I always used to associate March Madness with a March Blizzard. The two always seemed to go together when we lived in Minnesota, and although the snowstorm was severe, we never worried about it too much, because Spring was around the corner, and we knew the snow wouldn’t last too long. But that was then, this is now. Snowstorms haven’t been an issue for us in the six years we’ve been living in Georgia. So I’m getting used to March Madness simply being about basketball. [...]
I’ve just returned to planet earth from the Never-Neverland I’ve been living in for the past few weeks. Also known as “computer problems.” You’ve probably spent some time there on occasion, too. Some problems are merely annoying or frustrating, like computers that start getting sluggish, or screens that freeze up during a video session. Others are more alarming, like malware that slips by your anti-virus protection and can do serious damage to your computer or the information you have stored there. My problems started while [...]
“So—Which place that you visited was your favorite?” I was expecting – and dreading – that question once my husband and I returned from our vacation in Italy. The only accurate and appropriate answer I could give would be the cliché response: “That’s like asking me which child is my favorite,” especially if my children numbered more than a dozen, instead of just two. I was planning to go on a pilgrimage to Italy with my church a number of years ago, but because of [...]
In my blog post last week, I mentioned thinking about bucket list items. This week, I’m out exploring and experiencing one of them. So I don’t have anything to post this week, but I will when I return. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend. And if you haven’t done so lately, why don’t you take some time to think about some of the activities and adventures that are on your bucket list? Or add some new ones. Then get started on – or at [...]
We just passed the one-year anniversary of my husband’s heart attack. It’s not something we went out to celebrate, but we did take notice and reflect. In some ways, it feels like it’s been much longer than a year, but in other ways, it feels more like, “One year? Already?” In many ways, he’s back to how he was before having a heart attack. In other ways, it’s changed both our lives. After his surgery, his doctors warned him it would be a full year [...]
I have to admit that every so often, while writing a column or blog post, I worry that the topic I’m writing about is so ordinary and mundane that everyone reading it will be bored to tears, and quit reading halfway through – or sooner. Not only that, but I wonder if at the same time, I’m exposing all my faults and flaws, and showing how ordinary, mundane, and disorganized my life can be. Invariably, however, those posts end up being the ones people seem [...]
We’re cleaning out a closet in the back room, the one that’s become a storage unit. The one you joke about, saying you need to put a helmet on before opening the closet door – except it’s not really a joke. One of the shelves holds bags and stacks of gift boxes, wrapping paper, and greeting cards, and anytime I reach for anything, most of the rest usually comes flying down with it. The closet also holds Christmas decorations, photos and frames, and miscellaneous mementos. [...]
We had a visit last week from some out-of-state friends. We didn’t know ahead of time exactly when they would be here, or how long they’d be able to stay, because they were taking a road trip from Chicago and visiting some other relatives and places along the way. But we had done a grocery run anticipating company, and I baked some cookies and sourdough bread ahead of their arrival. The rest, we played by ear. We have known this couple forever – two of [...]
The writing group I belong to used to meet weekly. That was before COVID. Then, for a while, we didn’t meet at all. Eventually, we started getting together via Zoom, although we didn’t meet every week. Like many people and organizations, we discovered there were pros and cons to Zoom meetings. They were better than not being able to meet at all, and allowed long-distance members to take part. But technical glitches were frustrating and annoying. When it was okay to start meeting in person [...]