Priorities change with a family emergency
“Where were you last week? I missed you!” This was what I heard from several people about the fact that I didn’t have a column in last week’s Villager. One person said, “I can’t even remember the last time your column wasn’t in the paper.” To tell you the truth, neither can I. And for those who are wondering about the reason, it was a family matter. My father-in-law was hospitalized with a life-threatening infection that required immediate surgery, so [...]
An old house is becoming new again
“So, you’re really an empty nester now,” a friend said to me shortly after my son’s wedding last month. Her comment caught me a bit off guard, since my kids have been grown and gone for quite a while now. But with both of them now married, that makes my husband and me empty nesters in a whole new way. And it got us thinking about our house in a whole new way, too. Our son left home when he [...]
A closer look can tell a different story
I was sitting in the hotel lobby with three friends. We had just returned from an early-morning walk, and were enjoying a cup of coffee before packing up, checking out, and heading back to Minnesota. I was facing the front door of the hotel, and absently watching the people who were checking out and leaving. “They certainly have a lot of luggage for just two people,” I said to my friends, nodding toward a young couple pushing a cart full [...]
An airport experience shows a lack of courtesy
My husband and I were returning from an out-of-state trip. Our flight home was late Sunday night, after a long and busy day. As we approached our gate at the airport, we found just one seat open in a row of seven seats. Gentleman that he is, my husband motioned for me to sit down. I did, and as I looked around, I could feel my temperature rising. It wasn’t from the weather, but the fact that three of the [...]