by Pat McCaw | May 8, 2019 | Pat's Chat
I’ve been in a funk lately. In my search for motivation and inspiration, I decided to make a list of things to get me going. Instead of turning to cheesy hash browns and a cold beer on a regular basis, I’m making other plans. Take a walk – The flowering trees...
by Pat McCaw | Apr 20, 2019 | book review, parenting, Pat's Chat
There is no surprise that Meg Medina won the Newberry Medal for her most recent middle grade novel, Merci Suarez Changes Gears. The novel explores school bullying, enlightens the reader to rich Latino culture, touches on socioeconomic stressors the trickle down to...
by Pat McCaw | Mar 28, 2019 | parenting, Pat's Chat
My kids eat a good breakfast every morning before school, but I often show up to work and realize I have forgotten to eat. I make sure the kids get to appointments, math bee practice and piano lessons, but I have not been to the dentist for over a year. Nobody in my...
by Pat McCaw | Mar 17, 2019 | Pat's Chat, Travel
Vacation has a way of clearing out the muck swirling in your brain to filter your thoughts. Doesn’t matter where I go . . . getting away is all that matters. Recently my family traveled to Daytona Beach Florida and spent the days on the beach without a plan or...
by Pat McCaw | Mar 7, 2019 | Pat's Chat, short story
This is a short story I entered into a contest – I didn’t win – but wanted to share it! It is fiction and not based on true events. Words to Live By I found a clump of Mom’s hair in the shower. Trying to ignore its meaning, I scooped it up...
by Pat McCaw | Feb 8, 2019 | Pat's Chat, picture books
I grew up in rural Iowa and rarely saw a person of color, I had no experience with sexual identity issues, and my religious knowledge consisted of what I learned at Sunday school. With continued education, life experience, and traveling outside of my...
