Slices of Life - Vilas County News-Review
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  • More ways to be a hero

    My dad left school after the eighth grade to help out on the family farm. I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing all of his five brothers did the same and his seven sisters as well. Graduating from high school wasn’t a given in those days, especially if your dad needed help on the farm.
    I’ve been going through some of his belongings as
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  • Pure cuteness

    My husband and I have the privilege of taking care of our granddaughter during the week when my daughter and son-in-law are at work. Of course, I think she is the cutest baby in the whole wide world, but I usually keep those thoughts to myself.
    Scandinavians like me dislike
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  • Down with DST

    It happened again. We had to reset our clocks because of daylight saving time (DST). I’m not sure if we are saving daylight now or if we were before. 
    I just checked. We are in the saving mode. Glad I figured that one out.
    Really though and I’m trying not to sound cynical here, but
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  • Parental instincts

    It’s the American dream: A home, job, spouse, two-car garage, dog, cat and 2.5 children; or maybe not.
    Millennials, it seems, want it all; except for maybe the children. Don’t believe me? Google it. There are at least a dozen articles that tout the, some brutally honest, reasons why today’s 20- and 30-somethings don’t want
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  • Too many things

    My aging dad lived alone for nearly 10 years after my mom died. Recently, we all came to the conclusion that living alone was a lonely endeavor. That, accompanied by his increasing need for assistance with some things, led us to find him a new home.
    His moving to a new home meant
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  • A seasoned parent

    When it comes to parenting, I’ve been around the block. Heck, I’ve practically worn out the course.
    My husband and I have even transitioned to the next generation of parenting, which is so great it can be described as grand. Our daughter and son-in-law are parents themselves and are
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  • Parenthood insights

    Through my daughter and her child, I’m experiencing parenthood all over again. To be honest, it’s easier watching than actually living it. For sure there’s less sleep deprivation and wet, sticky kisses. But seeing her go through all the things I did has given me various perspectives that I don’t think I could have recognized back when I was
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  • Peanut butter stew

    Before we were married, my husband had a roommate from Africa — Sierra Leone to be exact — and this roommate introduced him to a dish called peanut butter stew.
    It’s made with an unlikely, but 
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  • Language struggles

    Something about a new year or decade, gets me focused on the English language. I’m not sure why. Normal people focus on indoor exercise and weight loss during the winter months.
    I think about
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  • Old

    We all have an understanding of “old.” I have an old dining room table. My house is old. No one would dispute either of these facts. They are based on age and time.
    But when it comes to people, the line blurs and there are
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  • Parenting truths 2.0

    I’ve written about universal parenting truths before in 2015, but there are so many of them it warrants a second column and perhaps even a third. There are simply some things we all experience as parents and often don’t talk about because they are embarrassing, uncomfortable or maybe we are just too busy to chat. Here are
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  • Sweet Saturday

    Monday morning comes along almost every seven days or so and the workweek looms ahead; five long days. Standing at the end, however, is Saturday; sweet, unencumbered, unscheduled Saturday, a day to sleep in, a day of freedom.
    Monday morning, I think about
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  • Think, speak, create

    Years ago, I came up with a mantra I attempt to live by: think positive thoughts; speak positive words; create a positive world.
    In other words, look on the bright side. It’s all about perspective. This is easier said than done, believe me.
    My mantra is just three simple sentences, but
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  • Soul mate search

    My husband and I met in driver’s training class when we were 15 years old. We’ve been best friends ever since. How corny is that?
    Friendship doesn’t always lead to romance, however, and for us, that leap didn’t come until years after we’d declared our “best friend-ship.”
    During the time after we met, but
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  • What people don’t know

    We want to show the world our best. This is even more true online with social media where we eagerly post our latest vacation, paid for via credit card, but don’t show the reality that is real.
    Don’t get me wrong. This isn’t something new. People have always
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  • Good grief

    Grief is not a law-abiding citizen. It is a renegade, an ever-changing beast. Grief is a labyrinth. Expecting it to follow a straightforward path is like expecting water to run uphill. It just isn’t going to happen.
    You experience it once, twice, even four or five times and
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  • Gratitude train

    I have much to be thankful for. I am a strong advocate and overall supporter of thankfulness. When the children were younger, we even had a gratitude wall in our kitchen where we listed the many things we had to be grateful for; things we call blessings. I believe thankfulness should be a part of each day. This is the season of giving thanks. I am
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  • Banning guns

    I’ve learned through the years that parenting is an ever-changing process.
    Most of us start out thinking we can do it all and soon find out that there is no way — no how, not ever — to do it all. So we make choices. We choose our issues and priorities, and
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  • Part two: One great cat

    The end came quickly; as it often does for the best of beings.
    Our cat was old. We knew that. He’d been with us for 19 years and his bright light was growing dimmer; his candle was flickering. We all saw it and knew his truly majestic life was coming to an inevitable end. But it’s never easy saying goodbye to a family member; to a
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  • Part one: One great cat

    My husband thinks our cat is dying, close to death or succumbing to old age. I don’t disagree.
    The cat in question is 19 years old. He’s lived a good life; an extremely good and long life.
    He still goes outside every day, albeit for shorter jaunts than in his younger years. He
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  • Going home

    Nearly a decade ago, my 80-year-old dad sensed quiet and a lack of activity upstairs, and felt a worried edginess creep under his skin. He headed up the basement stairs and was about halfway toward the top when the doorbell rang. Standing outside were his neighbor and my mom. The neighbor found her wandering next door, on his driveway, appearing
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  • Lessons from Pooh

    When my children were very young, each of them had a favorite movie that we viewed over and over. As I watched replay after replay, I noted the shows had a few things in common. They were animated productions made by Disney and embedded in their storylines were life lessons that served as a benefit not only to children, but
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  • A ‘Type-A’ Halloween

    As a child, I took Halloween seriously. I mean, heck, there was only one day out of the whole year where candy was free and Halloween was it.
    Making the most of the night was paramount to sugar success. We had a limited amount of time before our neighbors shut off their porch lights and went to bed so we had to
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  • Treats, for me or you?

    I buy him treats because I can; my teenager who now looks down on me by about 8 inches, who thinks he doesn’t need his mom anymore and he’s probably, mostly correct. So I surprise him with treats; small things I know he likes.
    I leave them in places where he will find them: on the
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  • Fish love

    We lost a fish.
    It’s happened before. We are fish people and fish sometimes die. It’s the whole circle of life thing. Humans typically live longer than pets; unless your pet is a
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  • Day care grandparents

    Life has not always worked out like I planned. And here’s the thing; the more unplanned it becomes, the more I learn. The more I grow and trust. The better everything becomes.
    I haven’t always embraced this concept. What can I say? I
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  • Goodbye summer

    It’s that time of year. School is in session. Backpacks line the back doorway. Yellow buses line the streets. Bedtimes and “wake-times” are earlier than in the previous months. Mornings are resoundingly announced by alarm clocks; something unheard of during June, July and August.
    Summer has officially ended; sigh. The warm weather morphs into
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  • Mom dreams

    Last night, my mom appeared in one of my dreams.
    She died nine years ago from Alzheimer’s. I haven’t been able to think about her since. It’s an ugly disease.
    I’m weak to say so, but
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  • Birth order thoughts

    Birth order intrigues me. According to the theory, certain characteristics are associated with your place within a family whether you are the oldest, middle or youngest child. We can’t choose this particular lot in life. We are simply dealt our hand and we live it out.
    There are
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  • Senior year

    At my house we are entering another senior year. As senior years go, I consider myself fairly experienced. I’ve relished in and endured a handful so far; if we’re counting mine and my husband’s, and that’s only high school. College is another story.
    But this senior year is special, and
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  • An unassuming hero

    Many daughters see their own dad as a hero. I’m no exception.
    He’s a modest guy, the polar opposite of ostentatious, a regular Joe; fitting because that’s his name. He wouldn’t like the idea of me calling him a hero, much less writing about it. Good thing he
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  • Bird-watching

    I never used to consider myself a bird-watcher, but this summer, I’ve had various species of birds cross my path. And while they all fly — I haven’t seen any ostriches or penguins — the manner in which they fly differs greatly from bird to bird.
    Ducks are great swimmers; the same can’t be said about
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  • Agony of ‘de-feet’

    During the summer months, I enjoy going barefoot and dipping my feet into the lake. My husband and I experience our own version of a pedicure when we wade in a shallow sandbar and the minnows swimming there nibble on our toes. It scared me at first — and grossed me out to be honest — to think they were eating on our toes. But it only tickles and is
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  • Water, wonderful water

    My grandbaby has started talking. One of her first words was water. It’s a multitasking multipurpose word in her life. When she’s in the bath, she’s surrounded by water. When she’s in the lake, she swims in water. When it rains, water falls down on her to create puddles for splashing. When she drinks from her cup, she tastes water. When I pour a glass of wine, she
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  • Black and white

    Most of life isn’t cut and dried, unless you are an herb. The bulk of our days operate on a continuum, with each of us finding our own way forward. There’s lots of room for middle ground. You may give a book or movie three or four out of five stars. You might kind of, sort of like your uncle Jim, but only in
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  • Mama bear thoughts

    The media has us fired up about lots of things and that’s good. We should be fired up. Fired up equals interested and engaged. We should all be interested and engaged.
    Our culture is
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  • Life with a toddler

    I’d forgotten what it was like to have a toddler in the house. We recently spent a few grand days with our granddaughter, who is 14 months old. She’s a tiny package, but full of content.
    What she lacks in size she
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  • Summer vacation

    There aren’t many weeks of the year that can rival a summer vacation; except maybe a winter vacation, but hey, it’s summer so let’s stay in the here and now.
    Vacations, no matter what time of year, are
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  • Summer boot camp

    It happens every year. After months of anticipation, the last day of school finally arrives. The children are overjoyed. Summer stretches out before us like a vast and welcoming beach scene. It sounds peaceful, right?
    It doesn’t take long to realize there are
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  • English is not simple

    The English language is fraught with conundrums. It’s probably why I love it so much. It’s never boring and continually keeps me learning or guessing or both.
    One of these complexities has to do with
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  • Moments in time

    Life is made up of moments; some big, some not so big, some seemingly small that just may turn big.
    And despite the big or not so big, some are moments that will affect you for years to come or your entire life.
    They can be obviously
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  • Disney life lessons

    My children grew up as part of the Toy Story generation. We watched Toy Story 1 and 2 on our VCR over and over. They were favorites, but they weren’t the only animated Disney show we watched. We had a large collection of VHS tapes. They’re still stored in our basement. I’m not sure there’s even a market for that on
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  • Column ideas

    Readers of this column know that subject matter varies from week to week. Nearly any topic that has to do with everyday life is fair game. Simply, it’s often about whatever strikes a chord in any given week.
    Sometimes, column ideas spill forth freely. Other times, I have to
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  • Power gardening

    I look forward to getting out into the garden each spring. I’ve never been able to define why or where the pull comes between Mother Earth and me, until this year. And it’s about more than dirtying my hands in her soil.
    Last week, I was
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  • Liking vs. loving

    I love my family. We all do; or most of us, at least, on most days, at least.
    Loving your family is a given. You anticipate loving your spouse even before you meet him or her. This is exponentiated with your children. You love them fully and completely well before they
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  • A two-nap day

    Yesterday, I woke up tired.
    I got up anyway and tried to complete the morning routine. I thought about making coffee. The idea was exhausting.
    I looked at
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  • Bigfoot, small foot

    The legend of Bigfoot lives on in American folklore and although I don’t know for sure if the big and hairy creature actually exists in the wild, I do believe in big foot or at least big feet. I live with a bunch of them; big and hairy big-footed creatures, that is.
    My husband and sons tower over me by
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  • Spring in the yard

    I spotted the first one out of the corner of my eye, outside the kitchen window; a bunny. And then, there were two of them hopping in the yard and eating grass.
    They were brown with white tails. Nothing fancy, just common
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  • Life’s lessons

    Everything I ever needed to know, I learned from my sister.
    I have just one sister; a little sister. She is two years and five days younger than me. When we were girls, it felt like a big gap, eons of time separated us.
    She was always the little sister; I was the big one. She was expected to
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  • Elusive sleep

    Toss and turn, turn and toss. I’m willing to bet we’ve all done our fair share of both.
    Wakefulness when wakefulness is unwanted; others are sleeping; we are supposed to be sleeping, we will ourselves to sleep, but to no avail; we know we will be exhausted come morning because we
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  • Garbage day

    It was in the wee morning hours. I was summoned from sleep by a grinding and screeching sort of noise that is universally recognized as the sound of a garbage truck doing its business.
    Panic set in. We 
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  • Dreamers

    My husband has the most exciting dreams. They are action adventures like something out of a James Bond or Tarzan movie. They involve race cars, roller coasters and swinging on vines throughout a rainforest. He’ll often describe them in detail the next morning.
    Sometimes, I can tell he’s in the middle of one of his dreams because he
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  • Familiar faces

    I saw someone familiar at the store today. I knew that I knew her or at least that I’d had cause to interact with her on several or perhaps a few occasions.
    Problem is, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly which occasions. I was at the grocery store and she wasn’t a person from the grocery store. I hadn’t seen her there before. She didn’t live at the grocery store, much less work there. I was
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  • Measuring life

    Yesterday, I made meatballs for dinner. No big deal, but it got me to thinking.
    I can throw a from-scratch batch of meatballs together in no time. I toss the ingredients into my meatball bowl like it’s not hard, because it isn’t.
    It hasn’t always been this way. Meatballs haven’t always
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  • Mothers’ secrets

    I’ve got a news flash for the naive among us: your mom didn’t tell you everything. This comes with the territory of motherhood. I’m talking about real lies about important things. Listed here are some of the things your mom probably never told you and probably never will, but you didn’t hear it from me:
    She sacrificed more for you than you’ll ever know, until
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  • The perfect spouse

    After spending the last three decades with my husband, I’ve learned marriage isn’t what I thought it would be. In some ways, it is harder. In myriad ways, it exceeds my expectations. And like a fine wine, it really does get better with age. Take heed, newlyweds.
    Together, we
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  • It’s a big store

    My husband and I had to make a trip to the home improvement store last weekend for one item; just one.
    We started out together, but after a cursory period, found ourselves involuntarily separated.
    We were looking for
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  • Point of view

    I look up to my husband, always have, literally.
    He is about 8 inches taller them me, which gives me a straight view up and into his nose. When he has the occasional booger, and who among us doesn’t, I am often the first to see it and 
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  • Stuff happens

    It was a “go to the store for laundry detergent, come home with fabric softener” kind of day and it happened to me. Of course it did.
    But hey, everyone has bad days. Not a one of us has a corner on that market.
    And bad days are in the eye of the beholder. I think about this when I’m having a bad day, but sometimes, I
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  • Tidying up

    We all wake up in the morning, unless we work the night shift. Then, we go to bed in the morning and wake in the evening.
    But despite differing schedules, we all have some sort of beginning to our waking hours each day/night. We all have to
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  • Parenting 24/7

    My husband and I did it; many of us did. We jumped into the deep end and never looked back.
    Just keep swimming. And we did, lap after lap, from low tide to high.
    Now, we find ourselves not in the water, but
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  • English discrepancies

    The English language is a formidable beast, even for those of us who learned it as our first language. Language is all about meaning and communication. And sometimes, context and inflection can completely change the meaning of a word or phrase. Add to this the overall goofiness of English. Why is it that bird, heard and word rhyme all the time, but
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  • Life goes on

    I used to worry about a lot of things.
    I used to worry about what other people had and what I didn’t. And then, I realized I didn’t use or need half of what I had anyway and life went on.
    I used to worry that I wasn’t old enough. And then, I
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  • Bettering bacon

    There’s a saying. “Everything’s better with bacon” and it’s true. Bacon is greasy, crunchy, chewy, salty, delectable and balanced. Bacon is akin to nature’s perfect food.
    I’d never contemplated the idea of improving bacon. I don’t think many people have. Bacon is
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  • Carpet stains

    It was a simple spot on the carpet. Well, if we are being honest, it was three spots on the carpet. But who’s counting?
    They weren’t the only spots you’d spot on my carpet, if you were looking, but they were in a public spot. They were obvious to any visitor entering the living room. Sadly, they’d
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  • Live in the now

    We are all living just 10 years away from a world we can hardly imagine.
    I’m not talking about technology, global warming or advances in medical science. I’m talking in the personal sense. For most of us, our lives will be completely different 10 years from now. Just like they were
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  • Evolution of the phone

    When I was a child, the telephone was important stuff. Like most families, we had one phone number. Can you imagine an entire family sharing one phone number? Yet we lived through it.
    When the phone rang, it was a mystery. No one had caller ID. You had to answer every call. It was usually a race because we all wanted to
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  • The upside of snoring

    In our culture, we don’t usually brag about snoring. It isn’t a skill we covet. It isn’t seen as a skill at all, but an embarrassing behavior beyond our control; sort of like stinky feet or public flatulence.
    I’m here today to suggest we come out from under the covers and
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  • The big picture

    It’s such a bummer when on a normal day, when you have nothing else planned, you get a phone call from your daughter asking if you can babysit your granddaughter for an hour or two and you, of course, say “yes,” then proceed to spend that babysitting time just cuddling, and listening to her coo and giggle. My day was a
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  • It’s one thing we’ve got

    Our appreciation of experiences and the world around us changes with time. The way I approach life differs now from when I was a teenager or newly-married 20-something. The world has changed as well and that makes for a
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  • What’s in a smile?

    It depends on who you ask. As for Mona Lisa and the reason behind her smile, we’ll never know.
    There is one thing I know about smiles. They wield power, in a good way. If you offer a genuine smile, it is guaranteed to
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  • Getting ‘round’ to it

    They are making the rounds on busy roadways in cities and towns across the country. Stop signs are just so last millennium. The newest trend in traffic is the roundabout and it has me terrified.
    The name sounds so friendly, so casual: roundabout. I’ll come to your house roundabout 6-ish. Let’s head roundabout to the
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  • Plumbing insights

    At our house we recently experienced a season of plumbing. Thank goodness it’s over, I hope.
    It started with a water heater that refused to heat water, which was a problem, obviously.
    I’m not much for 
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  • Muddy messes

    My children give me gifts, often without knowing it. This weekend, I received a pair. Actually, it was a pair of pairs; pants, that is. Two pairs, which totaled a pair.
    To further play with words, the pants were paired with a request; one of the most simple, albeit complex, requests I’ve ever received. Can you
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  • Recycling birthdays

    I forgot to give my husband his birthday card this year. I didn’t forget his birthday. That would be unforgivable. I just forgot the card.
    Actually, I didn’t forget, I had it in the drawer at home, but we weren’t at home on his birthday. So to my credit, I got him a card; I just didn’t give it to him on
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  • Me first!

    We start out life as self-centered beings. It’s a necessity to survival. Problem is, in our culture we too often fail to grow out of this sense of entitlement. If we want it, we should have it. We believe the world owes us.
    This is not true. But it happens all the time, this belief that the universe 
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  • Life without ‘A/a’

    All was admirable and acceptable, advantageous even, that a.m. I arrived at my work area early, adhered to my agenda and had accomplished an abundance of article assembly by afternoon. And then, I had lunch: avocado salad with apples and almonds, and apricot dressing.
    Upon finishing my food, I returned directly to my computer, only to discover the problem with the keys. One of them
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  • Being rich

    We all want to be rich. I know I do and I’ll be the first to admit it.
    But I’m not sure my definition of rich fits with traditional thinking.
    When you describe someone as rich, you are
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  • Get off my banana

    They nearly literally come from nothing or so it seems and then, they multiply. You might start the week with a few and end it with a proverbial swarm.
    They’re officially called drosophila melanogaster. It’s a big name for an itty-bitty bit of an ordinary fruit fly. I’ve always thought of them as nuisances that fetch a free ride home on my bananas, but
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  • A happy place defined

    We all need a happy place or, at the very least, can benefit from one or a dozen, take your pick. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one happy place. Go ahead, grab a few. They’re free.
    A happy place doesn’t have to be a place, per se, but
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  • Can you relate?

    Humans are united by common bonds. We might be tempted or, maybe better put, inclined to focus on differences, but we are all united in the human condition and we share more common experiences than we might realize or even want to admit.
    I’ve written about these scenarios in the past, but
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  • Heroes among us

    You might find them wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. They can be dressed in Sunday’s best. Others are outfitted in a baseball cap and sports jersey. They may be in pajamas or in shorts and a
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  • Say what you mean

    How are you? What’s up? What’s new? How about this crazy hot (cold, rainy, dry) weather we’ve been having? Have a great day!
    Small talk, we’ve all participated in the chatter, often not even thinking about what we’re saying. It’s
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  • Dead tree growing

    It was dead or nearly so. A massive maple tree that had marked the seasons and passing of time for twice as long as most humans grace the earth. Each spring, his buds reminded us of life anew. He’d sheltered us from the intense summer sun and gave a brilliant colorful display each autumn. He stood strong and
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  • Pulling weeds

    My garden needs weeding. Oh, does it need it. It happens about this time every year. I start out strong, but then, summer gets away from me and the weeds are miracle growing like they’ve been fertilized from 
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  • Returning home

    My husband and I recently indulged in a couple of days away to celebrate our anniversary. When we partake on such expeditions, which isn’t often, we understand the significance of
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  • Razzle-dazzle berries

    You never know the lessons you might learn from something as small and unassuming as a raspberry.
    The plants were a gift from a friend, a few clumps of leafy twigs, roots and the attached soil. You could hardly tell if they were alive, but I had faith in those little brown and green clumps. I plopped them in a bare spot in the garden and waited for my bounty.
    The first year generated no harvest. The plants were alive and growing. They just weren’t producing.
    My husband, who is less patient, questioned the practicality of using a portion of our limited garden space for a product that did not produce. I explained there is no room for 
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  • What’s in a name?

    It’s one of the first things new parents do after counting to make sure there are 10 fingers and 10 toes. They name the baby. Names are chosen carefully and with great attention to detail. What sort of mean nicknames could children in the schoolyard find to taunt little Dicky with? Will a weird spelling haunt a child for life? Does the name of choice rhyme with any swear words? Do initials spell out anything with negative connotations? Will the name make a smooth transition from childhood to adult life?
    There’s so much to contemplate.
    I’ve been doing all of the above. Not for a baby, but
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  • Walk, climb, move!

    Look around; they’re everywhere. Not smartphones, but they frequently work in partnership; like Fred and Wilma, but in a less “caveperson” style. People wear them on the wrist like people used to wear watches, which they are, but that’s just the tip of the “Flintstone,” dear friend.
    They’re known by a variety of names: activity trackers, fitness trackers, smartwatches, but they all do most of the same things. They keep track of, well, you.
    The little gizmo measures your activity. It counts the number of stairs you climb each day. It keeps track of a variety of workouts, your ability to recover after a workout and tallies how many steps you take. It even
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  • The lost decade

    We play a “name that tune” game in the car while listening to the radio. Whoever is first to blurt the title of a song and the name of the group or artist singing it wins. Last weekend, I encountered a melody unfamiliar to me. When I fessed up to this, my husband said “It’s a song from the ’90s.”
    He thought he was giving me a hint. Little did he know a hint would do me no good. I was beyond rescue and redemption.
    The ’90s? Ha! I know practically nothing from the decade; no songs, pop culture, TV shows, movies, unless they were Disney. It’s like I slept through the ’90s except just the opposite was true.
    The ’90s are
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  • A late-night quirk

    For the most part, my husband is a rational and logical human being. There is an orderly and predictable pattern to his days. He showers in the morning and brushes his teeth after meals. He rises early and goes to bed at a reasonable hour. He is a reasonable man, for the most part.
    On occasion, however, something peculiar overtakes him and he becomes a mysterious stranger not concerned with clocks or bedtimes. About once a month, he becomes inexplicably and permanently rooted to the couch, remote control in hand. The hours tick by and he isn’t moving until after some very late show is over.
    It is on these nights that I know he has become
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  • Holding heaven

    You forget how tiny they are and helpless, so utterly, completely helpless and exhausted, hungry and explosive, so literally explosive.
    Eat, poop, sleep, repeat and cry, but not often, if you are lucky.
    I’m talking about babies of the human variety. They are born helpless and remain dependent on parental care for 18 (or sometimes 40) years. Animals of other species are born helpless, but don’t often stay with mom and dad nearly as long.
    Chimpanzees are one of the closest and with good cause. They share 98% of their DNA with humans. Either we are like them or they are like us. I guess it depends on whom you ask. Chimps are dependent on their mothers for at least
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  • A summer for the books

    School’s out! Summer stretches out before us like a long and indulgent novel. We pull out shorts, flip-flops and bathing suits, and stock up on sunscreen and bug spray. We plan for time on the boat, days on the beach, bonfires at night, barbecues in the backyard and the activity I look forward to this time of year: summer reading.
    It’s a contest each summer. How many books can I amass; how many can I read? Any avid reader will tell you there is a difference between the two. Amassing requires acquiring and placing the books on the bookshelf. Reading requires taking them off the shelf and turning the pages, one by one, from start to
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  • In the neighborhood

    Mister Fred Rogers made the most of his neighborhood. I try to do the same, by walking the streets in the name of exercise. As a bonus, I make interesting and not-so-interesting observations. You can learn a lot by walking the neighborhood, which is completely different from casing the neighborhood, which I do not condone or recommend in any circumstance.
    While walking the streets (not streetwalking, which I also do not condone) you can practice your botany skills by learning which trees bud out first in the spring and which flowers bloom when. You note which neighbors grow their own vegetables, and who cultivates rose bushes and perennial beds. You also discover who
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  • Winding down

    It’s a wrap. Another school year is complete, in the books. Thank goodness it’s finished, because I am tired. It happens every year.
    Let’s face it, being a parent can be taxing. Being a parent with kids in school can be exhausting.
    We start out strong in September. Lunch accounts are in the black. Healthy snacks line the shelves of the pantry and fridge. A dozen or more sharpened No. 2 pencils are lined up in the homework station drawer; ditto that for extra erasers and pens in working order. We check the school’s parent website Fridays. Weekly progress reports are signed Sunday evenings with ease, folded neatly and placed in the designated backpack pocket to ensure effortless retrieval Monday mornings. Bedtime rituals are
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  • Seven wonders of life

    We’ve all heard of the Seven Wonders of the World. Most of us couldn’t name them all. I couldn’t, so I Googled and discovered I hadn’t even heard of some. Embarrassing, I know. Unfortunately, I’m more familiar with embarrassment than the Seven Wonders of the World.
    Actually, it’s more complicated than one list of seven wonders. The original list was compiled eons ago, in the B.C. years. Most of those wonders don’t exist anymore. Since then, various entities have compiled various lists of various seven wonders so there isn’t one definitive list anymore either.
    All these wonders got me wondering. Not about wonders of the world, but wonders of a more personal nature, ones we all experience as part of the human condition. If we were to choose a lucky seven, what would they be? My list is
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  • Outworking worry

    I worry. We all do. We all have things to fret about and fixate on. Real and legitimate things that could and may go wrong that will mess other things up.
    And lately — oh, lately — doesn’t it seem there are more major, huge and catastrophic issues to occupy our brain space? It seems that way because it is that way and that, in and of itself, is cause for worry.
    So many volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, shootings, explosions, and politics. So many accusations. So much criticism. So many terrible things happening in our own country as well as places halfway across the world. And we have to pay attention to both because we’ve only got one planet and
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  • Three uncles

    They’d be the first to admit they are more adept at handing off a football vs. a tiny human being, but during the last week, they’ve certainly given the latter their best ef