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[maebyyork]

On writing even when it’s hard

Writing is the hardest when my hope is the most precarious.  In the past I’ve walked away from the craft for weeks or months at a time, because everything felt so bleak. I don’t want to do that again. As Hemingway said, “There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.”

The rules I impose on myself for making word counts, completing projects, and other aspects of the writing process are ambitious. I hold myself to a high standard for the quantity and quality of the words that I write. I have to push myself to be able to achieve them, but they wouldn’t be worthwhile if they were easy.

Lately it has been difficult to want to write. Whether it’s sadness, exhaustion, or being distracted - it hasn’t been easy to find my groove. I know that part of being a writer is pushing through even when it feels like the well has run dry, but it's hard to stay motivated when I'm not feeling inspired. I tell myself that the words don't always have to be perfect, that sometimes it's more important to just get something down on paper. But even that can feel like a monumental task when I'm struggling to find the energy to write. As Jodi Picoult put it, “You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.”

Despite the challenges, I know that writing is important to me. It's a way for me to express myself, to explore my thoughts and feelings, and to connect with others. Even when it's hard, I'm going to keep writing. I'll keep pushing myself to meet my goals, even when I don't feel like it. And I'll keep believing that the words will come, even when they're hiding from me. Because as Stephen King reminds us, "Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.”

On the first of November I started doing Morning Pages from the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. Cameron teaches artists how to get over the mental and physical hang ups that hold them back, and to be able to reclaim their creativity.

Now, each morning after my husband brings me coffee, and before I reach for my iPhone - I sit down with my pen and a journal to write.

What I write during this exercise doesn’t have to be on topic, logical, or even legible. I have discovered that even though those first words may be forced and weak by the end of the three pages I’m really starting to feel it.

I fell in love with writing after reading Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones, and I am starting to feel that same dizzy passion for the craft again as I do my Morning Pages.

There is so much to keep me tied to earthly endeavors, but when I put pen to paper I find the seraphim that tethers me to the celestial.

[maebyyork]

Ms. Conceptions

The first author that I idolized was Beverly Cleary. Knowing nothing about her, or any authors really, I assumed that she lived a glamorous life surrounded by gilded typewriters and cabana boys.

As an adult, I hung onto many of these misconceptions:

Rich AF

Can just sit down and write a book

Grammar Goddess

Huge team of employees

Does nothing but write

Loves writing

Now, as a writer, I know that most authors have to work at least one full time job, and many have a few side hustles too. Even traditionally published authors often need a steady income to see them through between payouts.

Being able to just sit down and write a book would be my super power, if I could choose one. There’s often no rhyme or reason to the way I create a book. Sadly, I can never just sit down and write a story from the beginning to the end. I hop all around the process. It’s kind of the same way I learned to read and write.

I went to 10 schools before fifth grade. That caused a lot of missed opportunities for education. A teacher in third grade finally taught me to read, but it took a long time to find any enjoyment in it.

Writing became a way that I would enact escape fantasies as a child. My first book - which was 21 pages - saw the protagonist rescue her brothers from abuse with the aid of helium infused bubble gum. Later books were grittier, but dealt with the same concepts.

My later books began to focus on female empowerment. Supernatural power or tenaciousness would drag the protagonists through their adventures.

What writing these books taught me about actual authors is as follows.

Tired AF

Struggles to write some days

Relies on her editor for comma rules

A few trusted allies

Has to write

Probably needs therapy

Has mixed feelings about writing

I started this blog post 2 years ago. It was in my drafts folder waiting to be thrown away, but I needed to read it. I needed to be reminded why I write. The reasons I write may only matter to me, but they really matter to me.

I had taken a long break from writing - from any creating. I have 7 books to complete during the summer of 2024. It’s a completely unrealistic goal, but that’s the goal nonetheless. I hope you’ll come along on this journey with me.

[maebyyork]

The Bland Opening of the Route 66 Free Little Art Gallery

Yesterday won’t go down in the history books, thank god. I think we’ve all had enough of that for a decade or two. Yesterday, however, was quite notable for me. Not only did I get hundreds of pounds of rocks spread out in my rock garden, painted my porch, but I also opened my art gallery.

The opening of the Route 66 Free Little Art Gallery was a quiet affair with only 3 in attendance, and my neighbors milling around in the background. Ok, some of that’s a lie, Taggert was there, so there was no possible way that it could ever be quiet.

Just a week ago, I was afraid that it wasn’t going to happen. Public Works didn’t want me to open at all, but eventually allowed me to erect (lol) the structure. The approval came with several rules including that the gallery had to be 12 feet away from the road. This means that patrons will have to walk into my yard.

The gallery’s exhibit changes daily depending on donations, weather, and personal flights of fancy. Since there is a size constraint most of the art is between credit card and postcard size, but don’t let her stature fool you. The Route 66 Free Little Art Gallery might only be 4 foot tall, but she packs a 1-2 punch.

You can enjoy some awesome tiny art, and even take some home.

You can leave your own artwork to be displayed.

Today the gallery is showing several pieces I made, a few i purchased in Mexico, and a couple pieces by local artist, Logan Trammel.

The gallery also houses an art supply exchange. Just in case you are like me, and buy too much of whatever you are currently obsessing over. There are a few oil painting brushes - because who am i kidding, some duplicate paints, and various other parts and pieces.

The gallery does have a few rules.

The hours are from when I get around to it until 8:00 pm.

You can take art, you can leave art.

Please don’t take the fixtures or the figurines.

Don’t block the road when you stop.

So, whether you are in Lebanon, Missouri for the fishing or the fishing boats, you should cruise by the Route 66 Free Little Art Gallery on Sherman Street, and check her out.

[maebyyork]

S1, E4 Lonesome on the Hill

On November 19, 2021 Chandi and I made the short trek out to Lonesome Hill Cemetery. Lonesome Hill is considered one of the most haunted cemeteries in Missouri. There are reports of ghosts, eerie blue mists, and beings that chase you through the woods.

The clouds draped the full moon in a gauzy haze as we walked through the darkened cemetery. It was the perfect setting to get the crap scared out of us.

Which is what we did.

While we didn’t experience any otherworldly encounters - we did freak ourselves out. If you head out to Lonesome Hill; be respectful, be patient, and be open to new experiences.

Murder Farm Update

On November 19th James Phelps and Timothy Norton were charged with the murder of Cassidy Rainwater.

DNA confirmed that the meat wrapped up in James Phelps freezer, and labeled 7/24 were the remains of Cassidy Rainwater. The Dallas County sheriff assured locals that they believe Cassidy to be their only victim.

Timothy Norton admitted to coming over to help James Phelps by holding Cassidy’s legs, so Phelps could strangle her. After that Rainwater was hoisted by a gantry crane, and eviscerated. The men photographed this, and shared the photos on the dark web. We now know that these were the photos that the FBI shared with the Dallas County sheriff’s department.

Concerns that have been raised include; Phelps bragging about serving human meat to friends and family, Norton saying that they searched for victims at Walmart and online, Lebanon’s large number of missing people, and the fact that nobody has been charged for Cassidy Rainwater’s mother, Tracy Wahwassuk’s, murder. Tracy’s murder has several similarities to Cassidy’s.

We hope that the Rainwater family can find some peace during this devastating time.

A Personal Note

We received a lot of comments on the release of our first 3 episodes of Myths, Monsters, and Murders podcast. The majority of the feedback we received was positive, but we want to respond to the negative comments.

Our podcast was created to be informative and entertaining. It was brought to our attention that some of our listeners thought we were being disrespectful to the victims of the crimes. We will be more mindful of the way we speak from now on.

Thank you for listening. We have included the current list of Laclede County missing persons, and who to contact if you know anything about their wherabouts.

The Missing Persons Unit provides a toll-free hotline for parents, law enforcement agencies or others to provide information about or request assistance for missing and unidentified persons.

(866) 362-6422.

Missouri State Highway Patrol

Missing Persons Unit

P.O Box 568

Jefferson City, MO 65102

Phone: (573) 526-6178

Toll-Free: (866) 362-6422

E-Mail: missingpersons@mshp.dps.mo.gov

HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS SHOULD KNOW THE NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER HOTLINE TO CALL IS

1-888-3737-888. YOU CAN ALSO TEXT 233733 (BeFree) OR VISIT: www.traffickingresourcecenter.org

The toll-free 1-888-3737-888 hotline is:

Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Operated by a non-profit, non-governmental organization.

Anonymous and confidential.

Accessible in 170 languages.

Able to provide help, referral to services, training, and general information.

MythsMonstersMurders.com

#truecrime #truecrimecommunity #wadehisey #truecrimepodcast #murder #crime #podcast #truecrimeaddict #serialkiller #serialkillers #truecrimejunkie #horror #murderino #podcastersofinstagram #mystery #unsolved #truecrimeobsessed #killer #truecrimefan #truecrimememes #creepy #unsolvedmysteries #podcasts #tedbundy #paranormal #scary #criminal #history #death #lebanonmissouri #mythsmonstersmurders #CassidyRainwater #JamesPhelps #TimothyNorton #TracyWahwassuk #moonvalley #cannibal

[maebyyork]

Listen to Myths, Monsters, and Murders Podcast

S1, E1 Welcome to the Hellmouth

Podcast

On July 31, 2016, in downtown Lebanon, Missouri Bo Eilenstine was tearing down the St. Bernard’s Fruit Market. Workers discovered a deep hole under the building’s foundation. City officials peculated that the space might be an old well. The hole is approximately 3 to 4 feet wide and about 80 feet deep.

When I heard this I jokingly said, “Welcome to the Hellmouth.” This was a nod to the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but also to the decades of impossibly brutal crimes that occurred in or near my hometown.

Listen Now!

S1, E2 The Lady in the Woods - Part 1

Podcast

We will be covering the murder of Sharon Sabla today. Our story begins on a cool November morning in Lebanon, Missouri. On November 15th, 2008,  a six year old child and his grandfather were making the trek into the cool Lebanon, Missouri woods for a morning of deer hunting. Little did they know the gruesome discovery that waited for them on Highway AA.

Listen Now!

S1, E3 A Murder at Mazzio's

Podcast

June 13, 1996 started the same as every other day in Lebanon, MO. People traveled to their jobs at several local factories. Parents shuffled children to daycare for the work day. Restaurants began to open their doors. The community of Lebanon did not expect to be rocked by such a brutal crime but that's exactly what happened that day. 

Listen Now!

[maebyyork]

S1, E3 A Murder at Mazzio's

June 13, 1996 started the same as every other day in Lebanon, MO. People traveled to their jobs at several local factories. Parents shuffled children to daycare for the work day. Restaurants began to open their doors. The community of Lebanon did not expect to be rocked by such a brutal crime but that's exactly what happened that day. 

Lisa Lawson, the on again, off again girlfriend of Ulysses Ray Deckard, better known as Ray worked at Mazzio’s Pizza. Now based on information I have gleaned regarding this case and all the individuals involved, the least amount of information can be found about Lisa. Her relationship with Ray, I believe we can assume was probably rocky at best. I don’t think that any relationship that is described as on again, off again, sometimes you’re a live in girlfriend, is probably not the healthiest type of relationship to be in. While Lisa does play a huge part in what happened at Mazzio’s that day, she isn’t the center of this story.

Wade Hisey, a manager at Mazzio’s pizza, was described as having a close friendship with Lisa. Friends and coworkers said that Wade was just the kind of guy that listened when people needed to vent. This empathy caused a problem with Lisa’s boyfriend Ray. 

Ray, by all accounts, was a volatile angry person. If you’re willing to go to the lengths he did on this day, you have to have something going on. Four months prior to this fateful encounter between Wade Hisey and Ray Deckard, Ray had verbally confronted Wade about his relationship with Lisa. Obviously Ray was not ok with that relationship, whatever it looked like, and he told Wade that “if he didn’t leave Lisa alone that he would kill him.”

Wade didn’t know that Ray would follow through on this threat, but sadly that is exactly what happened. And we’ll have more about that after a word from this week's sponsors. 

 On June 13, 1996, Lisa asked Ray to move out of the home they shared together. I’m sure you can all imagine how well that went over. Obviously if we’re threatening male co-workers of Lisa, Ray isn’t going to let this end quietly. Strangely Ray did begin to make preparations to move out of the shared home. At some point, Ray left the shared home and immediately made his way to Lisa’s parents home. It was reported that Lisa’s brother had borrowed a single barrel, 12 gauge shotgun from him for turkey season and he had gone to retrieve it. Ray also reportedly test fired the shotgun at some point during this day before the incident. After taking back the shotgun Ray also reportedly went by his body shop to get a screwdriver to take apart a water bed. After getting these items Ray returned back to the shared home of him and Lisa and reported that he grabbed several other guns from the home and placed them in the trunk of his car. Ray then recalled moving the shotgun to the front seat of his vehicle at this point. At 11AM, Ray drove Lisa to work at Mazzios Pizza. 

Ray reported that when he returned back to the shared home, he drank a few beers, played basketball with some neighborhood kids, and then began to watch television. 

In a court document we were able to locate regarding Ray and the crime, it says that after Ray returned home and piddled around, watched all that, Lisa’s sister, Christy Rogers, informed Ray that Wade Hisey intended to take “her and Lisa’s daughter “cruising that night.” Ray became very upset and Christy reported that at this time Ray punched a television and cracked the screen. 

Ray, obviously a very angry person to begin with, was witnessed by the sister taking the shotgun he had retrieved earlier from Lisa’s parent’s home from the trunk of his car and placing it on the front seat. I need to pause here and remind everyone that this statement from Lisa’s sister directly contradicts what Ray said in another court document. If you remember, Ray reported that the shotgun was already laying in the front seat. I think we are all pretty clear about where this is going. I mean we’re on a podcast called Myths, Monsters, and Murders so….

Ray, at this time, decides to drive to Mazzio’s Pizza. At approximately 2PM Ray arrived at Mazzios. Lisa spotted Ray pulling up outside. She decides to step outside and talk to Ray in the parking lot. Ray began to question Lisa about whether or not the information her sister had told Ray as true. Lisa denied knowing anything about “cruising” with Wade Hisey.

Can we all just take a minute to appreciate the fact that in 1996 the term cruising was being used. I’m assuming it means the same thing that it meant whenever I was growing up. You’re just driving around town right?

Obviously, Ray did not believe Lisa. Ray took this opportunity to retrieve the shotgun from the front seat. . He entered the restaurant and began to confront Wade Hisey. Now at this point, the gun was not pointed at Wade but Ray did approach Wade where he was standing behind the counter next to the register. Ray began to yell at Wade and tried to convince him to step outside with him. The court document specifically makes a point to say Ray’s tone was not conversation and was very angry. 

Clearly Wade was like no way. I’m not going outside with you, because honestly WHO WOULD?! If someone with a shotgun is yelling at me trying to get me to come outside I am NOT going outside, period. 

Eventually Lisa steps in and attempts to intervene to deescalate the situation. Ray shoves her out of the way. Then Wade’s sister, Wanda Nguyen, steps in to try to help and Wade shoves her out of the way. All I can say here is that they are both lucky. Wade’s sister is so incredibly lucky considering what Ray did next. And so is Lisa. 

Wade then begins to reach for the phone. Ray then raises the shotgun, points it at Wade’s head, and tells Wade in very direct, and highly inappropriate language, “you going to pick up that fucking phone, I’m going to blow your fucking head off.” Despite Wade placing the phone back on the receiver, Ray did exactly what he had been threatening to do. On June 13, 1996 Ray Deckard shot and killed Wade Hisey. 

Wade was beloved by his many friends and family. He had just completed seminary, and received his reverend’s license. To say that his future was promising is an understatement. 

After shooting Wade, Ray went on the run. It’s been reported by an inside source that has a personal connection to Ray that after running and hiding Ray called his sister, Juanita from a pay phone. We don’t have any information regarding why exactly it took place during that conversation but it’s been said that Juanita was able to convince Ray to turn himself in. After turning himself in, Ray did make a statement to the police and during it he claimed he did not think the shotgun was loaded when he pointed and pulled the trigger. 

Ray was charged with one count of murder in the first degree and one count of armed criminal action. He was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. He currently resides in the Missouri Department of Corrections at Western Missouri Corrections Center in Cameron, MO. Someone in our Facebook group said something about him getting out soon. Trust me when I say he isn’t getting out anytime soon. All his appeals have been denied. While I wish this was the end of our story for Ray but he truly is the gift that keeps on giving when it comes to messed up stuff. 

In 2013 Ray Deckard once again made news from behind bars. While incarcerated in Potosi Correctional Center, Ray Deckard became engaged to a woman named Michelle Nichols. As anyone who has been married in Missouri knows, and I’ve done this twice now so I’m well versed in the process, both parties HAVE to sign the license in the presence of the Recorder of Deeds or of someone acting in that capacity. I specifically remember when I got married in Greene County I had to do the whole she-bang. Go to the Recorder of Deeds office, raise my right hand and swear I wasn’t related to him. Obviously Ray isn’t able to leave the correctional center to go to the office to sign anything. I have to question Michelle’s judgement based on who she has chosen to marry but I will say I am impressed with her persistence. 

During this time, Judy Cresswell Moyers was the Recorder of Deeds for Washington County. Michelle requested that Judy travel the 3.3 miles from Washington County Courthouse to Potosi Correctional Center to go witness Ray’s signature herself. Judy was like no. It’s not happening. I’m sure she was far more professional about it than I would be. After refusing to go to the correctional center, Michelle said ok then, what about a signed affidavit or some other documentation from Ray to prove he’s signed the marriage license. Judy said no. That wouldn’t work either. At this point Michelle had run out of options. She wants to marry Ray, although I cannot imagine why, but she’s been blocked at every avenue so she decides her only choice is to sue Judy Moyer. 

Now I’m not trying to say Judy Moyer is purposely trying to prevent Michelle from marrying Ray. I honestly think in Judy’s mind she believes she is following the law because reality is the state of Missouri has laws for these kinds of things. They have laws dictating you to go about getting a marriage license to get married so I don’t think she just woke up one day and said hey look, I don’t want these two people to get married. I think she thinks in her mind this is what the law tells her so she’s going to follow it. 

As someone who doesn’t speak legal from what I can gather from the court documents regarding this particular case, both Judy and Michelle agree that the judge had to be the one to make a decision and tell Judy how to proceed. So Michelle sues Judy saying that the Missouri statute dictating how signatures on marriage licenses must be witnessed by either the Recorder of Deeds or their deputy, or whatever is unconstitutional towards incarcerated individuals. Michelle has the fundamental right to be married under the 14th amendment. So the requirement for witnessing signatures obviously impedes Michelle’s ability to get married to Ray. Fortunately, Judy and Michelle agreed so no hearing was required for this case but the judge did agree. He found that the statute was unconstitutional and relieved Judy of the requirement of herself or her deputies witnessing signatures in person on marriage licenses for individuals incarcerated in Washington County. The judge ordered that written proof as to the authenticity of the signature was enough to allow an incarcerated individual to be married. There was even a new form created to satisfy the burden of written proof. It requires the warden or the warden’s designee to sign authenticating the signature. So if you are an incarcerated individual in Washington County and you’ve been allowed to get married while incarcerated in Washington county after 2013 you have one person to thank, Ray Deckard. 

And I know none of that had anything to do with the original case of the murder of Wade Hisey, BUT I did find it very interesting.

#truecrime #truecrimecommunity #truecrimepodcast #murder #crime #podcast #truecrimeaddict #serialkiller #serialkillers #truecrimejunkie #horror #murderino #podcastersofinstagram #mystery #unsolved #truecrimeobsessed #killer #truecrimefan #truecrimememes #creepy #unsolvedmysteries #podcasts #tedbundy #paranormal #scary #criminal #history #death #lebanonmissouri #mythsmonstersmurders

[maebyyork]

S1, E2 The Lady in the Woods - Part 1

We will be covering the murder of Sharon Sabla today. Our story begins on a cool November morning in Lebanon, Missouri. On November 15th, 2008,  a six year old child and his grandfather were making the trek into the cool Lebanon, Missouri woods for a morning of deer hunting. Little did they know the gruesome discovery that waited for them on Highway AA.

Roughly 13 miles from Lebanon, sits Kinfolk Road and Highway AA intersection. It was near this spot that the hunters discovered a hinged tool chest resting at the bottom of a hill against a fence. There was a foul odor being emitted from the box as well as liquid seeping out. It wasn’t until they used bolt cutters to open it did they find the body of a woman, folded and encased in 600 pounds of concrete. It was estimated by Steve Murell, Laclede County’s coroner, that the caucasian woman was between the ages 25 to 40 years old, between 5’ 5’’ and 5’ 8’’, and weighed roughly 135 pounds. She had been estimated as being deceased for approximately ten days to two weeks prior to being discovered. Despite being almost entirely covered in concrete, the coroner was also able to identify that she had medium length hair and that she had more than likely delivered at least one child in her life. In addition, the coroner reported that she was well cared for, had no tattoos but did have her ears pierced at least once. She was also reportedly wearing sleep attire. The cause of death was also identified at this time but they had opted to not release that information to the public.

It’s hard to believe that someone this well taken care of wouldn’t have been reported missing. At this time, correct me if I’m wrong Phyllis, but there were no missing persons listed for the local area so initially they thought she wasn’t from the area. The local police department was completely stumped which since speaking to you so much about these local cases we are covering is very unsurprising. .

 As they continued to examine the victim, they were unable to create a facial profile due to the concrete but were able to lift fingerprints as well as DNA. As time passed, and no ID was made, local investigating parties ended up asking for national assistance in identifying this woman.. A lot of online individuals through Websleuths and similar websites were trying to brainstorm who our victim was.  While lots of tips were brought in, nothing ended up revealing who our victim was

On or about December 5, 2008 a well-meaning neighbor reported to Laclede County Sheriff’s Department that she had not had contact with her friend, Sharon Sabla.  for “quite some time.” Armed with this information the sheriff’s department reached out to Sharon’s Sabla’s daughter, Ginger Coffelt in order to obtain a DNA sample for testing. If you remember we previously mentioned that despite being unable to create any sort of facial profiling, DNA was obtained as well as fingerprint from the body. And as fate would have it, there was a match. The body that six year old deer hunter had found carefully folded up inside the tool chest, covered in 600 pounds on concrete, was Sharon Sabla.

It didn’t take long for Sharon’s husband, Horst Sabla, to become a person of interest. Horst Sabla was arrested on December 10, 2008. During court proceedings it was revealed that Horst Sabla was held for 14 hours of questioning. FOURTEEN HOURS. 

I don’t know about anyone else and I don’t claim to be an expert on questioning by the police or anything of that nature but 14 hours straight of questioning feels like a very long time. And I understand that this man was being questioned about his wife’s murder, but how many times have we heard of cases with exact situations like this. Suspects being questioned for long  periods of time and eventually they get sick of it and falsely confess to committing the crime? 

Eventually a confession is exactly what happened. After fourteen hours of questioning, Horst admitted to shooting his wife in the  back of the head, folding her at the waist, and putting her inside the tool box. He reported that at first he covered her body in lime and stored the tool box in his garage, before finally deciding it was time to move her. He then reportedly poured concrete over her before sealing the toolbox shut. Horst explained that  recently the couple had lost their home to foreclosure so they were forced to move into a travel trailer together located at Thompson RV Park. 

We were able to confirm via court records that the foreclosure process on the Sabla home had began in May of 2008. By June of 2008 the Sabla home was indeed foreclosed on and the property was returned to the Federal National Mortgage Association. 

On top of their home being foreclosed on both Horst and Sharon had pretty serious medical issues they were dealing with. Horst and his wife had been diagnosed with HIV due to Sharon contracting the disease during a surgical procedure. Horst reported that Sharon had threatened to shoot herself if he didn’t do it for her. Horst also stated that moving the toolbox from his van and “pushing it downhill almost killed him.”

After Horst’s confession more and more information was coming out of the woodwork. Horst and Sharon’s neighbors, Neil and Cheryl Carpenter reported that the day after Sharon’s body was initially discovered, Horst reported to them that Sharon left for “no reason” and that she took “$32,000 and maxed out his credit cards.” This caused both Neil and Cheryl to become very suspicious, however despite their skepticism, they reported that Horst participated in “water-cooler” talk with them. Horst reportedly told both of them that, and this is a direct quote, “if I really wanted to kill my wife I’d just tie a rock around her neck or a piece of concrete and throw her in the lake.”

On December 11, 2008 Horst was brought to Laclede County Court where he waived his right to a  preliminary hearing. I didn’t realize how common it is for individuals to waive their preliminary hearing, and maybe I’m understanding it wrong, but I believe the preliminary hearing is where the courts test whether or not there is enough evidence to move forward. I’m sure it’s more than that but I don’t have a legal degree. I digress. Horst pleaded not guilty and waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Horst had a pre-trial conference on December 22, 2008. At this point we’re just going through court formalities. Eventually we reach a motion hearing on March 23, 2009 where Horst’s attorney, Stacey Patterson, filed a change of venue motion.

I’m sure most people listening understand what a change of venue motion is, however, just in case we have any listeners that don’t, a change of venue motion basically asserts that the defendant would be unable to have any sort of fair trial by jury if the case were to remain in the originating county.

On March 23, 2009 Horst’s change of venue motion was granted and the case was moved to Camden County. For those that don’t know Camden County is a hop, skip, and a jump away from Laclede County. A new fun fact is Camden County’s most recent claim to fame was all the partying happening at the Lake of the Ozarks during last summer in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. I’m not sure how much they want to claim that, but it is what it is.

After the case was transferred to Camden County, there was a ton of back and forth, legal formalities, all while Horst remains incarcerated. Finally on April 5, 2010 the first day of a three day long jury trial was held. And on the fifth and final day, the case was submitted to the jury at 1:38PM. By 3PM, the jury had returned with their verdict. Horst was found guilty of Murder in the First Degree and Armed Criminal Action.

After the conviction Horst Sabla wasted no time filing for an appeal. His latest one was in 2012 and it was based on ineffective counsel. Unfortunately for Horst, this did not work out for him and on June 2014 the judge ruled against Horst and his conviction was upheld. Horst is currently incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrects system where he will remain for the rest of his life.

#truecrime #truecrimecommunity #truecrimepodcast #murder #crime #podcast #truecrimeaddict #serialkiller #serialkillers #truecrimejunkie #horror #murderino #podcastersofinstagram #mystery #unsolved #truecrimeobsessed #killer #truecrimefan #truecrimememes #creepy #unsolvedmysteries #podcasts #tedbundy #paranormal #scary #criminal #history #death #lebanonmissouri #mythsmonstersmurders

[maebyyork]

Welcome to the Hellmouth

On July 31, 2016, in downtown Lebanon, Missouri Bo Eilenstine was tearing down the St. Bernard’s Fruit Market. Workers discovered a deep hole under the building’s foundation. City officials are now speculated that the space might be an old well. The hole is approximately 3 to 4 feet wide and about 80 feet deep.

When I heard this I jokingly said, “Welcome to the Hellmouth.” This was a nod to the first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but also to the decades of impossibly brutal crimes that occurred in or near my hometown.

Not far from the statistical center of the United States is the quaint town of Lebanon, Missouri. Route 66 bisects this small town of less than 20,000, but that’s not the thing that sets Lebanon apart from its cultural counterparts. 

Lebanon makes the news - local,  national, and International.

From meth busts to brutal murders - solved, unsolved, and half-assed. There have also been kidnappings and imprisonments that have been used as inspiration for at least one New York Times bestseller.

So, sit back, but don’t relax, as Chandi and I show you around our hometown. Welcome to Myths, Monsters, and Murders.

This week we will release 3 episodes, and I’ll try to keep the blog updated daily.

[maebyyork]

Murder at the Bell Motel

On October 16, 1991, my maternal uncle, Joe Bill Burrough, was killed in room 133 at Bell Motel by his girlfriend, Sharon Kerns.

Sheriff Bob Dotson told me at the time that they argued over drugs and alcohol. Sharon stabbed him in the jugular, and he stumbled down to room 131 before bleeding out. This is where he was when we identified his body.

Sharon was convicted of his murder, and served her time. I’ve reached out to her, and hope to be able to share her side of the story.

Sixteen years later, in 2007, Jonathon Boudonck would lose his life in the same hotel room.

Jonathon's mother, Amy Boudonck, come home from work to find David Olson, her boyfriend, in the shower with Jonathan, she found this to be odd since she had already given her son a bath that day.

David said Jonathan wasn't breathing right and that he was going to put him to bed. Later, when Amy checked on Jonathan, he was no longer breathing and she rushed him to the hospital. David claimed that Jonathan had fallen in the shower and hit his head.

Amy and David were eventually arrested. Police say they arrested David on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child. They arrested Amy on suspicion of endangering the welfare of a child. There was not enough evidence to convict the pair.

Amy Boudonck died in 2016 at the age of 30.

Additional Links

Jonathon Boudonck

[maebyyork]

Welcome to Myths, Monsters, and Murders

Not far from the statistical center of the United States is the quaint town of Lebanon, Missouri. Route 66 bisects this small town of less than 20,000, but that’s not the thing that sets Lebanon apart from its cultural counterparts. 

Lebanon makes the news. From the local news of meth busts and political philandering, national news of large scale motor vehicle fraud, and to the international incident created by an assumedly well meaning local citizen infiltrating a political dissident’s home in a foreign country.

More than the bizarre are the brutal murders - solved, unsolved, and half-assed. There have been kidnappings and imprisonments that have been used as inspiration for at least one New York Times bestseller.

So, sit back, but don’t relax, as Chandi Koepel and Phyllis York show you around our hometown. Welcome to Myths, Monsters, and Murders.

[maebyyork]

Readymade Revisited Returns

Episode 4 has taken me more than a month to get out -- probably closer to a month and a half. I could blame it on the fact that school is back in session, or that I’ve been sick and quarantined while waiting for my Covid-19 results, or that, because my doctor’s office has gone through four primary care physicians in five months, and now there just isn’t one, I’m off my antidepressants for the first time in a looong time.

But those are all just excuses. Sitting down to write, even for a few minutes, has become an anxiety inducing nightmare.

Today, I am writing. The world is on fire - literally and figuratively. The United States is being eaten alive by climate change and hate. It’s exhausting. I’m writing anyway. 

Issue 4 of Readymade Magazine, released in Fall of 2002, ticks all my boxes. The Go Bungalow article probably had nothing to do with the reason I purchased a 1918 bungalow a few years back. The article about Shishmaref, Alaska, has led to me planning an entire -- post Corona -- trip to the tiny fishing village. The projects include a lot of weird lamps, Halloween costumes, holiday cooking,  and a DIY advent calendar. This is the nonsensical novelty of Readymade that I live for.

But until now it wasn’t enough to get me to sit my ass down and write. I have been creating PTSD-induced mixed-media collages and sullen poetry in an attempt to stay grounded. It’s been therapeutic, or at least it’s been a socially acceptable cry for help/time sink.

So, here we go, Readymade Revisited, post hiatus, begins now. Thanks for coming along on this journey.

Issue Details:

Chief Editor: Shoshana Berger

Publisher: Grace Hawthorne

Cover photo: Jeffery Cross

Contributors: Alan Deutschman, Adrian Tomine, Sherif Shalaby, Anthony Discenza, Jenn Stroud Rossmann, Josh Greene, Tim Parsons, Haywood Augustus Rose, Rachel Hutton, Evan Ratcliff, Nik Schulz, Boym Partners, James Chiang, Diane Goodman, Kate Lacey, Adrian Van Allen, Steve Dodds, Neal Pollack 

Publisher: Grace Hawthorne

Cover photo: James Chiang

Contributors: John Beckman, Jessie Scanlon, Jeffery Cross, Margaret Kessler, Tucker Nichols, Jim Rosenau, Susan Beal, Michael Ray, Lisa Marie Rovito, Greg Lindsay, Mimi Zeiger, Joshua Bernstein, Gayla Sanders, Noah David Smith, Bill Evans, Lizz Zitron, Erin Lewis, Sherif Shalaby, Tim Parsons, Evan Ratcliff

Editor in Chief: Shoshana Berger

Publisher and CEO: Grace Hawthorne

Art Director: Lucas Irwin

Copy Chief: Sean Cooper

Editor-at-Large: Evan Ratcliff

Cover photo: James Chiang

Contributing Editors: W.O. Goggins, Jill Hudes, Todd Lappin

Contributing Writers: David Boyer, Sean Carman, Steve Dodds, Caterina Fake, Jessica Halgren, Christopher Hawthorne, Jill Silverman Hough, Jonathan Kiefer, Sam Martin, Evan Ratliff, Tommy Wallach

Contributing Artists and Designers: Roger Bombardier, Jesse Brink, Paul Donald, Dave Eggers, Scott Flora, Justin Godar, David Graas, Steven James, Christopher Lindstrom, Mark Mulroney, Jerinne Neils, Paul Schifino, Sheriff Shalaby, Greg Tate, Erin Lewis, Adrian Van Allen

Chief Photographer: Brian Slaughter

Contributing Photographers: Brian Bloom, James Chiang, Jeffery Cross, Timothy Hursley, Denise Prince Martin, Emily Nathan, Christopher Pilaro, Candace Vivian 

Illustrators: Bill Evans, Martin Rich, Adrian Tomine, Jayme Yen

Interns: Jill Bliss, Katie Anne Fehenbacher, Jessica Fennel, Marcella Gries, David Howenstine, Kiera Lofgreen, Marie Mathieson, Sarah Pulver

 References

https://tinyurl.com/yb5mgjbc

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyMade_(magazine)

[maebyyork]

Happy ThankSummersGiving!

Today was our ThankSummersGiving Day celebration. We had to make some last minute changes when we found out Thursday afternoon that I had been exposed to Covid 19 at school. We couldn’t take the chance of Parker, Taggert, or Nanny being exposed. So, Ken, Benjamin Rothlesdogger, Scooter, and I had a lovely meal together.

I know you’re wondering why on earth we’re celebrating Thanksgiving in July. You’re probably drawing correlations to another holiday that is celebrated at a more convenient time instead of on the celebratees actual birthday. That’s right, I’m talking about Abraham Lincoln, but this has nothing to do with him at all.

We had our giant meal today, because this week I’m covering the fourth issue of Readymade Magazine - the Fall 2002 issue. This issue has a bunch of awesome projects, but as soon as I saw Jill Silverman Hough’s Thanksgiving for Idiots article I knew that I’d hit gold. The recipes were simple enough to follow that even I couldn’t screw them up.

The recipes included Idiot’s Brined Turkey and Gravy, Drunken Stuffing, Uncanny Cranberries, and Acorn Squash Stuffed with Polenta, Wild Rice, and Mushrooms. Acorn squash and turkey were difficult to find in mid July, but fresh cranberries were a nonstarter. That’s okay. I like the good old can shaped cranberries.

I did make a couple additions to the menu. I took the article’s advice to “get them drinking” by making cranberry sangria and drunken punkin pie. All Silverman Hough’s recipes are directly from the article. I hope you like them as much as we did.

By Jill Silverman Hough

Idiot’s Brined Turkey

4 cups kosher salt

1 turkey rinsed with the giblets removed

1 cup chicken or turkey broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sage, thyme, and rosemary

1 ½ teaspoons fresh ground pepper

Dissolve the salt in 2 gallons of cold water and a clean, non-reactive stock pot or bucket big enough for your turkey. Add the bird. Make sure the salt water solution covers the turkey  –  if it doesn’t, add more. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. (If it won’t fit in your refrigerator, an ice chest kept at about 40° will do it.)

Remove the turkey and rinse well, pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 400°.

Rub the turkey all over with butter, and sprinkle inside and out with herbs and pepper. Set a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Spray both with nonstick cooking spray. Set the turkey on the rack breast side up. Loosely tent the breast with foil and roast for an hour.

Remove foil and baste turkey with half the chicken stock. Rebaste with pan drippings and stock every 10 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast (not touching the bones) registers 165°, and the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 to 175°. If any part of the skin starts looking to brown, cover it with foil.

The turkey should cook for a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, make the gravy.

Drunken Stuffing

1 package fine Pepperidge Farm seasoned stuffing mix

2 cups chopped celery

1 stick salted butter

1 cup chopped onions

1 box golden raisins

1 cup burgundy wine

Bring a pot of water to boil and dunk in raisins to plump them up. Sauté onions and celery in butter until soft. Add sautéed mixture to raisins, and combine with stuffing mix in a big bowl. Add more melted butter as needed, then add wine and a stir. If you’re stuffing your bird, the mixture doesn’t need to be as moist. Extra stuffing reheated in the oven may need more butter chicken stock.

Uncanny Cranberries

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 firm, ripe pear

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

In a small pan over medium heat, combine the water and sugar and stir until dissolved. When it comes to a boil, add the cranberries and pear. Return to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

Idiot’s Brined Turkey Gravy

Pan drippings

3 cups chicken or turkey broth

1 cup water

¼ cup flour

¼ cup unsalted butter

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Remove the turkey from the roasting pan. Pour off all the pan juices – don’t throw them out, just set them aside. Dissolve the flour in the water. (This is called a slurry.)

Arrange a roasting pan over one or two burners of your stove top. Turn the heat on low. Melt the butter in the pan. Stirring constantly with a whisk or heat resistant spatula, add about half the slurry, a little at a time, scraping up the burn bits at the bottom of the pan. This will thicken the gravy.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Polenta, Wild Rice, and Mushrooms

4 small acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds and membranes scraped out

1 cup wild rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced shallots

½ pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and quartered

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or 1 teaspoon dried sage

½ pound washed, trimmed spinach leaves

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

2 tomatoes

1 pound prepared polenta, cut into ½ inch cubes

½ bread crumbs

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°. Season the flesh of the squash generously with salt and pepper. Select enough baking sheets to fit all 8 halves in a single layer, and coat sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Place squash onto the sheets cut side down and roast for 25 minutes, until they just begin to brown. Reduce heat to 375 and continue roasting until flesh is soft and easily pierced with a knife. Remove squash from oven but leave oven on.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add rice and cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and let cool.

 While the rice and squash are cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add shallots and sauté for two minutes. Add mushrooms and sage and sauté until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add spinach a little at a time until leaves are wilting. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine cheese, eggs, tomatoes, and polenta. Gently stir in rice and mushroom mixture.

Form a mound of stuffing on each squash half, then top with a tablespoon of breadcrumbs. The recipe up to this point can be made a day or two in advance and then refrigerate. When you’re ready to reheat, Bring the dish to room temperature and then return to the oven for 20 minutes, until the squash are cooked through and slightly browned on top.

[maebyyork]

Readymade Revisited: The Summer Games Issue

It’s the middle of summer, and this week’s issue of Readymade is dedicated to fun and games. Looking through all the ideas for summer socializing fills me with a yearning for the past. I don’t know if it’s the heat, the lack of summer potlucks, or the dystopian hellscape we are currently living through, but this issue cut me to the core.

The summer of 2002 was no picnic for me. Upon returning from Disneyland - the happiest place on earth - I split up with my cheating husband - let’s call him Douchey McDoucheface. Douchey immediately moved in with my first husband’s fiancé. That’s a weird thing to explain to your kids, coworkers, and the Divorce Court judge, Mablean Ephram. 

This is the year that the Readymade style of living became embedded in my psyche. I dropped my college classes, and took a second job as a “phone chick” at a pizza place, and we went on food stamps. I did what I had to, and I’m not ashamed. My kids and I altered free store clothing, sewed our own Halloween costumes, and learned to live with less. This was post 9/11 America, and many families were having to do this same thing. 

They may have been lean times, but they weren’t all bad. One of my fondest memories is creating a Dungeons and Dragons game that incorporated some reading and math, cleaning and cooking, and most importantly ended with an AOL CD battle that would have definitely gotten children’s services called.

But, I digress. For this week’s Readymade Revisited projects I’ve re-used boxes and scrap paper to make a junk journal, I used the leftover yard sticks from a previous project to make a frame for my prized Roberto Regalado painting,

Details

Issue date: Summer 2002

Issue number: 3 The Summer Games Issue

Pages: 88

Editor in Chief: Shoshana Berger

Publisher and CEO: Grace Hawthorne

Art Director: Sean Cooper

Editor-at-Large: Evan Ratcliff

Cover photo: James Chiang

Contributing Writers: Anthony Discenza, Jason Gring, Jill Silverman Hough, Jill Hudes, Rachel Hutton, Jonathan Keifer, Jason Libsch, Greg Lindsay, James Morel, Maika Pollack, Jon Regardie, Anna Rosenlund, Steen Strand,

Contributing Artists and Designers: Steven Dodds, Diane Goodman, Erin Lewis, Tucker Nichols, Adrian Van Allen, Jayme Yen

Chief Photographer: Jeffery Cross

Contributing Photographers: James Chiang, Todd Hido, Terri Loewenthal, Shelly Kroeger, Kalima Mohamed, George Moreira, Julian Quayle, Brian Slaughter, Stephen Stickler

Illustrators: Tristan Eaton, Bill Evans, Louis Kerwin

Interns: Brian Baer, Jill Bliss, Kara Edwards, Jessica Fennel, Kiera Lofgreen, Shay Nowick, Lara Smiley, Tommy Wallach, Jessica Yu

[maebyyork]

Issue 2/ ReadyMade Revisited

The second issue of ReadyMade Magazine is a little thicker than the first. And even though it usually takes publications several issues to find their footing, it is a solid read. It took me over a week to complete my projects and posts related to this issue, because we went back to work last Monday. It was great to see the students, but with the spike of Covid 19 cases in my town it’s more than a little scary.

You can click through the images to check out those posts.

I just pulled issue #3 out of the shelf, and I’m excited about starting some new projects. This issue’s ReFab section is all about making upcycled clothes. As a side note, my store that sold upcycled clothing and furniture and used books was named ReFab. Weird coincidence, or poorly planned branding choice for my small town? It could be both.

Details

Issue date: Spring 2002

Issue number: 2

Pages: 88

Chief Editor: Shoshana Berger

Publisher: Grace Hawthorne

Cover photo: James Chiang

Contributors: John Beckman, Jessie Scanlon, Jeffery Cross, Margaret Kessler, Tucker Nichols, Jim Rosenau, Susan Beal, Michael Ray, Lisa Marie Rovito, Greg Lindsay, Mimi Zeiger, Joshua Bernstein, Gayla Sanders, Noah David Smith, Bill Evans, Lizz Zitron, Erin Lewis, Sherif Shalaby, Tim Parsons, Evan Ratcliff

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyMade_(magazine)

https://www.storyinliteraryfiction.com/interviews/ray-michael-interview/

My books are available now.

[maebyyork]

ReadyMade Revisits David Berman

In the spring of 2002 Michael Ray, then the editor of 7X7 Magazine and current editor of Zoetrope Magazine, wrote a fun article about David Berman, the lead man of the band, the Silver Jews. The article,  How to Become a Rockstar Without Leaving Home, covered Berman’s early years living in basements and guarding museums while he began building a broad discography and broader fan base.

For this week’s Readymade Revisited I’m trying to school myself on as much of Berman’s music as possible. This was a much easier task than when I originally read the article in 2002. I live in small-town middle-America. We had no real music stores, and even with N4pster, the most I could download with our dial-up internet was a shitty Whitman’s sampler of music that may or may not have been by the Silver Jews. After careful listening, I determined that I was not cool enough for the Silver Jews. 

Today, I can stream most of his music on any number of  services, and I quickly discovered that I’m still not cool enough for David Berman’s work -- and that’s a good thing. 

I was several hours into this project when I discovered that Berman had died in August of 2019 by suicide. This broke my heart, both as a person that’s struggled with depression and as a Fangirl and music lover. So many artists are lost before they’re even found. 

In the 17 years since Ray’s article, David Berman grew and changed as a musician. Even his earliest lyrics could lay you bare, but his musical compositions became a whole new beast. His work is never expected. There is always something new to be learned or felt from his carefully chosen lyrics and intricately layered sound.

The single “All My Happiness is Gone” is thick and textural. His voice is cleaner, more polished, and the music is delicate, almost poppy. It’s surprisingly chipper for the theme of the song, but building complex situations inside catchy tunes is where Berman truly shines.

His songs move from the cute and quirky “New Orleans” to the evisceratingly sad “That’s Just the Way I Feel,” which was one of the last releases before his death. If you ever want to listen to what deep unflinching pain sounds like, check it out.

The entire last album, Purple Mountains, has a deep element of sadness throughout. The album was released the month before Berman hanged himself. 

His death moved his family, fans, and other musicians to eulogize him on social media and video hosting sites. Jeffrey Lewis, of Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage, shared an email that he sent to Berman after receiving an advanced copy of his last album.

Thursday, March 28, 2019 5:12 P.M.

I’m celebrating the finished art by loading up my five-disc CD player with Silver Jews albums, and I had a listening marathon last night, and then I listened to the remaining albums this morning. I’m sure you don’t need to hear it from me, but you are an absolute staggering matter of artistic power. It's a body of work of such strength and power -- the songs, every line, the music, the singing, the entire aesthetic concept, and execution and existence of what you have brought into the world is like an airdrop of sheer soul nourishment, delicious and nutritious home-cooked fantastic menus of wonderful food on an impoverished and starving war-torn zone behind enemy lines. You had to fly some unimaginably rigorous and brave and intense missions to bring us what you’ve brought us, and you knew you were the only one who could do it. Even when your commanders told you not to, even when it seemed like an impossible mission or a worthless mission, you did it over and over. The souls that get their hands on these meals will be nourished heartily by them, and we thank you for your service. Life, our brains, our souls, our hearts, society -- it’s a war zone, and we’ve had the shit kicked out of us, and you’re Rambo. Well, even if Reagan put Rambo on a stamp, it wouldn’t have healed his warrior heart of the horrors he’s endured, but maybe he can stand up straighter and accept a salute. That’s part of his job too.

Rest in peace, Mr. Berman. I’m sorry that it took me 20 years to truly discover your talent, but I promise that I won’t take it for granted.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyMade_(magazine)

http://www.thejeffreylewissite.com/index.html

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2019/08/obituary-david-berman-poet

[maebyyork]

Interview Q&A with Erin Lewis re: ReadyMade issue 2

Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald was photographed for the cover of the Spring 2002 edition of ReadyMade Magazine. I used the omnipotent power of Google and Mark Zuckerberg to track her down. Kids, don’t try this at home. Erin was gracious enough to give me an interview.

1. Is this the right Erin Lewis? If so, what have you been up to as an artist/maker since the Spring of 2002?

Yes! Soon after the cover shoot I moved permanently to Melbourne, Australia. Journalism was my career and making things was a hobby for the next 10 years.

In 2012 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, about three months after I’d quit my job as an editor of many newspapers. I had a what-am-I-doing-with-my-life crisis and decided not to return to journalism. Around the same time I started getting into clothes mending in a public way, and realising people were quite excited to learn about repairs. I’d been sewing since I was nine and I took those skills for granted for a long time, assuming people either already knew how to mend stuff or weren’t interested in pursuing it.

A few years later I started a social enterprise called Bright Sparks Australia, which repaired and reused electrical appliances to keep them out of landfill.

In 2017 I started mending other people’s clothes on commission and sharing the results on Instagram. And I started teaching a 7-week mending course that is still running (now online) and sells out quickly. At the end of that year I decided to close Bright Sparks and spent most of 2018 and 2019 writing and photographing my book, Modern Mending.

The book came out in February 2020 and I launched an online shop – modernmending.com – at the same time.

2. What do you remember about your project in the 2nd issue of ReadyMade, and about the magazine in general?

A friend showed me the first issue of ReadyMade because they knew I would love it. I got in contact with RM as soon as I read it – I think about wanting to write a tutorial for a future edition and asking to visit the RM office when I was next in Berkeley. Editor-in-chief Shoshana Berger asked me if I wanted to model on the cover of issue 2. I had done some modelling so it wasn’t out of the question, but I was disappointed that my writing and ideas weren’t the reasons for my debut in the mag. I had a chip on my shoulder about the whole modelling thing – I wanted to be taken seriously for my achievements, not my looks, and I rarely mentioned the m-word because I found it embarrassing. I hated it when my parents told people I was a model, when I had a master’s degree in journalism and lived in Australia, which I thought were far more interesting. And I hated how hair and makeup artists never knew what to do with my pixie cut and managed to turn it into a Lego-man hair helmet nearly every time. But I said yes, which is how you found me!

RM couldn’t afford to pay for the modelling gig (they did pay for my published articles). I think I was compensated with a year’s subscription to the magazine, and I requested a small letterboard sign from their online shop. RM used to have this cool shop that sold unusual stuff like letterboard signs (long before the days of Instagram – I think they sourced them from hospitality wholesalers, as you normally only saw those signs in delis and mom-and-pop restaurants) and funny wall plaques with artist statements like you see in museums, that you could place next to your television and other boring house things and turn them into faux gallery pieces. You know, I often think about those art plaques and wish I would have asked for them as part of my payment, too! I still have the original letterboard sign and use it.

I wrote three tutorials for RM over the years:

“What a Sham: Two Pillowcase Projects” in issue 3 (how to make a skirt or apron from a pillowcase)

“Instant Guest Room” in issue 15 (how to make an emergency overnight-guest kit containing guest sheets, towels, toothbrush, razor, etc.)

“Guard Your Cards” in issue 46 (sew your credit cards shut so you can’t use them unless you ask a salesperson for scissors)

The experience from writing for RM came in handy later on when I wrote tutorials for other magazines, and for my book, which is essentially a giant how-to book.

3. It seems like you have a new book available - can you tell us a little about it?

Modern Mending is 240 pages of mending inspiration, motivation, instructions and helpful tips. It took me two years to write and photograph it, and a bit longer if you factor in all mending commissions featured in it. It’s gorgeous, which is the first thing people mention (I’m taking credit for hand-picking my book designer), and friendly and helpful and a little bit silly and bonkers at times, which makes it fun. I wrote it so even 8-year-olds and extremely anxious first-time stitchers could follow along. Teaching the mending course really helped there, too; there are five troubleshooting sections called “What Could Go Wrong?” that were taken directly from my teaching experience.

Currently it’s only printed in Australia, but I’ve heard rumours about a U.S. edition, maybe next year if we’re lucky?

[maebyyork]

The Concrete Jungle

ReadyMade Magazine, Spring 2002, A Brief History of Concrete, Hollywood Augustus Rose

This blog post should have been written a decade ago. That’s how long I’ve wanted to attempt concrete countertops. The first issue of Readymade had several concrete projects, but none of them were technically countertops. I do, however, feel that countertops fall within the spirit of the challenge.

We bought our little bungalow in 2016, and had plans to remodel the kitchen as soon as possible. Work, family, and if I am 100% honest, my ability to overlook anything In not currently obsessed with got in the way. Having so much time on my hands during the pandemic gave me the perfect excuse to procrastinate working on my current work in progress, 2Moons 1RIVER. I watched a ton of YouTube videos about creating do it yourself countertops, and decided that doing a skim coat over my existing tile countertops would be the quickest, easiest, and least expensive route to go. Yeah, right.

I ordered what I could online, a palm sander, assorted sandpaper 40-1000 grit, Henry 549 skim coat, trowels, impregnator, (this would become the source of many awkward jokes.) and polycrylic sealer. My Simpson was that this would prevent mid-project ribs to the hardware store.

I started off by painting my cabinets crisp white, which completely soaked in to the raw wood, and will require several more coats. My backsplash was a dingy aquamarine color, which I updated with a hunter green chalkboard paint. That’s when the real work started. The counters had to be deglossed and then sanded with 40 grit sandpaper. We quickly discovered that regular sandpaper wouldn’t cut through the glaze on the tile. We had to invest in some diamond grit sandpaper. Well, actually, we aren’t Rockefellers, so we got cubic zirconia sandpaper. This was the first of many unscheduled trips to many hardware stores near and far.

All in all, we planned for 4 boxes of concrete, and ended up using 9. Also, we ended up having to enclose our kitchen, because every inch of our house was covered in concrete dust from sanding. There was SO MUCH SANDING. In the end we ended up with unique countertops that I love.

I will update this post with the cabinet doors and hardware soon.