There is a house on Colonial Heights with a postage-stamp-sized front yard. The hedges that lined the sidewalk, the garden in the corner with its portulacas and hens and chicks, and the shade from the trees with the low-hanging branches seemed to create their own little oasis, in my eight year old mind. The closed-in … Continue reading The House on Colonial Heights
Family
There Is…
There is a song that plays on the radio, "Upside Down" by Jack Johnson, as we begin a long drive home. There are tears that I'm trying to keep, unsuccessfully, from leaking out of my eyes. There is a scratchy Dunkin Donuts napkin I use to wipe them away. There are memories tied to this … Continue reading There Is…
I am a Mom
I am a Mom. I am a Situation Assessor and a Situation Handler. I am the Chaser of Nightmares and the Monster Vanquisher I am the Maker of Magic Potions Sprinkler of Pixie Dust The Spider Catcher I am a Keeper of Secrets and a Finder of Things I am the Mood-Gauge and the Tone-Setter … Continue reading I am a Mom
The Job
You never think this time is going to come. You start this parenting journey and it seems so long and tiring at first. It's all sleepless nights and endless laundry and constant washing and feeding and worrying. Well, the worrying never stops, anyway. You think, if I can just get a full night's sleep, I'll … Continue reading The Job
The Story
I don't know much about the Vietnam War except what's been written in U.S. history textbooks. I am not a history buff. I know what my Dad, a veteran, has chosen to tell me, and that's very little. I know it was a war that divided generations of Americans, many stuck in their own … Continue reading The Story
Yankee Swap
I was first introduced to the Yankee Swap at our family Christmas party, although I don't remember exactly how long ago. I can't remember a family Christmas party without a Yankee Swap, so it's obviously been a tradition for a long time. Although everyone just called it the "Grab Bag," which seemed appropriate for the … Continue reading Yankee Swap
Potluck
I grew up thinking potluck dinners were the only way to feed a large gathering of people. My Dad grew up in a large family, and I have more cousins than I could name when I was little. We would gather several times a year- my Gram's birthday, Christmas Eve, spring clean-ups. My aunts would … Continue reading Potluck
Halloween Through the Years: My Life in Headlines
If someone thought my life was interesting enough to write about, and they decided that Halloween would be the perfect lens, they might write something like the following. But obviously, no one does, so I'll have to write it myself, on the off-chance that it might make someone (besides me) laugh. Disturbance Investigated in Quiet … Continue reading Halloween Through the Years: My Life in Headlines
Been There, Done That
I've just produced photographic evidence that Youngest Son wore the same shirt- the exact same turquoise Under Armor polo shirt- for three consecutive school pictures. (Since our elementary school has a spring photo session as a fundraiser, he wore it for one spring, one fall, and then the following spring.) Damn picture day always catches … Continue reading Been There, Done That
Get a Clue
I will probably never win another game of "Clue" again. I'm not a very logical thinker when it comes to board games. I'm not very good at developing strategies. I make random guesses, and "hope for the best." Which … Continue reading Get a Clue
