MY STORY
Hey, thanks for stopping by! I was born reading and started writing soon thereafter. Words fascinate me, and I read and write every day. I live in the eastern end (the best end) of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where the living is easy and the inspiration is plentiful.
I read my way through school, hastening to finish schoolwork so I could pull out a paperback. I carried a book everywhere I went, and this practice continues today. If you happen to see me in line at a store or stopped at a road construction site, chances are I’m reading, hoping the delay lasts until the end of the chapter.
When I was 17, I ran away from home and moved to a town 60 miles from my parents. I worked at a credit union for eight and a half years, progressing from teller to accounting clerk to accounting manager to internal auditor. By then, I lived an hour from work, (having moved back to my original hometown) and found a job with a commute of 1/4 mile at an electric utility company. The first day I worked there one of my new coworkers said: “You’ll like working here. The days are long, but the years are short.” I started my career there in 1997 and finished in 2021 as a field engineer. Somehow during those years in the workforce, I managed to have two daughters and earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Davenport University.
Time passes so quickly, due to the short years mentioned above, I’m now enjoying an empty nest and I love to visit my daughters whenever I get the chance. Both daughters, Dani and Steph, live in Haines, Alaska, near my grandchildren. I visit Alaska as often as possible, and I highly recommend it as a vacation destination for anyone who hasn’t yet been there.
When I’m not reading or writing, I’m probably visiting my daughters or my sister, or sewing, quilting, knitting, traveling, marathon shopping, luxury camping, or making soap. I haven’t been bored since 1974, when I first learned how to read.
Bookstores and libraries are my favorite attractions and are always part of my travel itineraries.
If you’re obsessed with reading, interested in writing, and like to travel and create things, we’ll get along like paper and glue.
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In 2019, I discovered the magical benefits of handmade soap and quickly became addicted to making it. I started the DeTour Soap Co., and my soaps are featured at the Timberdoodle Gift Shop in DeTour Village, Pickle Point in Hessel, and The Alberta House in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. The DeTour Soap Co. does presentations and shows on the road throughout the year.
You can find out more about DeTour Soap here: https://detoursoap.square.site
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