Some blogs are easy to write and some have to be pulled out of you. This one is being pulled because with every word I write, I’m still in disbelief that Uncle Richard is gone. He passed away in the early hours of November 22nd. Although I knew it was coming because he’d been ill for several months, I held out hope he might make it through the…
I’m finally getting around to doing all the traveling normal people do when they’re young, now that I’m in my 60s…and I’m loving it. I finally got to Washington D.C. and left with a serious appreciation for our country and the sacrifices of those who helped build it and those who fought and died to keep it free. I went with Carolyn, who can arrange a tour of…
A crisp breeze and golden, twirling leaves signal the end of summer here in Pennsylvania which thrills me. A person can legally only take so many clothes off in sweltering heat and humidity, but you can always put more on once it cools off. So fall is time for my favorite attire, turtlenecks and corduroy jackets. Most autumn days find me tromping through the woods, amazed at the…
I had a dream about my mom this week. She was standing on the front porch of my parents’ former home and I was behind the screen of the front door looking at her. She was dressed up and looked beautiful. I told her I wanted to open the door to hug her but I was afraid she would disappear. She said, “No, I won’t.” So, I opened…
If you’ve ever had a friend you truly loved, who made you laugh until your face hurt, then lost her to demon cancer, you know you can’t let her life go without a last, well deserved, round of applause. I was lucky enough to meet Janet Reilly because our kids attended the same elementary school. I used to think I was funny, until I met Janet. She could…
I am not a dog person. I like dogs, but am not one of those people who’ll risk her life stopping in traffic to save a dog I don’t know. My friend, Carolyn will do that. God bless her, I admire her bravery, but that’s just not me. That’s why it took me a few margaritas to start on the long road toward loving a dog, I never…
We’ve all heard the saying, “Dance like no one is watching.” But I loved coming across this fuzzy photo of my mom doing her trademark Charleston step and seeing her in action. Mom was born in 1913, so coming of age in the Roaring Twenties, she must have loved a dance that had people flapping their arms, kicking up their heels and giving up stuffy, suffocating etiquette. My…
Some things are worth waiting for, like a perfect fall day, a job you love, and your turn to bask in the glory of winning the Annual Cutthroat Tunno Pumpkin Pie Competition! So, without further ado, I would like to proudly announce that the winner of this year’s competition goes to……………………………………………………………..…
I am one of the lucky ones. I get to have two of my three kids for Thanksgiving, and given the state of things today, that’s pretty great. I can’t wait for life to change for the better, but so far, 2020 has been inconvenient, but not tragic. Again, I know I’m lucky. I’ve had time to think, write, and figure out my next steps. I’m so very…
I started listening to a podcast last week called Dolly Parton’s America. My daughter was obsessed with it and knew I would love it. What she didn’t know was that I used to do a pretty mean imitation of Dolly before post nasal drip wreaked havoc on my vocal cords. I always liked Dolly, she was pretty, funny, and self deprecating. She was feminine, but not fragile –…