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Window Over the Sink
It’s been nearly ten years since we retired. I’m still in the office Duane and the boys created for me. The seven quilts I promised to make have been completed. A few books. He has new knees and new guitars. We’ve had grief and loss in these years, occasional discontent, times of being alone even when we were together. We’ve also had a blessed amount of fun. Of music and laughter and family. Of the other side of being alone that comes of knowing we never really are. Much has changed in those nine years and change, and much has stayed the same. At first, it seemed as if this book was a vanity thing. Or a thing for the grandkids to look at and think Okay, Nana, what do you want me to do with this? But in the end, like most other things in life that are worthwhile, it is a labor of love. A gathering of thoughts and dreams and memories. Thanks for joining me on the journey.
- GenresContemporary Romance
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 14, 2015
About the author
Liz Flaherty
59 books337 followersRetired from the post office, Liz Flaherty spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to. She and her husband Duane live in the old farmhouse in North Central Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…40-plus years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening. It would require removing old baseball trophies from the attic and dusting the pictures of the Magnificent Seven, their grandchildren.
Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself.
Liz thinks one of the things that keeps you young when you quite obviously aren’t anymore is the constant chances you have to reinvent yourself.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
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July 11, 2015
Summer in Stringtown Proper is a short story by Liz Flaherty. I read it as part of the Small Town Summer Anthology.
Molly Linden had been married to the same man for twenty five long years. Never did she question if she was really happy, either with her marriage or her executive position in the bank. That was until her husband left her for a younger woman, taking a huge part of her savings with him. So Molly went back to the town that held the warmest childhood memories for her where her Aunt lived, Stringtown Proper, Kentucky.
Joe Rahilly has been a widower for two years. He loved his wife and misses her every day. But, he is lonely. When he first met Molly, he thought surely she wouldn’t last long in Stringtown Proper. That she would head back to New York and her fancy apartment and fancy life. But she didn’t leave. She took up quilting. She learned to make sweet tea. She stayed.
Over the course of a few weeks, Joe and Molly became friends. Although I don’t mind insta-love at all, I’m glad this wasn’t. Neither Molly or Joe were ready for that. But there was something there and they both knew it. So they let it build slowly. From talking on the porch, to dancing in the living room, and going to church together, they got to know each other.
What is Molly going to do with herself now? Her career as a banker is over. When she first sees the bar Joe’s family owns, she knew right away, she wanted to buy the bar. She wanted to stay in Stringtown. This was home.
“Tomorrow is always a new day. That’s exactly what it was. And Molly Linden was going to make sure it was a good one.”
This was a cute little story of finding true happiness later in life. For Molly, it was her first true happiness. For Joe, he was happy before, but this time, with Molly, it was different. I really enjoyed getting to know Molly and Joe.
Molly Linden had been married to the same man for twenty five long years. Never did she question if she was really happy, either with her marriage or her executive position in the bank. That was until her husband left her for a younger woman, taking a huge part of her savings with him. So Molly went back to the town that held the warmest childhood memories for her where her Aunt lived, Stringtown Proper, Kentucky.
Joe Rahilly has been a widower for two years. He loved his wife and misses her every day. But, he is lonely. When he first met Molly, he thought surely she wouldn’t last long in Stringtown Proper. That she would head back to New York and her fancy apartment and fancy life. But she didn’t leave. She took up quilting. She learned to make sweet tea. She stayed.
Over the course of a few weeks, Joe and Molly became friends. Although I don’t mind insta-love at all, I’m glad this wasn’t. Neither Molly or Joe were ready for that. But there was something there and they both knew it. So they let it build slowly. From talking on the porch, to dancing in the living room, and going to church together, they got to know each other.
What is Molly going to do with herself now? Her career as a banker is over. When she first sees the bar Joe’s family owns, she knew right away, she wanted to buy the bar. She wanted to stay in Stringtown. This was home.
“Tomorrow is always a new day. That’s exactly what it was. And Molly Linden was going to make sure it was a good one.”
This was a cute little story of finding true happiness later in life. For Molly, it was her first true happiness. For Joe, he was happy before, but this time, with Molly, it was different. I really enjoyed getting to know Molly and Joe.
July 13, 2015
I received an advance copy of Summer in Stringtown Proper (a novella in the Small Town Summer box set) for the purpose of leaving an honest review. Not hard to give this boxset a hearty 5-stars, it was... phenomenal.
Packed with strong stories, each novella brought me right into the characters' hearts (and sometimes bodies, WOW!). I loved the different voices of each author, and I can honestly say that each of these novellas delivers richness and satisfaction in spades.
The emotion and action were straight off the bat, and gave me what I love - a fast-paced read. I delighted in the strong characters and super-real love scenes. What struck me was the snap-bang openings to each story, but what really stood out was that each story went deeper, stronger, and more real. These are novellas but you'll see that the story lengths are generous and loyal to the needs of the story being told. To boot, this box set is totally worth ten times the small cover price.
Small Town Summer truly is a gem and it's already on my keeper shelf. A fabulous intro to some authors whose backcatalog I now need to add to my reading list.
Thank you Liz Flaherty for the opportunity to read another of your amazing stories, and congratulations to all the hardworking writers of Small Town Summer.
Packed with strong stories, each novella brought me right into the characters' hearts (and sometimes bodies, WOW!). I loved the different voices of each author, and I can honestly say that each of these novellas delivers richness and satisfaction in spades.
The emotion and action were straight off the bat, and gave me what I love - a fast-paced read. I delighted in the strong characters and super-real love scenes. What struck me was the snap-bang openings to each story, but what really stood out was that each story went deeper, stronger, and more real. These are novellas but you'll see that the story lengths are generous and loyal to the needs of the story being told. To boot, this box set is totally worth ten times the small cover price.
Small Town Summer truly is a gem and it's already on my keeper shelf. A fabulous intro to some authors whose backcatalog I now need to add to my reading list.
Thank you Liz Flaherty for the opportunity to read another of your amazing stories, and congratulations to all the hardworking writers of Small Town Summer.
February 4, 2021
Thank you in advance to the author, Liz Flaherty, for providing a complimentary review copy. A positive review was not required nor requested and all words are my own.
Rarely do I read non-fiction books. Not that I don’t like them – they’re really not something I’m into. I think that stems from SO much being available online through multiple sources – some credible and some not so credible.
There are a few biographies I’ve read, but they have to be truly interesting and people I really admire, like, or have something in common with.
Self-help books, while non-fiction, are definitely a different genre altogether – at least to me. Same as bible study books.
Books like this often fall under the “not really interesting” for me. Still, there was something about this that grabbed me. I usually read to get away from the hectic and crazy realities for a while, even if it is a brief moment. Reading is more relaxation and vacation than “work” or pontificating.
Despite the author being known mainly for her Harlequin romance books, this is more or less a collection of her columns from the Peru Daily Tribune. It isn’t an advice column, so much as an essay or “thoughts” column that dates back over 30+ years (since 1988) that are based on her thoughts on a subject and/or life experiences. And, it DOES make you think. That’s the thing – this makes you think.
Word of warning – there are SOME controversial subjects mentioned. There is talk of grief and loss that could be triggering. I like to give potential readers a “heads up” so they know what to expect – a common complaint in reviews – “I didn’t think would be like **THAT**”. Not everyone will connect 100% with a book, and that is okay, we’re all different. I don’t connect with every book I read even in genres I like.
The contents in this book match the cute and whimsical cover. They’re not in any order, though they could have benefitted from dates for perspective and an explanation as to why they were put in the order they were. That’s the only problem I had with this. Some readers who have to have things “in order” might feel lost with this book.
It is well written, thoughtful, insightful, and quirky. Flaherty has a sense of engaging the reader so that they delve into this with an open mind even if they have opposing views. She writes this without foul language, argumentative statements, or judgmental views. There are times the reader can tell the author’s passion about a particular subject. Yet, at all times, the author is respectful with her tone.
I loved the advice, wisdom, and perspective that Flaherty offered on some of the subjects as well as the changes that affect us. And, let’s face it – there is always SOMETHING out there that will influence us in some ways.
Some interesting subjects were about retirement and sharing the house 24/7. While I didn’t work and retire, my mother retired about six (6) years ago, and the sharing of the house 24/7 is definitely something everyone needs to think about.
Other reviews have compared this to the writings of Erma Bombeck. Though I am not familiar with her work – those who are might definitely enjoy this. It is an interesting look into varying perspectives. Some of the “articles” are easy to tell “when” it was written.
Topics included:
** Dealing with the pandemic
** Effects of Grief
** Political Stances (Some Contentious)
** Being Respectful
** Banning Books
** New Electronic Innovations (self checkout; digital publishing; Amazon)
** Depression
** Parkland Shooting
Flaherty doesn’t spend long on the topics – perhaps at best four (4) to five (5) pages on it. They’re brief little snippets and not long dissertations.
One takeaway I really loved was a story about her grandmother and a heavy sewing machine – that despite being pregnant – she carried it out during a fire. It becomes a metaphor here – no matter what shape you’re in, you can carry the sewing machine (or whatever the “heavy” is) in an emergency.
Another was about flowers and eulogies at funerals. The author makes a great point about sending flowers to the living and saying the kind things to their face and not at the funeral and memorial. This makes a lot of sense if you stop and consider it.
This was in no means a thrilling page-turner, but it was definitely something I wanted to continue reading and was very impressed by it even if I didn’t relate to a lot of it or agree with it – which is to be expected.
One of the things I disagreed with was the self checkout at the stores. I am one who welcomes the innovation as I am not one for socializing when I am shopping, and I like to do things my own way. I’ve always been taught to do for myself.
As I said – the reader won’t agree with everything, but this is a thought-provoking book.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. After reading this, I would be interested in reading her fiction work to see how it plays out against this book and her “views”.
Rarely do I read non-fiction books. Not that I don’t like them – they’re really not something I’m into. I think that stems from SO much being available online through multiple sources – some credible and some not so credible.
There are a few biographies I’ve read, but they have to be truly interesting and people I really admire, like, or have something in common with.
Self-help books, while non-fiction, are definitely a different genre altogether – at least to me. Same as bible study books.
Books like this often fall under the “not really interesting” for me. Still, there was something about this that grabbed me. I usually read to get away from the hectic and crazy realities for a while, even if it is a brief moment. Reading is more relaxation and vacation than “work” or pontificating.
Despite the author being known mainly for her Harlequin romance books, this is more or less a collection of her columns from the Peru Daily Tribune. It isn’t an advice column, so much as an essay or “thoughts” column that dates back over 30+ years (since 1988) that are based on her thoughts on a subject and/or life experiences. And, it DOES make you think. That’s the thing – this makes you think.
Word of warning – there are SOME controversial subjects mentioned. There is talk of grief and loss that could be triggering. I like to give potential readers a “heads up” so they know what to expect – a common complaint in reviews – “I didn’t think would be like **THAT**”. Not everyone will connect 100% with a book, and that is okay, we’re all different. I don’t connect with every book I read even in genres I like.
The contents in this book match the cute and whimsical cover. They’re not in any order, though they could have benefitted from dates for perspective and an explanation as to why they were put in the order they were. That’s the only problem I had with this. Some readers who have to have things “in order” might feel lost with this book.
It is well written, thoughtful, insightful, and quirky. Flaherty has a sense of engaging the reader so that they delve into this with an open mind even if they have opposing views. She writes this without foul language, argumentative statements, or judgmental views. There are times the reader can tell the author’s passion about a particular subject. Yet, at all times, the author is respectful with her tone.
I loved the advice, wisdom, and perspective that Flaherty offered on some of the subjects as well as the changes that affect us. And, let’s face it – there is always SOMETHING out there that will influence us in some ways.
Some interesting subjects were about retirement and sharing the house 24/7. While I didn’t work and retire, my mother retired about six (6) years ago, and the sharing of the house 24/7 is definitely something everyone needs to think about.
Other reviews have compared this to the writings of Erma Bombeck. Though I am not familiar with her work – those who are might definitely enjoy this. It is an interesting look into varying perspectives. Some of the “articles” are easy to tell “when” it was written.
Topics included:
** Dealing with the pandemic
** Effects of Grief
** Political Stances (Some Contentious)
** Being Respectful
** Banning Books
** New Electronic Innovations (self checkout; digital publishing; Amazon)
** Depression
** Parkland Shooting
Flaherty doesn’t spend long on the topics – perhaps at best four (4) to five (5) pages on it. They’re brief little snippets and not long dissertations.
One takeaway I really loved was a story about her grandmother and a heavy sewing machine – that despite being pregnant – she carried it out during a fire. It becomes a metaphor here – no matter what shape you’re in, you can carry the sewing machine (or whatever the “heavy” is) in an emergency.
Another was about flowers and eulogies at funerals. The author makes a great point about sending flowers to the living and saying the kind things to their face and not at the funeral and memorial. This makes a lot of sense if you stop and consider it.
This was in no means a thrilling page-turner, but it was definitely something I wanted to continue reading and was very impressed by it even if I didn’t relate to a lot of it or agree with it – which is to be expected.
One of the things I disagreed with was the self checkout at the stores. I am one who welcomes the innovation as I am not one for socializing when I am shopping, and I like to do things my own way. I’ve always been taught to do for myself.
As I said – the reader won’t agree with everything, but this is a thought-provoking book.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. After reading this, I would be interested in reading her fiction work to see how it plays out against this book and her “views”.
December 12, 2020
Liz Flaherty's Window Over the Sink is a delightful compilation of her essays written over several years in her column of the same name. Think Erma Bombeck meets Chicken Soup for the Soul. Make a cup of tea and sit down with this charming book of Liz's thoughts and memories. You'll laugh and cry, but most of all you'll enjoy every moment.
April 4, 2021
Many of the stories Liz shared I've had the joy of reading in her newspaper column, but reading them a second time was easy, still enjoyable and wise. This book is a break from the romance Liz generally shares, but just as likely to draw you in. Thank you Liz for sharing your world with us through your "Window Over the Sink." Loved it!
July 19, 2015
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. Molly is a real heroine who has every right to struggle after being kicked to the curb.....but she picked herself up spectacularly! Joe is a wonderful hero who allows Molly to refine herself! Loved this book!
January 27, 2016
Beautifully written - sweet - Fall-In-Love story!
"Tomorrow is always a new day."
"Tomorrow is always a new day."
July 18, 2015
I thought this was a cute read about older people which show life is not always great. Even when you do not know where your place is you can always find a place to call home and a person who you can love. The author gives a wonderful story of mistakes, letting the past go so you can find your future. I found this story to be believable with normal characters with normal issues. It doesn’t matter how old you are there is someone out there for everyone sometimes it just takes a little time to find the right one. Yes you love and were loved but when you are left alone it doesn’t mean your life stops you go on live, learn and become who you are.
I enjoyed the characters each have some growing to do from the mother to the daughter. Even children need to grow, love and let go. Molly took on a job and married a man she really didn’t want just because her mother said so. I think both Molly and her mother might have learned you need to be yourself and learn to live your life not depending on a man. If you make yourself happy than those around you will be happy. Joe found it was ok to love and say goodbye to his dead wife there is life after love. His children have a few things to learn as well.
This was just an all around lovely short story reminding us of what is important. We must be true to ourselves first. Sometimes normal is just the opposite of what we have been doing. This box-set is filled with wonderful heartwarming short stories.
One last thought the author might want to think about changing the cover this is a story about an older couple the cover is to young for this story. I was a lovely story I feel you will enjoy.
I enjoyed the characters each have some growing to do from the mother to the daughter. Even children need to grow, love and let go. Molly took on a job and married a man she really didn’t want just because her mother said so. I think both Molly and her mother might have learned you need to be yourself and learn to live your life not depending on a man. If you make yourself happy than those around you will be happy. Joe found it was ok to love and say goodbye to his dead wife there is life after love. His children have a few things to learn as well.
This was just an all around lovely short story reminding us of what is important. We must be true to ourselves first. Sometimes normal is just the opposite of what we have been doing. This box-set is filled with wonderful heartwarming short stories.
One last thought the author might want to think about changing the cover this is a story about an older couple the cover is to young for this story. I was a lovely story I feel you will enjoy.
June 12, 2023
As I settle into bed each night of late, I turn on the Kindle and enjoy a few chapters of the humor, sweetness, sadness, delight and blessings of small-town life with this insightful writer as she shares life stories. It's as though we're chatting over coffee as friends.
I enjoyed it a great deal--so much so that I just purchased the sequel, "Window Over the Sink." Yes, we'll be meeting like this for a few more weeks as I savor her rich insights into domestic life.
I enjoyed it a great deal--so much so that I just purchased the sequel, "Window Over the Sink." Yes, we'll be meeting like this for a few more weeks as I savor her rich insights into domestic life.
December 24, 2020
I love this book! And I use the present tense because it is one of the few books I will reread. Liz Flaherty reminds me of one of my favorite authors, Erma Bombeck! The book is a delight to read with vignettes that are like warm hugs. I am very ADHD and Flaherty helps me to unwind every night before going to sleep. It's a book you will not want to hurry through, but to savor.
June 17, 2021
A great collection of stories. Some stories are thought-provoking, some are emotion-filled, and other stories will put a smile on your face. I am very familiar with the Window Over The Sink column, but it was great to read an anthology of these stories in one book. This non-fiction book is the perfect read for a lazy weekend. Reviewed for Still Moments Magazine.
December 28, 2020
I loved reading this collection of wise and caring thoughts about relationships and life. "Be nice to someone," pretty much sums it up, and if we all took that to heart, what a difference it would make.
January 26, 2021
Wonderful and charming book. Witty and fun to read. Thoughtful and enjoyable to read from the first page. Good read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 24, 2021
Easy to read, light hearted look at life in the Midwest.
August 10, 2022
Stories originally written for a newspaper with a variety of subjects. Some make you laugh, some make you think. An easy and enjoyable read.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews