I taught myself how to be a journalist 22 years ago, before the Internet in a coat closet in my home in Vista, CA.

Since then I've gone on to publish thousands of articles in newspapers all over the country including the New York Times. I've published three books. I never knew back when I was 40 and wondering what my lot in life was going to be. Then, my husband Ralph told me to quit my job, try to become a writer, and if I was published nationally in a year, then I was a writer. If not, maybe I should try something else.

Within six months I was published nationally, I went on to be Brenda Starr, we moved a lot, and had a lot of adventures, most of which I wrote about. He died suddenly in the summer of 2018. I'm still a writer.

That's the short version.

Here is my latest and maybe my last 3000-word article ( that's a different story) for this wonderful publication, the San Diego Reader.

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2020/may/13/feature-vista-has-always-had-my-heart/

Thank you for reading, and thank you to my darling husband.

Day one of social distancing during the Coronavirus Outbreak

I read on Twitter today that when Shakespeare was quarantined because of the plague, he wrote King Lear.

Shakespeare blogging about food?

No pressure.

I have two grants and a 4000-word article to write by the end of the month and an idea for an op-ed piece for the LA Times. There is also a novel sitting in the wings that may or may not turn into a screenplay.

So, after nearly a year I decided to blog again. Procrastination at it's finest.

I was going to blog on my Laughing Matriarch site, but I can't get into the damn thing, so I shall blog on this site which was occasionally authored by my husband.

Cest la Vie.

Which brings me to today, Saturday 3/14/2020. After trying to get into three grocery stores for a few items, I gave up and came home to my new widow pad (is that a term?) and decided to make applesauce while watching the movie Julie/Julia on Netflix.

Making applesauce in my tiny kitchen.

This whole combination made me so happy. The apples had the Chelan sticker on them which reminded me of our life on the lake and my friend Tracy who taught me to make applesauce and apple butter. I purchased the knife at Culinary Apple on Main Street and kept thinking I was going to give it as a gift until Ralph fell in love with it.

My crockpot where the apples simmered is 25 years old and I've carried it with me from house to RV to house. (I can't find my two immersion blenders. Sis?) So it reminds me of my darling Ralph.

Ralph helping out in Chelan.

And the movie, of course, reminds me of Ralph as well, and Paris and cooking and everything that we loved together. And that I now love.

So day one of social distancing was filled with the aroma of apples wafting through my tiny apartment, Julia Child's (Meryl Streep) laugh and so many sweet memories.

Cooking while watching Julie/Julia

So far so good.