About Me

MEET ANNETTE:

Avid reader.

Gardener.

Foodie.

Art lover.

Devoted grandma.

That's me on the left.

I am one of three daughters born to German immigrants, and was honored to be the first American born in our family. My parents ping-ponged back and forth across the ocean before permanently settling in fabulous Las Vegas when I was in the first grade. Growing up in Vegas was probably no different than any other place (except that we know how to pronounce Nevada correctly—Nev-atta [like attaboy], not British-style Nev-aw-da.) Our schools taught the same subjects as anywhere else: English, Math, Science.  We did NOT have showgirl or cocktail waitress training, and no magic or dealer courses were on the school curriculum. It was hotter than a firecracker there, but it was that dry heat so it wasn’t really noticeable…kind of like being in a dryer. As a kid I always dreamed of snow, that mystical kind of wonder that actually came down once.  

Las Vegas will always hold a special place in my heart, but

I'm on the far left.

I’m now happy to be where it’s green, the green that’s found in trees and plants, not on the blackjack table.  My home is in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This is a beautiful area and I love living here for over twenty years.  

In Idaho, we have no shortage of snow. If truth be told, winter is not my favorite time of the year. The heavenly summers in Coeur d'Alene make up for it, though.  We live close to downtown, which means we walk or ride our bikes to coffee shops, restaurants, parks, and Lake Coeur d’Alene (where I once dared to take the Polar Plunge). 

Despite my big honeymoon blunder, I’ve been married over 30 years now and have two wonderful, grown kids and two adorable granddaughters! 

READING

I have several passions, reading being right up there on the list. My love of reading stems from my mother and father. 

For over a decade, I’ve enjoyed being part of a book club where I read books I might never have chosen on my own. It expands my reading horizon, and of course, I love just getting together with the girls. Our latest gathering spot is The Well-Read Moose, a wonderful bookstore that has a great selection of books! Be sure and visit it if you ever find your way to Coeur d’Alene. (I actually work there now, so say hello if you see me!)

Over the years, my reading habits have evolved.  While I used to diligently complete one book before purchasing another one, I have seen the error of my ways and now have stacks and stacks of books in every nook and cranny.  I love the feel of a real book, and have not yet been converted to an e-reader, although there may be a time in the future when I’ll need one to crank up the font size.  When I’m not watching Amazing Race (when it's on), I’m usually diving into another book adventure. 

TRAVELING

At Carhenge in NE with Darth Vader

I love to travel.  In the times of B.C. (before children), my husband and I worked for the airlines and were able to travel to many places including Hawaii, New Zealand, Bahamas, Tahiti, and more.  But if I had to choose, I’d say my favorite vacation so far was our RV trip—(1 RV,  5 people, 8 states (WY, SD, NE, CO, UT, MT, AZ, NM),14 days, 3,600 Miles,1 trip of a lifetime.) We hope to travel more in the future:  in the meantime, I’ll just escape with books like A Year in Provence, The Reluctant Tuscan, and my latest find, Quirky Sleeps.

GARDENING

My beautiful grandmother

Gardening is in my blood.  The hunger to get out there and get my hands in the dirt was passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, to me. I consider myself a seasoned, not expert, gardener.  For ten years I gardened like a champion under harsh conditions on six hilly, rocky acres.  We built our house on a mountainside, which was blasted to give us a level site.  What was left was a Mount Everest of loose rocks in the back and a level, but soil-free area surrounding our house—and as you can imagine, it’s quite difficult to garden without dirt.  We had to haul in yards and yards of it. Top that with the problem of a well that sputtered out little streams of orangish, iron-filled water and then add some hungry deer in the mix, and my garden quickly became a battleground. Luckily, I now live in town and no longer have to worry about those things.  The only teensy drawback is that I have limited space; I’ve expanded as much as I can including the alley. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I love my garden; it energizes me, renews my spirit. I get as proud and excited about what I’ve created, kind of like Tom Hanks when he made fire in Cast Away. 

ART

At the Art Institute of Chicago 

I also have a great interest in art and was lucky enough to visit the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014.  What an awesome place!!  We spent eight hours there (just two hours less than my record-breaking Ikea shopping trip with my sisters.) Chicago is an all-around wonderful city.  There’s so much to see and do there.  I love you, Chicago!

FAMILY 

Out of all these things, my family has been my greatest joy.  Sure, there were the terrible twos and threes, and during the

teenage years I just wanted to run away. But now I feel we’ve hit the “friendship years” and I couldn’t be happier.  I love being a grandma.  It’s a precious gift to be able to experience it all over again—the laughter, the hugs and kisses.  Only this time, I can hand them right back to her mama during the teenage years!  Having kids and grandchildren makes me appreciate my mother more, too.

Well, now you know more about me than you probably ever needed to know…except the fact that I love reading…which is why you’re at this site.  So, grab a book and enjoy!

Happy reading!

Annette