Shirley, Shirley bo burley banana fanana fo furley, Fee fi mo murley, Shirley Last weekend, on our girl’s getaway, someone asked the question, ‘Did you like your name when you were a kid?’ My nieces, Jennifer and Gina, admitted they did not, but for different reasons. “There were literally six other Jennifers in my elementary … Continue reading The Name Game
Girls Weekend - June 26, 1999 Mom, my sister and her daughter, and I spent the weekend in Saugatuck, Michigan. Away from the stresses of home, work, and the responsibilities of caring for others, we relaxed in each other’s company. We hit the local shops, swam in the motel pool, and took turns reading aloud … Continue reading Girls Weekend – A Journey In Progress
We’ve had some hectic weekends for the past month or so, but this morning found both MOH and me home on a Sunday morning with no particular plans. We cooked pumpkin pancakes together and relaxed over coffee. It would have been easy to kick back and spend the day as a couple of couch potatoes. … Continue reading Sunday – Destination Unknown
You can't go home again. The expression is borne from the title of a Thomas Wolffe novel, meaning if you try to return to a place you remember from the past, it won't be the same as you remember it. I feel like this saying has a large breadth of application... or else I’ve become … Continue reading Home Is Where The Heart Is
My mom grew up in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan (the Soo), one of eight children in an Italian/American family. My grandma, a young widow with three children, married my grandpa, a widower with three children. They then had my mom and my Aunt M. I used to tell my elementary school friends, “It’s like the … Continue reading All In The Family
The other day at work, a coworker asked me, “Are you still doing that purge thing?” Why, yes. Yes, I am. For those of you that are new to my party, I have been trying to reduce the number/volume of my material possessions since the first of the year. Reduce. De-clutter. Simplify. Purge. It’s a … Continue reading The Purge Continues
We hosted a gathering of neighbors at our place last week-end. It was a casual affair and more about great company than the food. I ended up ordering pizzas and salad, because it seemed easy, but it got me to thinking, and writing, about pizza. Disclaimer: I usually do my fair share of fact checking … Continue reading Pizza – An Italian/American Treasure
I’ve grudgingly accepted the fact that wiener dogs want to go outside two seconds after you sit down, pillow case openings should point toward the center of the bed, and back to school supplies hit the store shelves immediately following the 4th of July. But I am having the hardest time accepting kids going back … Continue reading School – A Labor Day Story
I was at the Ford dealership recently for a minor repair on my 2010 Ford Escape. When I picked up my service paperwork, one of the printed boxes indicated - Delivery date: 8/20/2009. Wow! I've never had a vehicle, that I purchased new, reach its 10th birthday. And although I've been thinking recently that I … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Sweet Escape
Most folks have an idea of the way things ought to be. Children should respect their elders, adults should help friends and neighbors who are experiencing life struggles, and leaders – whether political or spiritual – should have a conscience and some morals. Also, the end of the toilet paper should hang over the exterior … Continue reading Wouldn’t It Be Nice
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