melissa rixon

Soup to Nutmeg

The writing assignment was to take something true and develop a fictional piece from it. In this case, the only true thing is the soup being spilled at Grantley Hall. haha. The night was young in Grantley Hall. The candles still tall, the first bottles of wine only half empty, so the gentlemen in theContinue reading “Soup to Nutmeg”

The Closet

The obvious thing is to have a good hiding place, of course, but the less obvious thing is to keep it a secret for all time, and that is how I became the best at playing hide and seek. We would count to 20. It used to be to 10 but my little sister hadContinue reading “The Closet”

When There’s a David in the World

Awe. That’s the feeling. And it is awe in a way that makes you realize you’ve actually seldom felt it. We say we do. “Oh! I was in awe!” Or “Oh man! That was awesome!” But, awe, in reality, is a rare and spectacular thing, and as it pertains to art, I would say I’dContinue reading “When There’s a David in the World”

Poison

I haven’t blogged in a couple of weeks. I know that’s obvious, and so I’m not stating it to be informative. I think it’s more of a confession for my own sake. Like one part of me is looking at the other with a disapproving expression, wagging her finger, saying “You have not blogged, youngContinue reading “Poison”

Live Big

I think we should strive to be interesting. Big and silly and deep and wide open. So that when people ask us about our lives we can say “which chapter?” And when they say “How about chapter 24?” We fall back into memory and tell our chapter 24. And on and on this goes throughContinue reading “Live Big”

Tea for One

It is raining. Of course it’s raining. It’s England. But it is not our typical sort of misty rain–or “drizzlers” as they’re better known, here. Instead it’s a rain that really comes down, in many whole droplets and you imagine a soggy man walking into a pub somewhere and commenting on it. “It’s slappy andContinue reading “Tea for One”

I Have a “Man Cold”

You know that scene from Home Alone, where Kevin is stuffing his face with a giant ice cream sundae and watching inappropriate television? That is sort of how I’m doing the “sick day.” Only it’s more like eating nothing and online shopping. I don’t have time to be sick and yet, here I am. BeingContinue reading “I Have a “Man Cold””

The “This is My Dream” Face

It’s been a lovely weekend in Harrogate, England! The UCI World Cycling Championship is being held here, and has brought throngs of people and loads of excitement to our normally quiet and serene little spa town. All the shop windows are decorated and there is a great white ferris wheel spinning families up and backContinue reading “The “This is My Dream” Face”

The Best Days

My husband and I have a deeply sincere love of travel, and we’ve been blessed to be able to pursue that love again and again over the years. And, naturally, along the way we’ve collected memories of the world renowned variety. Seeing the Mona Lisa in Paris, drinking mass after mass of beer at OktoberfestContinue reading “The Best Days”