Writer, blogger
Our city was hit by a December snow event again this year. Although we usually don’t get snow until January, this was the second year snow arrived early. As I watched the “wintry mix” cascade from the sky and accumulate on the ground, I pondered the effect snow has on our lives, even if just […]
Last Christmas, we received a poinsettia via a harried florist deliveryman. As he thrust the plant into my hands, I noticed several branches were damaged; others, thin and weak. I propped the damaged branches and petted the plant through the Christmas season and into the first month of the new year. By mid-January, the plant […]
In the last few weeks, I’ve talked to several friends who are caring for aging parents. One described a day when she needed to be with each parent in a different location, with one being an emergent situation. The other friend mentioned how caring for her parent changed the landscape of her weekends. I reminded […]
One of my greatest blessings is spending time with my grandchildren. Sweet smiles, snuggles, new words, waves, blown kisses, and first steps are among the joys. Recently, our granddaughter started reciting the names of her loved ones when we gather for a meal. Mommy and Daddy are first, followed by others at the table—Glam […]
As a child, I remember a summer when rain was an everyday occurrence. We had a new swimming pool and I longed for sunny days and warm temperatures. But each morning, I woke to the sounds of rain pelting the roof and filling the gutters. Not only did the rain continue day after day, but […]
For years, I’ve walked our neighborhood, stopping at times to talk to neighbors along the way. I remember a conversation once with a man about his family. He mentioned his brother lived on a street at the entrance to our neighborhood. “It must be nice to have him so close,” I said. “Well, we never […]
Recently, I discovered my ipad mini under a stack of files. When I tried to fire it up, the battery was so low I had to charge it for a while to get it to come on. Once it came to life, I saw reminders and emails from a year ago. Had it really been […]
I’ve enjoyed watching my grandchildren grow and reach developmental milestones, among them, learning to crawl and walk. Each had a slightly different method of getting to the point of locomotion. One grandchild initially propelled herself forward with a scoot-crawl. She planted one foot and then swung the other knee forward. Her method looked awkward, but […]
Several times in my life, I’ve received scathing correspondence of a critical nature. Other times, I’ve had my ears blistered in person by someone with an acid tongue who felt it necessary to point out all my faults and failures. None were pleasant experiences, and some of the words still fly through my brain at […]
Years ago, not long after we moved to our current home, a visitor asked to see upstairs. We were still unpacking, so I hesitantly agreed to her request. She preceded me up the stairs, and as she reached the top, took a few steps, and then abruptly jerked open the linen closet door. I was […]