WRITER’S CORNER: A grandma like no other

"I thought all grandmas were like mine." Grandma Spees at age 16 in 1944, the year she married Grandpa This is what I told my mom one day not long after my Grandma Spees had been diagnosed with vascular dementia. For the past 14 years, Grandma and I struggled to understand one another, but our …

REVIEW: “Capital Gaines” by Chip Gaines

Attention, book blog universe! I have returned. A lot has changed since my last entry. My husband and I both have new jobs and have moved from a small town in Southeast Iowa to the bustling metropolis of Des Moines, our state's capital city. We're pretty much settled in our new home, and my thoughts …

A few of my favorite (Christmas) things

Merry Christmas to all, from That Book Lady Blog! In honor of this special day, I want to share with you some of the things I enjoy most this time of year. Favorite book When I was little, my mom ordered "A Story a Day 'Til Christmas" from the Current catalog. For several years, it was …

Three years and counting

Three years ago this morning, I woke up in a haze. Mom and I packed up the car and set out for a Western Illinois winery, where in a matter of hours, life as I had known it for nearly 28 years was about to change. (photos by Emma Wroughton) After months of planning, I was …