that time and now choose to live in New Zealand and of course, write about living here. But mine is not a travel blog. It’s more a place where I can share things as they come to me. I hope there will be something there that interests you enough to keep following my blog.
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I already do enjoy it. Thanks for sharing your view on life with the rest of us, Judith!
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Nice to meet you! The photographs of where you grew up, where you live now, and where you’d like to visit are all gorgeous. Although I watch many movies and mini-series (on borrowed library DVDs), I’ve been happily not watching ‘actual’ TV for decades. 🙂
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I’m like you, Marcia. Sometimes I will start to watch a cable series based on a series of books I’ve read (Game of Thrones, Outlander, etc.) but I can only get through one season or so before I have to take a break…for years! I often fall asleep if my kids drag me to the movies. There’s something about that medium that makes it difficult for me to focus now. I’m sure I’m missing out on some good programming, but I don’t miss all the reality TV, etc. Watching the news nowadays is ridiculous enough! 🙂 Thanks for checking in and commenting.
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Your comments on my posts made my night, just so you know. Thank you very much! 🙂
You say that you’re not a writer, but I beg to differ. This is one of the most eloquently worded about pages I’ve read in a while. (I write people’s about pages for a living FYI, so I’m not simply saying that to be nice.)
After seeing those stunning photos, your “please, please, please, someday list” has become my own. Hopefully that’s okay. 🙂
Anyway, I’ll see you around the blogosphere, new WordPress friend!
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Thank you so much, Lunnah! I am so flattered. Thank you for sharing your kindness with me. Compliments like this mean so much.
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You’re very welcome!
😀
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I love your About page.
I live in the Pacific NW too, in Seattle.
I didn’t have a TV for a year and I loved not having it. But my sister visited this past summer and I felt obliged to buy a second hand one for her, she’s got the tv on morning to night (it was hell.) You’ve inspired me to unplug it, and put it away. I’m lately watching it a lot, find my self numbing out with it, rather than gluing my butt to a chair, and get some writing done. Ugh. THANK YOU for the inspiration to ditch it!
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I’m just down the road from you. I’m in Gig Harbor. Small world, huh? That’s pretty cool.
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Yes, hi!
waves
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