Because I graduated in 1969, my 50th high school reunion is on the horizon. Somewhere. I don't know the specifics, but I've seen FB "Calling All Classmates" announcements here and there. Honestly, I'm only distantly connected. I spent high school not talking to most people, so why would I want to get all dolled up…
Every time I turn around, another teachers' strike begins. The issues never change--higher wages, better benefits, smaller class sizes, expanded book and supply budgets. People in charge never get the message, do they? Yet dollars can't fix everything. The profession is plagued by a pervasive negative attitude. While usually unspoken, I heard it loud and…
Yes, this is really about fringe. And a mistake I made about tangled fringe. Keep in mind I was a late-in-life mother. So when we adopted Maggie, I was over-the-moon ready. Okay, some people would call it overzealous. Looking back, I see I turned my perfectionist's dial to 11 because 10 simply wasn't sufficient for…
After living in big cities, Cliff and I deliberately retired to a one-stoplight town. Fighting traffic, standing in long lines, budgeting rising taxes, and deciphering endless signs took a toll. Not to mention always being anonymous. After a few months in residence here, I was greeted by name three times on an afternoon walk. People…
By this point in life, I understand that mostly small things consume us with frustration or delight. As Cliff says, "It's all about choices." We decide how our focus lands. So in our house built in 1859, we face more decisions than we can shake a stick at. Tuckpointing, landscaping, painting, shutter hanging, and finding…
Overwhelmed yet? It's now or never as far as Christmas goes. If you're anything like me, the holiday crash course begins around Halloween with a parallel list of orange/brown decor beside the green/red one. If you're clever, with a few additions and deletions, the Trick or Treat decorations morph into Autumnal Pilgrims, easy peasy. But…
What happened to vacuum cleaners? I'm sure you've kept up with the times better than I have, but they now look like you could use them to fight dragons. With a charging unit and fleet of attachments, they require a room of their own. Cliff and I have been through several over 40 years of…
People complain about television. They always have their reasons, but mostly parents worry about its impact on children. Anyone can see how that might be true. But let me tell you about an astonishing connection Maggie made through television when she was a toddler. This begins with my mother who became a widow at forty-six,…
You already know this, but you've probably forgotten. If you're my age, in first grade you were handed a wooden ruler stamped with The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Bulletin boards brandished the slogan. Teachers recited it to unruly children who had to be separated at recess.…
Everyone hates Monday. It's a flashing signal warning us to get back on the school bus or to grab the broom or to log on at the office. There are chores to complete and deadlines to meet. Enough fun. So imagine my shock when I answered the phone at 11 am this past Monday and…
