We spent last weekend at a remote cabin in the Shenandoah Mountains. No running water, no mod cons. The cabin and gorgeous setting reminded me of The Waltons, that tear-jerking 1970s show in which a close-knit family weathered the Depression with grit and determination. Like John-Boy, my husband went to UVA, and we spent the [...]
Every kid should have his or her thing. By “thing” I am referring to some talent, inclination, or propensity for a specific activity. Three criteria: They should be good at it. They should love it, without any parental intervention, coaxing or cajoling. It should be legal. At most, the thing makes them feel unique and [...]
Here’s today’s #1 reason a child should study a stringed instrument. Cello and violin have never looked and sounded so cool. \”Viva La Vida on YouTube\” Our house contains one lapsed clarinetist, one lapsed violinist, and one lapsed violist. Actually two former violinists if you count me – I stopped at age 16. I’m a [...]
Noah came down with the Mork from Ork sore throat on Saturday night. You know the one that comes with horrible referred pain in your ear when you swallow? The only relief is to stick your finger in your ear and apply significant pressure…every time you swallow…which happens a lot. It’s a goofy gesture that [...]
In 1986, Chris was traveling in Europe. He wanted to meet up with his college friend Rob, who had been living in Germany, Italy, and Egypt for several years. It was a pre-cell-phone era. Pre-email. Pre-text-messaging. Even pre-fax. And so Chris and Rob communicated old-school, by occasional phone call and letter. In August, a postcard [...]
For those MoB readers who are married with offspring, a question: What is the longest time period you have spent away from your spouse and children? Surely we all can say hours, most of us can claim to a day or two, but I wonder how many can say “a week”? If you can’t, you [...]
We were tooling north on NY’s I-81 for our annual rendezvous with friends at the Thousand Islands. Almost there, last exit before Canada! Chris drove while 17-year-old Ian rode shotgun, wearing giant white shades and giant lime-green headphones. And why was I not in the front seat, where grown-ups belong? Because I was sitting in [...]
Dave took the boys up to visit his family in Rhode Island this week, leaving me behind to get some rest. Offers to have dinner with members of my family immediately flooded in, which I happily accepted. I’m still a little out of it. I was at Mom’s for the last two nights for food. [...]
In the dreaded End Times of summer, unscheduled dog days are a sentence to be served, not a gift to be treasured. Boredom is entrenched. Kids are at loose ends. Moms are at wit’s end. Witness this trio of shots from late summer, some years ago. Malcolm is the victim of an unprovoked attack. Minding [...]
Beijing 2008 Here’s one for the mothers and fathers of daughters. Being somewhat bedridden for the last few days, I have watched an unprecedented number of hours of Olympic coverage, staying up until ungodly hours to watch the girl’s women’s gymnastics competition. Even if I wasn’t recovering from surgery, I would have burned the midnight [...]
