Magic begins with Grandchildren. The library. And a hunt for Pine Cones and Winterberries. Then you’ve got yourself not only Magic… but Magic Christmas Decorations! I have never had more Magical Christmas Decorations in my entire life… And memories to last a lifetime!    

If you could reach out and capture a Grandson’s Birthday Wish as it melted into the candles, wrapped itself in the blanket of smoke and floated into the universe… would you? 9-year old Andrew is deep in thought and concentration, making perhaps the most important wish of all. … then the most perfect wish of all appears, because of Birthday [...]

There’s a little verse by Robert Louis Stevenson that goes something like this… The world is so full of a number of things, I’m sure we should all be as happy as kings. I grew up in a simpler time.  I know.  I know.  You’ve all heard this from your parents & grandparents… But it’s true. When we grandparents were [...]

There’s just something so feel good about pumpkins! Maybe it’s because pumpkins come in all shapes, sizes and even shades… just like people. Or maybe because pumpkins can be carved, cooked, decoupaged, decorated or dazzled with candles and twinkling lights. And how about pumpkins as is, with their sturdy stems that become the definition of fragile when a child comes [...]

Barry and I are taking care of our grandchildren Taylor (10) and Andrew (8) while their Mom and Dad and several friends are in Baltimore participating in all the festivities of the Baltimore Running Festival and running the Baltimore Marathon tomorrow. Godspeed, guys! We planned for this months ago, long before my Mom’s surgery date had been set for this [...]

At a local family restaurant, there’s this Loser Machine that Audrey’s 4 boys are in love with. Well, it’s sort of a love-hate relationship with the enticingly shiny, mirrored quarter-gobbling machine filled with colorful stuffed animals that you catch with a slippery claw one time in a zillion. That’s why Barry and I started calling the beast a Loser Machine [...]

I was at Audrey and Matt’s house very, very early one morning last week (like 5 am early) to babysit their 4 little guys while the parents headed off to an event in New York City. By 6:30 or so, little feet could be heard upstairs. By 6:31 or so, sweet little voices were asking for breakfast. THEM:  “Grandma, do [...]

It was Jane’s dog Ryder’s 3rd birthday.  January 30, 2005.  I was standing in Jane’s kitchen in Rhode Island and we were singing Happy Birthday to Rydie while circling her with a little cake. My cell phone rang… showing a call from Audrey who was living in New York City with Matt and 4-month old William. I will never forget [...]

Little miracles happen every day, to all kinds of people, all over the place, all of the time. They are in what we see, what we hear, what we say, what we do and what we feel. I felt one yesterday.  I felt one in this Grandma heart of mine that legends and poems and stories are made of. I [...]

Barry and I love Halloween. We LOVE costumes. We love Halloween SO MUCH that my first 5K ever was a Spooky 5K where I dressed as a pirate’s wench… a conservative pirate’s wench.  After all, it was only 3 years ago and we had 9 grandchildren by then. This year, for Barry’s first 5K, it’s also a Halloween 5K.  Good [...]