by Margaret Bishop For many years, I thought I knew what made a house a home. It’s why my husband and I agonized over decisions like whether to install granite or quartz countertops in our kitchen. It’s why we would…

by Erika Hoffman “No more tacky souvenirs for me!” exclaimed the woman in front of me as we waited for the tender to motor us to our ship. There was a time in my life or several times when I…

At the end of her last visit, my daughter instructed me never to get rid of my old couch. I had qualms about that sofa when we first moved here. It is full of cabbage roses. The cushions and pillows…

I have moved fifteen times. Military? No. Traveling circus troupe? Nope. Just the move-y sort, I suppose. I can’t blame it on my parents; they only account for three of those relocations. The rest were all me and a certain…

It’s no secret; life is overwhelming, especially in this post-pandemic climate where a simple trip to the grocery store swallows almost an entire paycheck, a hearty gulp of the gas tank, and a major chunk of your precious time. Whether…

A local non-profit organization, the Seacoast Artists Guild was established to be a home for artists and a place to connect with others who appreciate art as a creative outlet. Memberships are open to all artists and art lovers within…

Ever since my first visit to Myrtle Beach from my hometown of Florence, South Carolina, I wanted to live on the Grand Strand. It was high school trips with my friends that drew me here: Beach parties, nightclubs like the…

Robin and I were new acquaintances with a lot in common. We were both about the same 60 something age and had moved from the northeast to South Carolina with our husbands. I was excited to be invited to tour…

In the 1950s, developers were building row after row of cute little houses to meet the needs of returning soldiers who were anxious to begin a new life and start a family. My folks were part of a new wave…

The librarian scribbled down information for my new library card, pausing and lowering her glasses after I gave her my address. “My husband and I built that house,” She said. Requesting the ID to borrow books had seemed like a way…

Papa Dewey, the patriarch of the family, relished the beach as much as the youngest in the family. Although he walked with a slight limp due to a work accident, we would find him on the beach playing softball with…

Bold and beautiful, soft and pastel – everywhere I turned there were terraces of color. By all accounts, I should have green blood flowing through my veins, or at least, a green stain on my thumb. Mom’s family had been…

Does Your Santa Wrap? To start, let’s discuss the biggest Christmas tradition debate: does Santa wrap or not wrap his presents? This discussion can be tricky for newly blended families or couples with newly born children. Can the couples survive…

And as a teacher, I assigned, corrected, and scored work for my students while monitoring my children’s virtual learning. It was challenging, but we got it done safely, at home. It is true that home is a refuge, a safe…

As my parents approached their sixties, my Dad wallpapered the living room one more time. Still red, but this time it was fuzzy flock paper. My folks first and only house was not their dream house – that perfect castle…

by Erika Hoffman My AC debacle started around the 11th. It was a Saturday, when Will, who took over the business from Curt when Curt died, answered our call. Every Friday, my old college roommate sends me a letter. Now…