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
Peeing In A Fountain
It's been another evening of flipping pages in the little notebook full of funny stories while raising Rory and Ian, and this one is definitely one for the books! It was an afternoon of errands - a trip to Costco and another to the Commissary at Selfridge Air Base to get some groceries. I squeezed every penny I made, cut every coupon I could, and found every deal available during those single parenting years, and that included hair cuts. The barber shop on the Air Base charged $5 for buzz cuts, and so after the commissary run, we'd head over to the PX at Selfridge for a quick lunch and haircuts for the boys. On this particular day, Rory needed to use the bathroom, and what Mom - single or not - hasn't on occasion had to take her son into the ladies' room to go? Well, for me it was ... View Post
How to Make a “Boy Cheese”
There's a little notebook in the top drawer of my dresser, where I recorded fun little stories about my kiddos when they were young. I'd write down the silly things they'd say, or questions they'd ask. Now and then I still pull it out, sit down and skim through its, which alway leads to calling my Mum and my sister Nancy. The calls go something like this, "Hey! Remember the time......" and 30 minutes later we're all still laughing, and remembering other cherished stories. Tonight I was up late when I pulled that little notebook out, so I won't wake either of them up. But just in case someday that little piece of history gets lost, or forgotten, or tossed in the garbage once I'm gone, I thought maybe I'd record a couple of fun stories so that they always have opportunities to read ... View Post
So Long, September!
First of all, I can hardly believe that September is over. It was absolutely thee fastest September I've ever lived through! High's: I finally got to have dinner and catch up with Rachel Sparks. I hadn't seen her since we took a trip with Ian to Chicago and I caught Parvo about 8 years ago or so. Yep. Parvo. Woof, woof! It was fun getting to hear about all that she's been up to over the last 8 years! Rachel went to high school and church with my sons, so it's pretty neat to see her all grown up, and educated, and doing so well - even if it does make me feel old! Took a Friday night and treated myself to a manicure and pedicure! I remember that night well. I needed it. You know - sometimes you just gotta shut the phone off and sit in a massage chair and pamper yourself. ... View Post