Up North. As a kid growing up, I always wondered where this mysterious place was. Neighbors hooked their boats on to the back of their station wagons not long after the last day of school, and then left for what seemed like an eternity. For many summer vacation weeks I missed my friends, and all I knew was that they had a cottage, and we didn't. They went up north, and we went to Nova Scotia. I had no idea where this "up north" place was, and neither did I realize Nova Scotia was wayyyyy more north than their up north! Late August it was so much fun when suddenly, out of nowhere, we'd be in the middle of playing outside, and down Hemingway Street we'd see the Poison Family station wagon with it's boat in tow, headed home. "The Poison's are home! The Poison's are home!" And ... View Post
Eat the Frog First!
There are 14 days left in 2022. That's 14 more days to get that one dreaded thing on my to-do list done. That THING that I keep moving over each week to NEXT week's to do list. But now I'm running out of weeks, & running out of days. I should just eat the doggone frog and get it done, right? Aaaarrrrrgggghhhhh! I don't want to! "Eat the frog first," my daily motto at a former job, made days so much easier, giving me something to look forward to pretty early in the day when I'd tackle the biggest projects (the frogs) first thing in the morning. Well, if only I'd have eaten December's frog before now... But I haven't. I haven't eaten that stupid frog. And that's okay. I'm actually hoping not to have to eat that frog at all. And speaking of the last two weeks of ... View Post
Papa’s Pocket
Do you ever wonder how many miles are on your shoes? Or pick up your grandchild's feet, tickle their toes, and wonder where they'll take them some day? Or buy a piece of clothing from a thrift store, and wonder who it belonged to? Where they wore it to? What they're doing now? Do you wonder about all of the people in the background of the photos you've taken of loved ones over the years? Or touch the pages of an old library book, and wonder who else turned those pages? I do. I wonder all sorts of things that most people might think are quite odd. But I wonder. I suppose I wonder a lot. A few years after my Dad died, my mom started going through some of his clothing. I came over one day, and I found his old light blue jacket that he wore for many years in a stack for the ... View Post
Okay! Okay! I’ll Get a Donut!
Deb was behind the counter in the cafe at church, taking coffee & hot chocolate orders from people in line. Giving her a quick shout and saying good morning was my intention, but as I got closer, I realized how busy she was, so an "I'll call ya' later!" was all she got. Turning around to head out, an adorable (like, really, really, super adorable) little boy named Calvin approached me. Looking up with his mouth full, and his eyes big with so much excitement, a chocolate frosted donut in his hand, (with its evidence all over his cute little face), he said to me, "You HAVE to get a donut! You HAVE TO!" Well, okay Calvin! I'll get in line! I've been thinking a lot lately as we approach the end of 2022, of what my 2023 goals or plans would be. Doesn't everyone do that? Tonight ... View Post
Good Stuff Right There
I'm currently sitting on the couch staring at my new Christmas tree. It's a pencil tree, skinny enough, and light enough for me to one-handedly carry up and down the stairs to and from the basement. It's my "retirement / empty nester" tree, one I won't have to depend on anyone else to bring upstairs for me, and if the day comes when I would need help, then guess what - Christmas can just happen in the basement! I have given my sons all of the ornaments we collected over the years, which was always my intention, so there's just a few left, which is ALL I need! (Do NOT buy me any ornaments, please!) I also like to do them myself and share them on my tiktok where I use socialboosting.com to boost my content and get more viewers to monetize my account. But I'm not just staring at my ... View Post
It’s A Great Day to be Alive & In Michigan!
Twas Christmas morning 1982, Fort Clayton, Panama, and about 95 degrees with 100% humidity. I awoke to the sound of police sirens going off, so away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw open the sash! Then, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a convoy of Military Police vehicles circling the 193rd Infantry Division's "Mech Loop," with Santa Claus in the back of a pickup truck yelling "Merry Christmas!!" to everyone sticking their heads out the windows of the barracks to see what was going on. "Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!" Santa yelled over and over through his loud speaker, followed by one wise crack that made everyone laugh, "It's a great day to be alive and in Panama!" He was mocking Major Schuler, our Battalion Commander, who yelled every ... View Post
October’s Over, Let’s Turn the Page!
How can I be halfway through this planner? It feels like I just picked it out! Nonetheless, I turned the page tonight for a sneak peek at the plans I've penciled in for November. It's true that TIME goes faster, and faster, and faster the older we get! The past three months I must have aged a decade because it's never felt this fast to me, ever! And, despite how quickly time seems to have gone by, the leaves this year just seem like they don't want to fall. I've watched them change multiple shades of several different colors in not only my neighborhood, but in every neighborhood to and from work and every other place I frequently drive. But they are still on the trees, and just don't want to let go! Tonight it's cold and rainy, and I wonder if maybe tonight they'll fall off, and ... View Post
Barbed Wire, A Chunk of Cement, & A Cross
I stopped at an estate sale today on my way home from church. Total strangers were sitting behind card tables taking cash for items sold. I made my way through each of the rooms. There was a wedding dress that had yellowed, costume jewelry, clip-on earrings, hand knitted afghans, Christmas ornaments, doll houses... Junk to most of the people who walked through while I was there. Just "junk" to me, as well. Sometimes I wonder what will become of the little treasured possessions I've kept over the years. Will they just be "junk" in an estate sale some day too? Probably. In my top drawer are my old tara brooches from my Irish dance costumes. They bring back so many good memories of my childhood, but will probably be old lady costume jewelry to someone one day. There are drawings ... View Post