It wasn’t anything close to a felony. Even as misdemeanors go, it was pretty minor. Still, I didn’t want it forever on my record. Or, even worse, my conscience. My husband and I were returning home from an 800-mile road trip. I bought a cup of coffee at a gas stop along the way, and on my way out of the store, I glanced at a rack of maps and brochures—the kind of promotional and complimentary material found at many rest stops and convenience stores [...]
We were just getting out of our car in the parking garage at the Atlanta Airport when I got the text message from my sister. “Have you left for the airport yet? Because we’re going to be late.” My sister and her son were coming to visit us for a long weekend, and we were picking them up at the airport. But after they had boarded their plane in Chicago, a minor problem was discovered with a cargo door on their plane. Maintenance was still [...]
We flew to Chicago last weekend to visit my in-laws. Seated next to me on the plane was an elderly woman who reminded me of Rosa Parks. We became fast friends after I helped her with her seat belt, which was twisted in such a way that it wouldn’t fasten properly. She later returned the favor by helping me pull my tray table out of the armrest between us. We chatted, off and on, during the flight. I learned that she’s almost 91, that she’s [...]
A landline telephone. Paper calendars. Print versions of books and newspapers. These are items I refuse to part with, even under pressure – sometimes subtle, sometimes intense – to embrace their technological replacements. Holding on to them often feels like a losing battle, but it’s one I’ll keep fighting nonetheless. It’s a battle that’s come to the forefront, in different ways and with different results, during my recent move to Georgia. Wherever we’ve lived, I’ve always subscribed to a daily newspaper – the Chicago Tribune, [...]
It’s true that change can be difficult, and that old habits die hard. Yet it’s surprising how quickly we can get used to something new, often without even realizing it. After a week and a half in our new home in Georgia, my husband and I flew back to Minnesota to retrieve our other car and the rest of our belongings, and once again make the 1200-mile road trip to Georgia. While in Minnesota, I joked about how odd it felt not to have a [...]
One of my favorite days of the year has always been the first Monday after we move our clocks ahead in the Spring. Although Daylight Saving Time actually begins on Sunday, it seems to have a bigger impact on Monday. That may be because on Sunday I’m still dealing with the loss of an hour of sleep, but more likely it’s because weekday routines and timetables are more firmly set than they are on the weekend. On Monday afternoon, it’s much easier to suddenly recognize [...]
These contradictory thoughts have been popping into my head often as my husband and I completed our move from Minnesota to Georgia. His final day of work was last Friday, and by Sunday we were packed up and on the road. We spent a day in Chicago visiting family, then took two days to drive down to our new home. We’ve made the drive to Chicago several times a year during the time we’ve lived in Minnesota, so we’ve gotten used to the landmarks, the [...]
“Well, there’s always next year.” I remember saying this often, especially at the end of football and baseball seasons in Chicago. Not that I was a big sports fan, but still, the end of most seasons prompted a look ahead, with hope for the future. Even though we’ve lived in several different areas of the country, and are about to relocate to another one, my husband and I have remained staunch Chicago fans in terms of sports teams. And it’s been an interesting journey, literally [...]
It was one of those frigid, below-zero days we had a few weeks ago, when the biting wind made it feel even colder. “It’s supposed to be 30 degrees this weekend,” my husband said. I love it when the weather can still be below freezing, but it feels like a heat wave compared to what it’s been. Now, however, this wasn’t particularly welcome news. “It figures,” I said. “Just when we’re going out of town for the weekend.” We had planned a quick trip to [...]
As I turn the calendar page over to a brand new year, I’m also getting ready to turn the page to a brand new chapter of my life. It’s always been our dream that when my husband retired, we would relocate to someplace warm. That time is now, and suddenly something that we’ve always talked about – but that always seemed way off in the future – is now right around the corner. We’ve researched different areas of the country, and have visited several of [...]