The Happy Meemaw

Happy Friday - today is a wonderful episode of The Happy Meemaw Reads podcast with poet, artist, and educator Chad Boxley. We talk about his collection of poems, "Turnbuckle," inspired by his love of pro wrestling, as well as his life as a creator and the incredibly important work he does every day teaching art to incarcerated youth. Chad and I are both wrestling buffs and had a great ch...

My grandma used to say that "getting old ain't for sissies," and she wasn't wrong. Women experience so many changes as they age, and writer Laurie S. Jacobson was kind enough to join me to answer some questions posed by my friends as they navigate the phases of menopause. It's nice to know others are experiencing the same things you are, so give us a listen, and if you have q...

Meet Author Jessica Jude, who is busy writing fantastic posh romances at 4:30 in the morning while all of you are still in REM. Jessica talks about her books set in the fictitious Wesbourne, and we get into her new release, King of Obsession, a rock star romance/fake dating trope with the imperfect but endearing Rhett and Saylor. Learn more about Jessica and purchase her books here: https://www.je...

It's Meemaw Music Monday! Today I'm joined by my friend Sarah Sparrows as we accomplish the impossible task of listing our top 5 female rock vocalists. Sarah and I learn from each other every time we talk, and this visit is no exception! Chime in and let us know how close we got to your top 5 Female Rock Vocalists. Be sure to follow The Happy Meemaw podcast on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon. V...

I had an insightful chat with author Laurie S. Jacobson about her book, "Unexpected Awakening: 22 Days at a Buddhist Monastery Freed Me From Abuse." Laurie discusses how her life changed when she took a brave step and escaped to a silent retreat, and how she was able to find the strength and courage to leave an unhealthy relationship and find her way to joy in her life. Learn more about...

What a blast to chat with Mia Phifer of Mia Phifer Consulting about running successful Democratic political campaigns and coaching potential candidates. I've long admired Mia, who grew up in the same small Southern Illinois town that I did, and I was excited to talk about what it takes to coach potential political candidates (at every level) and the evolution of running campaigns. Visit Mia&#3...

The Happy Meemaw Reads is back with a conversation with Author Dee Armstrong. I loved meeting Dee and learning about how she became a writer, the inspiration for her Twin Springs series, and a preview of the release of her new book, Haunted by a Broken Oath, available on Nov. 11. Enjoy our conversation and Dee's books - thanks for listening! Learn more about Dee's work at www.deearmstrong....

My friend Tricia Wolfrey of the Rappahannock Chapter of American Red Cross joins me this week to discuss fire safety. October is always Fire Safety Month as we prepare for the change of seasons and the holidays. Take a listen and be sure to double check all of the tips that will keep you and your family safe! Thanks for listening! Learn more about American Red Cross Fire Safety at Home Fire Preven...

Welcome to the first Meemaw Music Monday! The inaugural episode features my friends Mary and Julie as we discuss our top 5 Billy Joel songs. You may remember from a past The Happy Meemaw episode that we became friends as pen pals when we were kids, and our love of the Piano Man drew us together. We were challenged to only feature 5 songs each, but the discussion was fun. Thanks for listening!

This week I have the pleasure of chatting with Miriam Niemi, executive director of the Love Thy Neighbor food pantry in King George County, VA, about the organization and its service to our local community. Miriam talks about the evolution of the non-profit organization, the need for donations and volunteers, and the ways the pantry serves our neighbors. Thanks for listening! Learn more about Love...

Happy Friday! This week's The Happy Meemaw Reads features a chat with author David Gorman, who's penned several books in the series Waldameer Mystery Files. The books are geared towards kids ages 8 - 12 and feature siblings solving mysteries in an amusement park. I loved hearing David's story and I think you will too! Check out David's books at Author David Gorman | Children's...

I'm joined this week by Mike Byle, owner of CB Train Junction, who took his lifelong love of trains, pursued a career working on advancements in train advancement and safety, and after retirement, found himself a business owner of a great train store in Colonial Beach, VA. Mike talks about his childhood, his rewarding career, and the hobby that has become a store the entire community can share...

Happy Friday! The Happy Meemaw Reads is back with a wonderful conversation with author Bronwen Chisholm, who has made a career as an author in the world of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Bronwen has reimagined and elegantly added to this classic novel and in our conversation, she shares her eternal love for the story and its iconic characters, and takes us through her journey as an author....

It's Friday - time for The Happy Meemaw Reads! I'm so happy to welcome back author Donna Costello, and today she's bringing her writing partner Lara Cook to talk about their new series, Outlaw Royales Motorcycle Club, and how they work together to create memorable characters and stories with lots of smolder and spice. Be sure to order the first book in their series, King of Clubs, at A...

If you listen to The Happy Meemaw regularly, you know that my friend Rachael Carroll said the unthinkable in our chat about her many travel adventures - her worst trip was to Hawaii. Now we can put the pearl clutching aside because she gave the islands another chance with great results. Please enjoy our chat and as always, thanks for listening!

My friend John Jenkins is a local military veteran, law enforcement officer, and purveyor of Stars Front Cider. He took his hobby of making hard cider, paraded it out and won a bunch of awards, and is now a business owner on the cusp of having his delicious creation available at bars and restaurants. I wanted to hear his story and you can listen to our chat now! Visit John's website at Stars F...

Thanks for joining me today as I chat with my friend Cindy Dixon about her travels across our country, including lots of beautiful national parks. Cindy and I became friends while living in San Diego and share a love of all things St Louis Cardinals and Mizzou sports. She's a physician's assistant in Missouri now and I'm so glad to call her my friend. Thanks for listening!

Join me as I fangirl over one of my favorite fan fiction authors, Jamie Targaet. We talk about her writing process, what inspires her, our mutual love for all things Chris Evans, and we even discuss some things that go bump in the night. You can find Jamie's work at: ⁠https://jamietargaet.com⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/jamietargaet.bsky.social⁠ ⁠https://www.facebook.com/jamie.targaet/⁠ ⁠https:...

It's a fantastic day on The Happy Meemaw - meet my bestie Karla Salisbury and let her help you navigate financial management in retirement. She's an expert in the financial industry and she's sharing lots of great info to help everyone navigate their financial future. Thanks for listening!

Join my friends Pam Kuper and Cheryl Yancey as they discuss their foundation, ASSIST (Achieving Success through Support, Individualized Service, and Training), a nonprofit that helps families of children with disabilities access vital support and resources beyond what traditional systems offer. This episode first aired in June and shares how Pam and her family, after receiving the news that her gr...

My friend Bethany Brown is a master at getting the most out of every trip she takes. She takes in all the sights and experiences and is kind enough to share her insights through social media. I loved chatting with her about her diverse destinations, and I'm so glad she was kind enough to share with us! Thanks for listening!

It's Friday, so that means it's just me fangirling over authors again! Today I welcome back the lovely Donna Costello and Wendy L. Anderson to talk about how their wonderful ideas turn into stories we know and love (spoiler alert - they're both pantsers). They'll tell us about capturing those ideas, doing the research, getting through editing and marketing their work for all of us...

This week I'm joined by my friend Janel Donohue, a local community leader who is transitioning into a new career after over 20 years serving our community and making lives better. We discuss her retirement, the vacation she took immediately after leaving her job, and the quest she's undertaking to find her next path. Thanks for listening!

This episode was originally released in June at the beginning of hurricane season. Now that Hurricane Erin is hugging the Atlantic coast and causing evacuations, and there are more storms lined up behind it, let's revisit the great info my friend Rob Fagan shared to help prep for the always-dangerous hurricane season. Suggested sites:  FEMA Ready https://www.ready.gov/   Do 1 Thing https://www...

What a delight to be joined by Joe Carmany as he shares the details of his journey visiting 13 baseball stadiums in 13 days earlier this year. Joe's love of baseball runs deep, and since we recorded, he has just visited his 25th stadium of the year. Enjoy the highlights of the games as well as the sights he saw during this fantastic adventure. 13 Stadiums in 13 Days: June 24 - Bing Crosby Stad...