It’s a ghastly smell. Far worse than bread charred in the toaster. Burnt popcorn. And I wanted that popcorn for breakfast! Of course, it was nearly six in the evening when I tossed the package carelessly into the microwave. Yes, I’m running a little late today. Ten hours late to be exact. It’s been a […]
Weekend Update (Do You Know Where Your Children Are?)
“You’re going where?” I ask. “Brussels, Paris, then Rennes and maybe Brest,” he says. It’s my 18-year old on the phone from Europe. My son the factory worker, my son the office worker, my son the engineer-in-training, with a touch of mad scientist thrown in. Curious about everything. Vibrant and adventurous. My son, calling last […]
Plane snoozing, peanut scooping, eye rolling (Why I love my kid)
Travel time This is my kid. Yes, he’s sleeping. Head down, on an airplane. How can he do that?? Dining out This was last night’s dinner. Out on the town. Shouldn’t everyone go gourmet when they travel? Appetizers This delightful appetizer was part of the ambiance last evening, with that fabulous burger and fries. “What […]
The Travel Twin
I really don’t have an evil twin. It just feels like it some days. And then there’s this: I think an evil twin would come in handy. Of course, I would endow her with a complex persona, not just character flaws and secret longings. She’d be my polished pinch-hitter (for whatever I dislike), my cocky […]
Why We Sweat the Small Stuff
When the small stuff adds up…
My Son, the Office Worker
He’d managed to get his dirty clothes washed. Finally. But it took a phone call to his grandparents who live about an hour away. I imagine my son convincing his grandfather to fetch him, driving from their small town to the big city, and then back to their home for a family weekend of discussion […]
Opposites Attract
It isn’t just about romantic relationships, though these are the most obvious examples. Opposites attract, and often thrive. Consider the couples you know – their physical or behavioral differences. Their widely divergent backgrounds. Now think about the facets of your own personality that you like the most, along with the traits you love in others […]
My Son, the Factory Worker
When the phone rang yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t have been more delighted. I recognized the number immediately – it was my 18-year old son calling from Europe. The last time we talked, he was fresh off 20 long hours of travel. He was weary, but excited to find himself overseas again. He was ready to […]
Trickle Down Effect
Teaching children trickle down responsibility. And other life skills.
Why I’m Fond of Isopropyl Alcohol
Oddities I woke early, heart racing, dark dreams prickling – my own version of a global thriller, complete with missing mid-century masterpieces, a chase scene through a foreign airport, running for my life across an unknown border, and the face of the enemy in pursuit. Frankly, I kept waiting for action hero Jason Bourne to pop […]