Tag Archives: Family

I Hear her Voice

Posted on September 11, 2025 by minndixiemom

I can still hear it—a voice as lovely and lively as she was. “Hi, Karen,” she’d say, when I answered one of her daily phone calls. She was always happy to hear my voice. Today, I would do anything to … Continue reading →

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My Interview with Garrison Keillor: Lessons Learned

Posted on February 10, 2025 by minndixiemom

When I met Garrison Keillor in 1995, I was young, immature, and easily offended. I couldn’t believe he made me wait over an hour for an interview. Keillor, a legendary storyteller, was busy tending to his fans, you know, the … Continue reading →

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A Letter to my Mom

Posted on August 28, 2023 by minndixiemom

Dear Mom, We lost you three years ago, today. It’s an anniversary I recognize, but don’t celebrate. When you took your last breath, I lost a few of mine. You hadn’t been feeling well. I knew that day was coming. … Continue reading →

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“I Win!” Words of Wisdom from my Grissom Grad

Posted on June 19, 2023 by minndixiemom

She smiled big as she sashayed across the stage, stopping for that long-awaited photo opp, one hand shaking the principal’s, the other gripping her high school diploma. It had been a long journey, but she was finally here, at the … Continue reading →

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Den Siste Hilsen (The Final Farewell)

Posted on July 13, 2022 by minndixiemom

It’s strange, preparing to say goodbye to someone who died nearly two years earlier. You’ve already cried. You’ve grieved. You’ve come to terms with your loss. Yet there we were, on June 28, 2022, scrunched into row 39 on a … Continue reading →

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Reflections in Recovery: 20 Years Sober

Posted on May 5, 2022 by minndixiemom

Today, June 21, 2022, I celebrate 20 years of sobriety. I’m grateful. And deeply reflective. In recovery, we’re not supposed to “regret the past, nor shut the door on it.” It seems I had done a bit of both. I … Continue reading →

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My 3-pound universe: Irony, denial and addiction

Posted on September 20, 2021 by minndixiemom

In my early 20s, I went out with a nice guy. Over dinner, he shared that he was on Zoloft for depression. I recoiled. For starters, that’s not first-date material. Secondly, I was rife with judgment. I didn’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in Addiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Mom’s 86th Birthday: Celebrations in Quarantine

Posted on April 9, 2020 by minndixiemom

The COVID-19 pandemic is hurting us all. To date, more than 14,000 thousand people have lost their lives in the United States alone, leaving families immersed in grief and despair. Thankfully, many others have won their battles, or escaped affliction … Continue reading →

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Generous even in death, Jim Pickett gave the gift of life to five strangers

Posted on July 16, 2018 by minndixiemom

In loving memory of James Michael Pickett, November 7, 1964 – July 1, 2018 Jim Pickett was passionate, kind, entrepreneurial, loyal, and spirited. He enjoyed good friends, great food, and lively conversation. But more than anything, he loved my sister, … Continue reading →

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Thank you, Officer, for my speeding ticket

Posted on July 4, 2017 by minndixiemom

Reminders to slow down this Fourth of July and all year long It had been a fabulous weekend! Our daughters were in Atlanta helping a friend celebrate her 13th birthday. My sister, Heidi Hovland, made an impromptu trip to Huntsville, … Continue reading →

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