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Sadly, he went back to school today
At breakfast, I realized that the bits of poison ivy that spotted his legs had spread, and he couldn’t stop scratching. There was no possible way I could send him to school. Hearing the verdict, his mouth spread into a grin. A wave of contentment settled around, and he immediately asked to watch a movie. I reminded him of my no-screen rule, of course. So, he pulled out the wooden trains and started to build, cloistered himself, with his brother, in a room in the basement while they built. Soon, he announced that he was ready for me to take a look. Behind the door, I saw yet another of…
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Someday, I will have a pretty garden
My Uncle has a way of conveying, without arrogance, his wisdom from his 80-plus years of living, in a gentle way. He bestows his knowledge quietly, without force, and only years later, if you were smart enough to put his advice to work, do you realize you have been given a gift that continues to multiply in benefits I transplanted my grocery bag plants three weekends ago at the lake, during 20 mile per hour winds. In the beginning, I planned to be neat and precise; making distinct rows and covering each row with weed cover in a methodical system. But after the wind blew sand into my eyes enough…
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What is thunder again?
In the midst of a busy life, take some time to be a kid again. Today the weatherman is calling for thunderstorms. I imagine myself curling up on the screened porch under a cozy blanket reading a scary fairy tale to the kids. Soon, they’ll start asking me “what is thunder again?” By now there are so many variations the boys have heard that there is no clear consensus. My original version, “God is just moving his furniture,” has been replaced with one the older boy’s picked up at school: “Chuck Norris is taking a walk.” As the boys truly have no idea who Chuck Norris is, they assume he…
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Sweet Sixteen
Dear Kids, The three days that herald Memorial Day Weekend leave us full of greed, year after year. All winter long, we hunger for these 3 days so that we can hammer through so many of the warm weather projects that we can’t touch all winter. This year, we were blessed with warmth and your feet pattered around the grass barefoot. As we plowed through one task through the next, I reached that tipping point when one task piled on top of another so quickly that I questioned my own stamina for handling the work required to handle a lake house. Charlie, the Heron, visited us. All day long you…
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Why yes, I did end up with eggs all over my kitchen
Note To Self: Always add, in multiples of 10, messes to your fantasies. And, you should know this by now. Once the eggcups arrived, they fell in love with the chicks… instantly. But of course, the felt egg chicks don’t really fit on top of the eggcups unless there is an egg inside the cup. So, they pulled the egg carton out of the refrigerator, and they began stuffing the eggcups with fresh eggs. I indulged them by washing the eggs; assuming they would get their fill of egg play after a few seconds and and be off to something else. Who plays with eggs? Once, to keep me busy,…
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My little Kindergarten Screening Gift
UPDATE: The Gift Arrived Basically, I’m no-frills, basic. Out of necessity, the boys have made me this way. Shopping has become, over time, with babies, toddlers and preschoolers along, an experience of high-anxiety and heavy breathing. Sometimes I get the shakes when it’s all over. There may have been a time in my life when I shopped specialty gift shops for that unique, out of the ordinary, one-of-a-kind treasure, but I can’t recall feeling that free and uninhibited. Now, Macy’s and Target cover my needs. Depending on whether I turn left or right when I back out of our driveway, both are close to home, and on the way to…
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Bond. James Bond.
If you just happen to see me out and about with this guy, I’m not on my way to a wedding. I’m with Bond. James Bond. The same James Bond who also wears cowboy boots. His traditional shaken-not-stirred thing backfired when he started hitting the kool-aid a little too hard.
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Sometimes, we can only give our love
Today was the big race; the pink wigs, the survivor signs, and the “in memory of” signs. The Race for the Cure that started more than 20 years ago, with a promise between two sisters; and yet there is still no cure is in sight. Breast cancer continues to take our sisters, our friends, our daughters and our mothers. But for one day, this race symbolizes the survivor spirit that glows behind every woman. This post is adapted from my newspaper column. Cancer is that dark subject we try to avoid, especially when it comes to our own health. We’ve been know to delay scheduling that screening appointment because we’re…
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Seed Sprout Necklackes Grow With Your Heart
These seed necklaces provide just enough moisture and warmth, thanks to a little one’s heart, to sprout a seed. Once you have roots, and a couple of leaves, your seed is ready to transplant to your garden. Here’s how to make your own seed necklace: Start with a jeweler’s plastic bag — the small ones. Moisten a cotton ball with water and insert into bag. Add a seed of your choice. This one is a loofah gourd seed. Close plastic bag, and make a hole just big enough to push twine through. Run twine through hole, and adjust length and knot twine so that the seed packet falls right about…
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