My Dad was born in Chicago and grew up in Michigan. My Mom was born and raised in Boston. My Dad was a Detroit Tigers fan. My Mom and her entire family have always been Red Sox fans. I was a Tigers fan, like my Dad, during my childhood. After all, I was born in Michigan. But my Dad was [...]

From the inception of the idea that I could possibly try to train for a Half Marathon… until the moment I finished… was a journey I will always remember. It began on November 28, 2009, after I completed a 5-mile race that Janie had encouraged me to run. OK. 5 miles. I did it. But how about 13.1? I thought [...]

I’ve been driving to New York City and back for, oh… 10 years or so. First, Audrey headed there after college for the fashion world. She stayed through her engagement to Matthew, her wedding and 2 baby boys. Then, last summer, it was Jane’s turn to head to the big City. If I wanted to see my children and grandchildren, [...]

OK.  What does this mean… It means I registered last night for the IRONMAN 70.3 in Providence on July 11, 2010.  It means a 1.2 mile ocean swim.  A 56-mile bike ride.  Then a 13.1 half marathon. It means that I will definitely be using this as 4… count ‘em… 4 things in my 57 in 52!  Each individual race [...]

After the holidays, this little ditty rang loudly and clearly across the web… Back to life, Back to reality. Except for me, I think. For me, it’s Back to life, back to fantasy.  Yep.  I’m enrolling in 6 more weeks of pole dancing classes! And this brings me back to Christmas Eve, when I unwrapped a rather heavy, long, rectangular [...]

I guess it was in 2009 that I began to live the words that I had so often taught during my 30 years as an English/Reading teacher. The words? Written by one of my favorite authors, Henry David Thoreau… We live but a fraction of our life. Why do we not let on the flood, raise the gates, and set [...]

A little while back, I wrote about #7 on my List of 57 in 52.  I said,  “I want to ice skate in white figure skates at the Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center in New York City. I want to wear tights and a twirling skirt (not too short!)… and I wish to do this with my two granddaughters, Taylor [...]

When I put Pole Dancing as #2 on my List of 57 in 52 (57 things/challenges/fears/desires to accomplish in 52 weeks… from my 57th birthday on October 6th ’til next October 6th ), I did so as with great trepidation. I mean… well, facing my fears of flying and heights with skydiving on my 57th birthday (item #1 on my [...]

I never, ever, in a million years ever thought that these words may pertain some day to me… Outside it is winter. But in here it’s so hot. Every night we have to battle with the girls to keep them from taking off all their clothings. So don’t go away. Who knows? Tonight we may lose the battle! And now [...]

Okay. I skydived, or sky-dove… (what is the past tense of skydive, anyway?)… last week, on my 57th birthday, and checked skydiving off my list.  And for the next 51 weeks, I’ll be checking off 56 more things that I want to accomplish. 57 things in 52 weeks. 57 in 52. #2 is just as outside my comfort zone as [...]