Category: this and that
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A Case of Unsold Cookies
When I was seven years old, I joined the Girl Scouts. I loved it! I started out as a Brownie, and after several years “flew-up” to become a full-fledged Girl Scout. Through the years we went on camping trips, learned new crafts, and earned badges that we displayed proudly on our sashes. And,…
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Watch Your Step
There were five kids in my family and when we were growing up, chores were a part of the routine, for everyone. No matter your age or skill you had assignments. It wasn’t to contribute to your allowance. It wasn’t to earn an extra dessert at dinner. It wasn’t to get credit toward a special…
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Rhubarb and the Road to Hell
When I was a kid I had a secret obsession; I loved rhubarb. I don’t think my mom even knew how crazy I was for those luscious red stalks of delight. That combination of sweet and sour was too good to be true, and it led me down a very dangerous path. We had a…
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The Road Home
Driving trips were a family favorite when our kids were little. We would spend spring evenings with a road atlas and assorted travel guides planning our summer adventure. By the time the kids were six or seven, they were avid participants and would peruse the maps looking for interesting stops to include in our chosen…
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Let’s Hear It for Good Enough
Typically calling something ‘good enough’ is not a compliment. In fact, it has many negative connotations. The unspoken message might be that you cut corners, your heart wasn’t in it, or you could have done better. As a person who is often comfortable with ‘good enough’ I beg to differ. Frankly, the expression has been…
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Even Roadrunners Need a Rest
Many of us are familiar with roadrunners, thanks to Looney Tune Cartoons. Saturday mornings were made complete by a bowl of cheerios while watching the roadrunner outwit Wile E. Coyote time and again. That roadrunner was smart, and he was fast. In fact, roadrunners are one of the fastest running birds around. They can speed…
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I’d Like a ‘Do-Over’
I suppose it is natural to build relationships with people in the context of what that relationship is. If someone is your sibling, your child or your spouse there are unspoken expectations about what that means. We assume certain things from a brother or sister which is different than what we anticipate from our parents…
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Free Delivery Included
The other day on the drive home I noticed an ad for consigned Rolex watches posted on a utility pole. I’d never given much thought to Rolex watches but for some reason the add caught my attention. Who advertises high-end watches on a utility pole after all? Once home, I had nothing much to do…
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Stand Back
We have a small cabin in the mountains and on occasion we are visited by some of the local critters. Today, while enjoying our morning coffee, my husband spotted something moving across the field. A look through the binoculars determined that it was a large skunk with a fluffy tail and a notable white stripe.…
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Do What’s Right
‘Do what’s right’–seems simple enough, doesn’t it? But life teaches us otherwise. Doing ‘what’s right’ doesn’t always come naturally. In fact, seeing someone do what’s right can often take us by surprise. To quote Mark Twain, “Do what’s right, it will gratify some and astound the rest.” Why does it seem so difficult and often…
