My brother-in-law John died December 29. John was my husband’s closest friend and co-conspirator from the moment Tom drew his first breath. John passed away unexpectedly due to heart complications, present and medically/surgically managed since he drew his first breath. He was only a month older than me and nothing grabs your attention like the sudden loss… Continue reading My Obituary (Rough Draft)

My brother-in-law John died December 29. John was my husband’s closest friend and co-conspirator from the moment Tom drew his first breath. John passed away unexpectedly due to heart complications, present and medically/surgically managed since he drew his first breath. He was only a month older than me and nothing grabs your attention like the sudden loss […]

The rarest of events occurred this week. My baby (yes, he is of the age of majority and is poised to vote in next week’s election, but my baby will always be my baby) and I hit the road to the Twin Cities this week. It’s spring break week here, and by “spring” break what… Continue reading Minnesota-Nice

The rarest of events occurred this week. My baby (yes, he is of the age of majority and is poised to vote in next week’s election, but my baby will always be my baby) and I hit the road to the Twin Cities this week. It’s spring break week here, and by “spring” break what […]

When you’re a parent, you can’t necessarily know when the last last will occur. As our children develop and grow, parents mark firsts–your joy at the sound of his first baby belly laugh, the painful eruption of his first tooth and later its subsequent loss, his wobbly first steps, his first day of kindergarten, first… Continue reading At Lasts

When you’re a parent, you can’t necessarily know when the last last will occur. As our children develop and grow, parents mark firsts–your joy at the sound of his first baby belly laugh, the painful eruption of his first tooth and later its subsequent loss, his wobbly first steps, his first day of kindergarten, first […]

I’ve never been so excited not to be doing something! Let me explain— The graduation gift of a lifetime (we hope, anyway) is underway. To recognize (and reward? kinda/not exactly reward) our sons’ graduations, we let them choose a special destination vacation. We are not a family of significant means, but I’ve long been scrimping,… Continue reading A Little Light Internet Stalking

I’ve never been so excited not to be doing something! Let me explain— The graduation gift of a lifetime (we hope, anyway) is underway. To recognize (and reward? kinda/not exactly reward) our sons’ graduations, we let them choose a special destination vacation. We are not a family of significant means, but I’ve long been scrimping, […]

Have you seen that internet game? My pet’s name is ___, but we call him ___? My inner woulda/coulda/shoulda-been linguistics major never tired of reading the replies. The ways people twisted and shaped their pets’ names into nicknames sixteen degrees away from their animals’ literal names always makes me smile. My dog’s name was Caleb,… Continue reading My Dog’s Name Was Caleb

Have you seen that internet game? My pet’s name is ___, but we call him ___? My inner woulda/coulda/shoulda-been linguistics major never tired of reading the replies. The ways people twisted and shaped their pets’ names into nicknames sixteen degrees away from their animals’ literal names always makes me smile. My dog’s name was Caleb, […]

I even have BS Travel to thank for today’s post title! What ever would I do without my college friends?? I hate to mislead you, so know up front: this is a story about neither a cartoon Great Dane nor a mansion, per se. It was really a malodorous cottage, but you know. . .… Continue reading Scooby-Doo and the Case of the Malodorous Mansion

I even have BS Travel to thank for today’s post title! What ever would I do without my college friends?? I hate to mislead you, so know up front: this is a story about neither a cartoon Great Dane nor a mansion, per se. It was really a malodorous cottage, but you know. . . […]

Receipt of a nasty, threatening, and completely phony email generated from my actual email account last evening prompted me to review my security settings and reset my email password yesterday. I am technologically as old school as they come, still hanging on to an old Hotmail account for a good deal of my legit email… Continue reading Hacked

Receipt of a nasty, threatening, and completely phony email generated from my actual email account last evening prompted me to review my security settings and reset my email password yesterday. I am technologically as old school as they come, still hanging on to an old Hotmail account for a good deal of my legit email […]

Family and friends have been checking in recently, inquiring about my newly-minted status as an “empty nester.” I sincerely appreciate their concern as they’ve reached out with messages of support and love for us. I’ve never embraced the term “empty nest.” Even before my kids flying the coop felt like the remotest of events possible… Continue reading And Then There Were Two

Family and friends have been checking in recently, inquiring about my newly-minted status as an “empty nester.” I sincerely appreciate their concern as they’ve reached out with messages of support and love for us. I’ve never embraced the term “empty nest.” Even before my kids flying the coop felt like the remotest of events possible […]

Both my sons voted in their first presidential election this cycle. I’m still kinda weirded out at the thought of my firstborn legally buying himself a beer, but here’s where I find myself in 2024: two adult children. My children probably don’t remember the first time they went to the polls. They were teeny, tiny—old… Continue reading Boating

Both my sons voted in their first presidential election this cycle. I’m still kinda weirded out at the thought of my firstborn legally buying himself a beer, but here’s where I find myself in 2024: two adult children. My children probably don’t remember the first time they went to the polls. They were teeny, tiny—old […]

Nothing. Literally nothing seems to be good news these days. It occurred to me after the last professional meeting I facilitated that I’m rarely in a position to deliver good news. The recognition sucker-punched me. For so many years I excitedly and proudly stood in front of my peers delivering updates, sharing research, presenting on… Continue reading No News Is Good News

Nothing. Literally nothing seems to be good news these days. It occurred to me after the last professional meeting I facilitated that I’m rarely in a position to deliver good news. The recognition sucker-punched me. For so many years I excitedly and proudly stood in front of my peers delivering updates, sharing research, presenting on […]