Wow, it’s been almost a month since I last posted. But the weather has been incredible at our new Oregon home, so I’m spending more time outside these days. But the weather isn’t the only thing that has captured my attention.

Before I give you an update, I’ll share with you the release date for The Ghost and the Medium’s audiobook release date. According to the Tantor Media website, it will be on the market September 27, 2022. Once again it will be narrated by the talented Romy Nordlinger.

Earlier this month I did something crazy, I jumped into TikTok.  I have to admit, I have been having a lot of fun with it. If you want to check out my videos go here.

This month was our Talbot Family reunion. (My Mother-in-law’s maiden name was Talbot.) We started this tradition back in 1983, and since then there has been a Talbot reunion every three years. Typically, around 50 people attend. My husband, our daughter and I have attended every reunion. Our son has missed three (I think) but fortunately he and his wife were able to attend this year. As always, it was a blast.

This year the reunion was held in Montana. And while there, I looked around and thought, “This is what an American Family looks like.”

The Talbots came to America before we were a country, back in the 1600s. If we are talking DNA, my mother-in-law (according to Ancestry DNA) was about 42% Sweden & Denmark, 25% Scotland, 14% England & Northwestern Europe, 12% Norway, and the rest Ireland, Wales, Finland.

So, am I suggesting a typical American family is white, considering my mother-in-law’s DNA?  

Nope. Because a few generations later our family is a colorful multi-race collection of people I adore. Some family members married into the family (like myself), others were adopted, and others are the children of mix race marriages.

Those early Talbots were Quakers, but now the great-great-grandchildren of my mother-in-law’s parents might have parents who are Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, Pagan, or something else. And we aren’t all straight. But that’s okay too.

An American family is not defined by the color of their skin, their faith, their sexual orientation, or even their DNA. 

In my opinion a family is a group of people who take time for each other, who cares for each other, and who will travel across the country to spend time together and ensures the younger generation can form invaluable bonds with cousins they rarely see in person. I’m eternally grateful for our Talbot family and the love and support it has given me all these years.

(Photo: the family photo of our son, our daughter-in-law, my husband, myself, our grandchildren, and daughter and son-in-law, at the Talbot Family Reunion. Montana July 2022.)