Ahhh, Halloween. Some parents love it. Others hate it. Me? I fall somewhere in between, really enjoying parts of it, but often finding myself waiting for the whole thing to be over. Regardless of how you view this pagan holiday, most can not argue that the Halloween path is fraught with obstacles and the danger [...]
The last time I saw the Phillies play in the World Series, it was 1993. Chris and I were waving around a craft-store bird painted blue and hung upside down from a golf putter as a taunt to the Blue Jays. Kudos to our friend Jim Fryer who created the effigy. At the time, Ian [...]
It has been two weeks since my 40 til 40 post when I committed stupidly publicly to getting myself in shape. I have 26 days left. I think I have lost about 3 pounds but more importantly, I feel much better physically. Here is what I look like now: Admittedly, I have a ways to [...]
Excitement ran high last night, as we prepared to go to the World Series. Phillies were up, 3 to 1. The forecast was for rain, but no matter – what’s a bit of moisture? Malcolm and I were in the magic section in center field where home runs have been landing. He brought his glove, [...]
The invitation was otherwise lovely. It was a baby shower for a dear friend who is having her first child in about two months. I remember quickly scanning the details and smiling, as the date was a good one for me. Then I reached the bottom of the page. Shhhhh…it’s a surprise. I wanted to [...]
Before having babies, I had illusions. My children would wear hand-knit sweaters, play with wooden toys, and eat what their parents ate. They would sleep through the night at four months, effortlessly learn a second language as toddlers, shake hands and make eye contact like small diplomats at 36 months. None of this folly came [...]
The annual visit to the gynecologist is so ripe with material that I almost looked forward to it this year. I even brought my camera to capture the warm ambiance that we women have come to embrace as a delicate cross between the school nurse’s office and a sanitarium. Because snapping photos of the table [...]
The scourge of the Stinkbug Horribilus, genus Ubiquitous, did not exist in the United States until a few years ago. Now, the stinkin’ things are everywhere. Seeking asylum on my scissors. Hiding out in handpuppets (Malcolm received this nasty shock). Walking across windowpanes. Sticking to screens. Emitting bitter fumes when maddened, they are well-named, ugly [...]
It was Noah’s birthday this past weekend. He turned 11 years old at 8:44 p.m. on Saturday night and we threw him a party. I could use this space to tell you how proud I am of this incredibly sweet, intelligent, inquisitive boy at the center of this photo, but that wasn’t where my mind [...]
All 5th graders in our school district go through a program called DARE, in which friendly cops come in to scare the kids straight. The kids learn the grisly facts and dangers, write essays on why they will never indulge in behaviors that can lead to addiction, and get a T-shirt at the end. I [...]
