Normally, in this space, I take great pains to avoid specifically naming people, businesses or entities. The notable exception is my immediate family. They’re fair game. After all, they love me and forgive me if I overstep. I must make an exception this time by writing about Princess Auto. Every male alive is well acquainted… Read more »
Do you know any cranky, old people? Perhaps intimately? Maybe you’re related to one? Or work with one? Maybe, heaven forbid, you are one. Given the overall aging demographic and proliferation of baby boomers, it’s not surprising if you can name some. They are in our churches, our volunteer organizations, and our family get-togethers. They… Read more »
“Creating a garden is like learning to speak. First you discover the words by getting to know each plant. Then you put a few phrases together by combining two or three species that go together well. Then you make a complete sentence and finally a story.” ~ Beth Chatto, English gardener and garden writer I… Read more »
On a recent trip to the US, Roy overheard the following priceless line on the CB radio, “Farming is hazardous to your wealth.” Anyone having grown up on a farm or, worse yet, trying to earn a living at it, will acknowledge the unvarnished truth in that statement. Yet we couldn’t help but grin at… Read more »
Martha Stewart is back. Only someone reawakening from a coma would question what all the fuss is about. All the rest of us know she has just finished serving five months of house arrest following a stint at a woman’s prison for lying to a grand jury. The sheer number of words and images this… Read more »
Where were you in 1980? Perhaps, like me, you were a young wife and mother. Or maybe like my daughter, you weren’t even born yet. Maybe you were a 21-year-old university student. Maybe you were battling cancer. What were you doing in 1980 or last year for that matter? I can say unequivocally that nothing… Read more »
Seniors and/or their families may choose assisted living units or other housing because of assurances that daily checks on residents are done. Business people join breakfast groups to network and promote themselves and their services to other professionals. Some people join groups of like-minded people for support, fellowship, learning, and common interests. People in the… Read more »
Every columnist is, when all is said and done, a collector–a collector of images, words, phrases, cartoons, books, clippings, memories. If this conjures up a picture of chaos and clutter, you’re probably right. I know I keep trying to set up systems and processes to make retrieval of this stuff easier. It doesn’t help that… Read more »
Julia Roberts’ twin daughter notwithstanding, Hazel is an old, uncommon name. An Internet search for the word Hazel netted over 1.5 million items. Hazel is a botanical, old English name meaning the hazel tree. It was popular from the 1870s to the 1920s. No wonder all of the Hazels I see are in the obituaries!… Read more »
Why is it that after publicly sharing my grief at the loss of a family pet I feel compelled to further explain? Readers may recall that recently my family’s twelve-year-old pooch named Buddy passed away after a very brief illness. I previously shared my perspective on end-of-life-issues, pain, suffering, and grief. The gamut of thoughts… Read more »