All Posts

I am sharing some of the edited-out stories. This does not mean the people in these stories mean any less; it just means I could write an Encyclopedia Britannica about them, so I had to keep it short. There is a song by K.T. Oslin called "Eighties Ladies," and when it comes up on my playlist, I always listen to it all the way through. It's a song that makes me lonesome, sad, happy, nostalgic, homesick, and so very grateful for the opportunity I had to meet Lori and Bridget.

So many stories, so little room! I had to cut some of the stories because there just wasn't room, and I already had so many characters. But they are essential stories too! I am going to post some of the stories that had to be edited out for continuity. Remember, book on Amazon next week! YIKES   Dad’s older brother, Lester, was a short, stubborn guy known for being bull-headed. He was shorter than Dad and had a slim build, with a shock of white hair that stood straight u

But first, a few words. The book White Trash Rising: Lessons My Mother Taught Me will be available on Amazon on December 2nd, 2025!! It will be available on Kindle December 15th. I'm excited to have it in print. I did redo and make a second round, hence the changed dates. I added pictures that my cousins so kindly sent! A warning, though, first! Names were changed, and so if you see your name and don't like the character, don't assume it is you! Unless it really is you

Mom was born in 1932. She was the generation of "just get over it". On both sides of my family, the sons went to war. They were expected to come back home and "get over it." Some did, some didn't, and some never came back. This is the story of my mother's three brothers. For many years, Mom’s brother, Uncle M., was a cautionary tale of holding onto things and “not getting over it”.  Mom said, “The war changed him, his wife left him, and now he’s a drunk out in Californi

When we have our rare Baumgart reunions, one thought always crosses my mind. All the people here exist because of a nice team of greys. This one is for the cousins on the Baumgart side. This is the story of how we came to be, as it was told to my mother by Grandma Bertha Baumgart, wife of Charlie, mother of Frances, Grace, Hazel, Lester, Violet, June, Albert Carl (Buster), Herman, Teddy, and Reuben. (I hope I didn't miss one!) With love, Pooch. Perhaps Grandma was worried

I finally did it. Pretty much have finished my bucket list. Except for Sam Elliott, and to be honest, I'm not holding out much hope there. I have always been a writer, but it took being a Mom to kick my butt in gear and get this done. I have been told to get an agent, send out query letters, market etc. I didn't write this for money or fame. I wrote this so that Lilly would have the story of who I am/who I was before she knew me. Because I am printing it on Amazon, nam

My cousin Ronnie passed away this week. He was seven years younger than my mother, so he was a peer of my parents, more of an uncle to me. Because the Baumgarts were so far apart in age, most of my cousins have children my age, which was very confusing in my childhood. I eventually took a shortcut and called everyone 'cousin,' not bothering with 'first cousin,' 'second cousin,' and so on. My first memory of Ronnie is of him visiting with Dad at the kitchen table in the far

Every family has a relative that they don't claim. Mom had a large group. When I researched Ancestry, I found out a little bit more about this side that I had never known. First of all, they were Scottish, not Irish as Mom claimed. Secondly, that side of the family can be traced back to King James of Scotland. Several members fought in the American Revolution. One had been the inspiration for the book, A Light in the Forest, which became a Disney Movie. Overall, their

I decided to make my appearance at the worst possible time in my family's life. They were renting a farm, and there was no medical assistance, while my parents' income was a pittance. Vietnam was starting to ramp up, and there was a gasp a Democrat in the white house! Farming was becoming mechanized, and their world was changing. As Mom would say, they didn't have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of. If it is true that the soul chooses its parents and time t

Humor has always been my coping mechanism. Looking around at my family, its a shared quality. One of the saddest times of my life was...

Lilly grew daily; she could finally fit in the frilly pink doll’s dress and bonnet gifted by my stepmother-in-law. She could wear preemie...

This writing snibblet is not from my distant past. Unless you consider twenty-five years ago my childhood. If you do, God Bless You and...

My sister is the direct opposite of me. When I was a child, I hero-worshipped Donna and wanted to be just like her. She went to college...

Each year the hospital that I work at has a Skills Fair. Its mandatory training for each department to update skills and have...

Every family has its own culture and traditions. Our family followed the German Christmas holiday traditions. Opening presents on...

For many of my readers, it may be news that my father was indeed once incarcerated. Yes, it's true. My father, long before I was born,...

How we talked and referred to people at home differed in front of the “company” or the public. Donna was my supervisor for developing my...

On more than one occasion, Dad almost caused himself serious harm, especially as he got older and moved more slowly. His accidents...

I am sure a lot of my cousins can relate to this story from the book. I am editing and editing and editing. Somehow, I thought writing...

The person who wants to represent my first book wants me to turn it into a novel. I am really struggling with relinquishing my voice,...