My husband recently received a Facebook posting that read, “If there is not a tropical storm in your area, stand by and one will be assigned to you.” Boy, isn’t...

Over the last few years, I have made many observations about Hallmark romance movies, including the same four basic plots: Girl from big city breaks up with longtime boyfriend and...

Does anyone remember way back to when elementary schools provided a standard hot lunch that didn’t include choices? I remember there was always an entrée of some sort, one or...

The other day as I was driving to work, something caught my eye out of my peripheral vision. There was some sort of activity going on next to the curb....

I have noticed that when veterinarians get together for a meeting at a local restaurant, we are usually seated far away from other diners.  I know part of the reason...

We just returned from a week’s vacation in Utah, visiting a number of national and state parks, which was wonderful.  Getting to and from Utah, however, was not so wonderful....

In a recent Pickles cartoon, the grandfather, Earl, was telling his grandson, “Carl Sandburg said, ‘Time is the coin of your life. It’s the only coin you have and only...

Who was that masked man anyway?  This saying has taken on a whole new meaning since the days of the Lone Ranger.  Now we can add “or woman” to the...

A recent “Peanuts” comic strip shows Snoopy standing beside his mail box reading a letter that says: Dear Contributor, We are returning your stupid story. You are a terrible writer....

As I was making dinner the other night, I discovered I had used up the open package of shredded cheese and was going to be forced to open a new...

“Please clean up after yourself,” I told Older Son the other day.  Older Son did not have to work that day and had gotten up to cook himself a big...

I sure do miss the good old days when you called a business on the phone and actually talked to a real live person.  Now a simple transaction takes you...

Siri doesn’t like me.  I don’t know why.  I’ve never done anything to her that I know of.  But she won’t talk to me.  She talks to everyone else, but...

This COVID pandemic has certainly brought out the best and the worst in people. I’m sure we all have horror and humor stories of bizarre human behavior seen during these...

My macaw loves to play in paper grocery bags.  The commissary is the only place I know of which still carries paper grocery sacks.  But due to the limited and...

Can a person make an anonymous call to the Child Abuse Hotline to report herself?  I am so tempted.  Not that I have abused my fourteen-year-old son—yet. (Well, unless you...

There is a well-known saying by George Bernard Shaw: Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach. Let me preface this blog by saying I don’t agree with this adage,...

Since my son is stuck at home learning from Zoom meetings, I tend to overhear what goes on in his classes.  And I’m not just talking about the kid who...

For the last few weeks, COVID-19 has changed a lot of the ways we do business.  At our animal clinic, we are doing curbside appointments, where we obtain the history...

“Do you have concerns about mild memory loss related to aging?” asks a commercial for a product that is supposed to boost memory support. Every time this commercial plays, I...

Okay, this coronavirus panic and hoarding has gone far enough.  I’ll admit that, at first, I became somewhat amused at the toilet paper hoarding.  I mean, really, of all the...

I now have a piece of paper to carry with me as I venture out into the Covid-19 world that says I’m essential. Just in case I get stopped by...

I have good news and bad news about Covid-19.  First the good news.  This pandemic has taken the focus off the November elections, and I, for one, am grateful.  There...

The coronavirus forcing social isolation does not bother me too much because I’m an introvert—although I’m also, at this point in time, considered essential, so I’m still going to work...

My older son came home from his temporary job of painting houses the other day, completely stunned by “homeowners’ associations.”  It seems the owner of the house where they were...

“We need a wife,” I grumbled to my husband, as I hoisted a heavy laundry basket full of clean clothes onto the bed. Surprisingly, he actually understood what I meant....

Is it just me or are there other people out there who cringe when watching the female band director in the Jardiance commercial?  For anyone who has ever participated in...

I want to know why Melania Trump is sending letters to my husband.  Granted, he’s better looking, younger, and an all-around nicer guy than her hubby, but still, he lacks...

via Other People's Children Author Ellen Fannon shares her story ~ Pin for Later ~  

I just can’t help myself.  Whenever someone sends me an email survey, I have to click on it. I cannot resist sharing my opinion with someone who actually asks for...

For those of you guys out there who are clueless and don’t know why your significant other is giving you the cold shoulder, Friday was Valentine’s Day.  Yep, you missed...

  My husband is no Shakespeare, but I love his poetry because it is original, corny, and heartfelt.  Usually I receive poems taped onto my wrapped birthday and Christmas gifts,...

Okay, I want to know who put my name on the Nutrition Action Health Letter listing. My invitation to subscribe to this newsletter came in today’s mail.  Addressed to me....

I love watching medical shows.  The rest of the family, however, does not like watching medical shows with me, as I tend to point out all the things which are...

“Hey, what’re you making?”  My older son had wandered into the kitchen as I was browning some breaded chicken for dinner. “Chicken with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, which I...

We were enjoying a leisurely Saturday morning breakfast when my husband spied the mail truck in our driveway. “There’s the mail truck!” he announced, with excitement.  At that, he sprang...

I found myself doing it the other day.  I had a client in the exam room with her little dog, who did not speak much English—the client, not the dog—so...

“I want your recipe for that chicken casserole you brought to the church luncheon,” my friend told me. “Sorry, I can’t give it to you,” I replied. She looked offended. ...

I love all kinds of Christmas music—carols, secular songs, children’s songs—provided it is not played before Thanksgiving.  That being said, there are a number of songs associated with Christmas time...

One of our Christmas traditions is sending out a newsletter with our Christmas cards to update family and friends about our year.  And I love getting letters along with cards...

I was reading a “Dear Abby” column recently about a woman who was worried about how to tell her new boss she did not want to exchange Christmas gifts with...

I love grapefruit—especially if someone else fixes it for me so I don’t have to spend time dissecting out all the little sections.  And especially if it is covered with...

Last week my husband and I had to go to the base for a couple of errands.  The first was to pick up medication at the pharmacy.  Because the line...

I am a coupon queen.  If I can save ten cents off something, I am ecstatic.  While I don’t go to the extreme of some people who scour the internet...

I was cleaning out the refrigerator the other day and came upon something that had been pushed to the back.  I had no idea what it was so I opened...

Last night was the dreaded time change.  On one hand, it’s nice to have that extra hour of sleep, even knowing I’ll have to give it back come spring.  But...

Last week I promised to divulge who shot JR (for those of you who care.)  It was Kristen Shepherd, JR’s sister-in-law.  Kristen was played by Mary Crosby, daughter of Bing...

Who shot JR Ewing?  You will only know the significance of this question if you are nearing social security age.  JR Ewing, for the unenlightened, was one of the main...

For the past few weeks now, I have noticed strange advertisements inserted into the blogs I post on my website.  At first I was embarrassed.  How in the world did...

I had a depressing Thursday morning.  My husband and I went to the Social Security office to sign up for Medicare.  Yes, Medicare!  There is no way I can possibly...

This morning, I stood, as usual, trying to put on my eye makeup with my cat, Jerry, head butting me.  It occurred to me (not for the first time) that...

“I feel a blog coming on,” I said to my husband. He groaned.  “What bone-headed thing did I do now?” “What makes you think it has anything to do with...

I got a letter from Donald Trump today.  It had my name on the envelope and everything!  Wow, I didn’t even realize he knew who I was!  My excitement was...

I took my life into my hands today.  No, I did not go skydiving again—although I would really like to.  I didn’t even attempt roller skating in my driveway again. ...

The other day I was re-organizing my sock drawer.  (Yes, I was that bored. Plus I couldn’t find any paired socks.)  “Oh, look what I found!” I exclaimed to my...

Last night my husband and I attended the first high school football game of the season—Baker versus Rocky Bayou.  I won’t go into the actual game, itself, which ended with...

I love the comic strip “Zits”.  It’s about a teen-aged boy, Jeremy, and the completely opposite way he and his parents view life.  I sometimes wonder if the cartoonist has...

I’ve finally decided what I want to be when I grow up.  I want to be Vanna White on Wheel of Fortune.  Well, to clarify, I don’t exactly want to...

There was a strange notation in our appointment schedule the other day.  Granted, we get some strange notations every day, but this one was particularly interesting.  It simply said, “Dog...

In the fertile ground of my imagination, I have the beautiful singing voice of a glorious meadow lark, whose sweet melody is pure rhapsody to the weary soul.  In the...

Am I the only one who feels victimized by inanimate objects?  Or is there anyone else out there brave enough to admit it?  I swear, “things” are out to get...

There’s a lot to be said for taking a vacation without a surly teenager along.  So when we cheerfully packed our thirteen year old son, Darion, off on a youth...

Why is it in a suspense novel or movie, the protagonist always does something extremely stupid to put himself or herself in a life-threatening situation?  Of course we all know...

There was a recent Pickles cartoon in which the husband says to the wife, “You know what, Opal?  You are a chocoholic.” She answers, “That’s not true. I could live...

I was looking for something on the internet and got side-tracked, as I often do, into looking at something else which caught my eye.  It was a site for funny...

Some fun things to do when you’re bored:   Send a random text saying, “I hid the body.  Now what?” Go through the drive-through of a fast food restaurant and...

Sometimes I don’t think physicians, or as I call them, “real doctors” (RDs) have a clue how easy their jobs are compared to veterinarians. For example, with the possible exception...

Have you ever noticed that for any given couple there is always one person who is hot natured and one who is cold natured?  It seems like this is the...

I hate to admit this, but I get squeamish at the sight of blood.  While this happens to a lot of people, it is particularly embarrassing when one is in the...

I don’t know how anyone manages to function in a home without pets.  My two dogs, three cats, and two birds earn their kibble and seed by performing endless tasks...

There is a commercial on television for an in-home exercise bike complete with your own personal computerized trainer who encourages you to keep going when you’re trying to die.   On...

Has anyone been watching Jeopardy for the last three weeks?  As I am writing this, a contestant named James Holzhauer just finished his 22nd straight victory, with an accumulated winning...

My younger son has always been somewhat of a drama king whenever it comes to some minor little ailment.  When he was little, a scratch small enough to require a...

Our youngest son recently turned thirteen and my husband and I have undergone “The Transformation” yet again.  If you don’t know what “The Transformation” is, you obviously have never had...

One of the items on my bucket list is to be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune.  I have always loved game shows, although the only three I watch are...

I recently attended my third Christian writers’ conference in Blue Lake, Alabama.  Every year has been a huge blessing with inspiration and workshops not only to help me become a...

The other day, I made a few simple purchases at a local shopping place which shall remain un-named.  You can probably figure it out, however, if I tell you it...

I love it (not) when I get Facebook messages saying So-and-So is at the gym.  My first thought is who cares?  My second thought is why is So-and-So posting selfies...

I love Chick-fil-a.  In my opinion, out of all the fast food eateries, not only do they have the best food, but they also have the best service.  And they...

All around me I am starting to see signs of spring.  Pink buds are showing up on my azaleas. The vines on my fence are producing a crop of pretty...

Last weekend I attended a writers’ boot camp to help me learn how to market my writing.  We were told that in today’s climate, writers needed to spend 60% of...

Last Thursday, as I’m sure you already know, was Valentine’s Day.  I have mixed feelings about this “holiday,” which most men believe was dreamed up by women to make them...

I have learned in over twenty-five years of marriage not to lock the door behind my husband when he leaves for work—or anywhere else for that matter.  The reason is...

As I’m sure most of you know, it’s Super Bowl Sunday.  And for those of you who know me well, you know that I’m not a particular fan of football. ...

The other day I went to pick up a prescription for my son. “I need to see your driver’s license,” the clerk informed me. Usually, I use my military ID...

As I get older, there are a number of things I have begun to worry about which seemed way too far off in the future to concern myself with in...

It has occurred to me more than once as I’ve gotten older that I’ve become my mother.  Not that it’s a bad thing—my mother was a remarkable woman.  But she...

Is there anything more depressing than “de-decorating” after Christmas is over?  Well, yes, I suppose there is, but it’s always such a letdown to finally admit the holidays are over. ...

Back in the day—and I’m talking way back, like forty-plus years ago—there was nothing worse than not having New Year’s Eve plans.  Anyone under the age of thirty without a...

I don’t check my Facebook every hour.  I don’t even check it every day.  Sometimes I go for a week or more without checking Facebook.  That’s how I happened to...

Why is it when people go on a diet, they feel compelled to share—in detail—with everyone within hearing range, everything that is allowed to pass through their lips?  There are...

My husband does not like Hallmark movies. Of course I don’t know many men who do, as they are the epitome of “chick flicks.” He says they’re all predictable. Well,...

“Why do you have mousetraps in your Christmas village?” My friend had stopped by for a few minutes and was checking out my Christmas decorations.  On my sideboard I had...

I am all for equal opportunity for women.  After all, I am one.  And I personally experienced gender discrimination when applying to and attending veterinary school back in the dark...

I have a new amendment to propose on the next ballot. Unfortunately I didn’t think of it soon enough to get it on this year’s ballot. However, perhaps in the...

I know I’m admitting my age, but I remember being told that back in the sixties there was a popular police drama called Dragnet.  One of the characters, Sgt. Joe...

The other day, before work, I had to make a quick dash into the grocery store for one item. We were celebrating someone’s birthday at work, and I was expected...

I loved Halloween as a child. This was back in the dark ages when children dressed up in costumes usually created by their mothers, such as an old bed sheet...

“Have you or a loved one been injured or killed by a big truck? Call attorney I. Ken Nailem at 555-5555 now to bleed the miserable s.o.b.s dry!” Are you...

At my veterinary clinic, we often keep a radio on for background music. Usually it’s tuned in to a rock station, which is okay, even if I would prefer elevator...

  Every morning I awake to snap, crackle, and pop.  No, I’m not talking about my breakfast cereal.  I’m talking about my body when it tries to get out of...

The other day as I started driving to work I found I was not alone in the car. I had an uninvited and unwanted passenger along for the ride.  A...

As I was searching the internet for something completely unrelated, a headline caught my eye.  You know how that is.  You start looking for one thing and before you know...

I have a confession to make.  I have grocery cart rage.  There.  I’ve admitted it. It starts when I first step into the store and try to obtain a cart...

You don’t want to be the patient whose X-rays trigger the response of “Wow!  Look at that!” from your medical team.  Trust me.  This is not a good thing.  Thus,...

I’m getting to that age where my social life revolves around my doctors’ visits.  I have another appointment next week at a clinic where I have been seen twice before...

Last night I made a Christmas cake.  In August.  I know what you're thinking - either I'm way ahead or way behind.  Well, as usual, I'm way behind.  Way, way...

Did you know that August is National Romance Awareness Month?  There was a big article in last Sunday's paper about tapping into your romantic side with help from an expert. ...

Is there anyone else out there besides me who is unable to work those automatic towel dispensers in public restrooms?  You know, the one where you wave your hand in...

My family and I just returned from a week's vacation in Tuscon, which I'm sure you don't really want to read about, unless you care to view all 1283 pictures...

"Don't you want the joy of being able to hear your wife?" asks the narrator of a commercial for Miracle Ear hearing aids. With nothing good on television to watch...

"I need a 'thingey,'" I said to the technician holding the cat from whom I needed to draw blood. I rummaged through the drawer in the exam room. "There's no...

If there is one thing I can't stand it's a tailgater.  (Okay, I'll admit there is more than one thing I can't stand, but tailgaters rank right up there at...

These past few days Doug and I have been empty nesters as our son, Darion, is off at Ridgecrest on a church youth retreat.  He left Thursday morning.  Later that...

Check out my interview with Jennifer Hallmark. A huge thanks to Jennifer and the help she has given me!

You know the old saying, "You never appreciate what you have until it's gone?"  Well, I got a little taste this week, when my washing machine broke.  Now I will...

We just finished up with another week of Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Rosemont Baptist Church.  VBS is one of our biggest outreach ministries and in bringing in both  children...

Check out my article in One Christian Voice magazine! http://onechristianvoice.com/keep-your-pets-safe-during-the-dog-days-of-summer/

Sometimes I think to myself what a unique career I have.  In what other job can a person ask you what happened at work today and you can say, "I...

It's been a long time since I've been to the gym and lately I've had a little voice in my head telling me I really need to start exercising again...

Do you ever wonder, like I do, what furniture and mattress sales have to do with Memorial Day? Sometimes my heart hurts for the complete disregard this generation seems to...

I am told by those in the know that in order to sell books and have a better chance of getting picked up by a literary agent and a big...

Available from Amazon and Barns and Noble.  ISBN: 9781632134462 Available in Kindle and paperback. Christian Fiction. Other People’s Children is the heartwarming account based on the author’s experience as a...

ELLEN FANNON and her pastor husband, Doug, have had ten years of experience as foster parents, caring for more than forty children in their home through the years and adopting their first foster child,...

Thanks for joining me! Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton