Our son was seven years old when Jurassic Park – the first one – came out in 1993. Like many seven-year-old boys – and girls, too, probably – he was fascinated by anything to do with dinosaurs, and of course wanted to go see the movie. We weren’t sure that was a good idea, so my husband and I decided to see the movie ourselves first, and then decide if it was okay for our son to see it. I still remember sitting in the [...]
We’ve been having some plumbing problems in our house that my husband was not able to fix, so it was time to call a plumber. Our appointment was for this morning, and since the water would be shut off for at least a few hours while he was working, we had some prep work to do. I got up a bit earlier than usual to make sure I was showered and dressed before he showed up. I had an early breakfast, too, so I could [...]
Over the Memorial Day weekend, it has never seemed right to write about anything but, well, Memorial Day. To remind everyone – myself included – that the holiday is not about barbecues and fireworks and the unofficial start of summer. It’s about remembering and honoring those who gave their lives in service to our country. Every year, I’ve taken part of the day to sit back and reflect on this, as well as to call or text my son – a former Marine who served [...]
It’s been an odd week. I did another COVID test on Friday and, like the one I did the week before, it was positive. This wasn’t particularly alarming, since I heard from several people – including a doctor and a pharmacist – that positive test results are not uncommon for a while after having COVID, even after symptoms are gone and it’s safe to start going about your normal activities again. My symptoms by that time were almost completely gone. I just had a slight [...]
Okay, it’s my turn. I felt like I was coming down with a cold yesterday. It was worse this morning, with a few extra symptoms that were annoying, but not alarming. Still, I remember a friend of mine saying not long ago that he had had what he thought was a cold, but turned out to be COVID. So I did a home COVID test, and – sure enough – it was positive. The first thing I did was call to cancel the dental appointment [...]
Today, I want to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to everyone who is – or has been – important to a child… To the ones who gave birth to them and raised them – which is often, but not always, the same person. To the ones who nurtured, educated, and inspired them. To the ones who stepped in and took over when Mom needed a break, or had to go back to work. To the ones who never had kids of their own, but was [...]
I spent the weekend in Duluth – Georgia, not Minnesota – attending a Toastmasters District Conference. It was our first live conference since Spring of 2019, and it felt wonderful to be there again, live and in person. Numerous safety measures were in place, including mask and social distancing rules and recommendations, and a requirement for proof of a negative COVID test taken 24 hours before the start of the Conference. A testing station was set up near the registration table at the hotel, for [...]
When I was very young, Easter Sunday meant walking up the hill to church for morning Mass, wearing a pretty dress and hat, white gloves, and ruffled anklets. Later in the afternoon would be a traditional Easter meal – sometimes at our house but usually at Grandma and Grandpa’s. Following that would be a few chocolate treats and marshmallow Peeps from our Easter baskets – especially welcome after having gone without candy of any kind all through Lent. When my kids were young, some things [...]
When we lived in Minnesota, my sister and I used to visit the Minneapolis Farmers Market almost every spring. We have very different tastes and interests, so one of us would linger at a booth the other would barely glance at. We’d often pass each other up, and meet at the end of the aisle. While my sister spent time looking at flowers, I would be checking out herbs and veggies. She liked garden decorations and knick-knacks. I preferred kitchen gadgets and seasoning blends. I [...]