Hello! I’m so happy you’ve stopped by. I love company and sharing life’s journey.

I was born and raised in Maine and have enjoyed raising my family and more than one dog here. Nicely surrounded by trees and lakes in the Western Mountains, the area has offered me many opportunities. I went away to college, but chose to come back here to marry and then raise my family.  If you had told me 30 years ago I’d be here in Maine for most of my life, I wouldn’t have believed it. Life has been good and so have been the adventures.

As I write this, Michael Buble is playing in the background. Earlier it was “Moon Hooch”, an upstart jazz group from Brooklyn. Indeed, I am as varied in my life interests, as I am in my choice of music.

I was raised pretty much as an only child. My siblings were much older and went off on their own adventures, while I was still playing hopscotch and jump rope. When I was little my father passed away. After that, it was my mom and I against the world. This partnership taught me tenacity; brilliance under pressure; to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done; and most importantly, resiliency. It led me to follow a life that is always searching for ways to help someone less fortunate.

Along my life path, I have experienced food insecurity; bullying on the playground and in the workplace; sexual assault; and have helped more than one loved one on their journey through end of life transition. I know what it takes to keep going when you don’t want to or think you can’t. Some of that experience could have been a whole lot easier or not happened had I known how to stand in my own power. So now it’s my life mission to help people help themselves. Sometimes, I rescue. Sometimes, I teach. Always, I am continuing to learn. I want us all to learn how to stand in our own power, so we make fewer mistakes on our life path, and when we make them, we’re conscious of how we got there and where we are going next.

You know, if you came to visit me at home, I’d no doubt offer you a cup of tea and a bite to eat. And if I were to meet you on the street, I’d share a big smile and a hug. I would ask you how you’re doing and mean it.

I invite you to reach out through comments on blog posts and email. I welcome opportunities to speak and consult on campus assault advocacy; human trafficking education; caring for the caregiver; and food.