3 weeks ago this morning, I sat for hours in the “family room” of my local hospital, waiting for the silent footsteps of my Mom’s surgeon… to tell me the news of my Mom’s surgery. It had been an emotional early morning (albeit entertaining afternoon). I tried to read.  I studied the pattern of the carpet.  I listened to the [...]

Yesterday, I had a hair appointment. You know the kind… a few days overdue and get me in that chair one! I suppose I’m a little boring with my hair.  I pretty much stick with the same cut and color.  Maybe I venture out once-in-awhile and take another inch or so off… But. Yesterday, when I was all smoothed out [...]

We’re having a heat wave, A tropical heat wave, The temperature’s rising… Ah, the truth of the lyrics of Irving Berlin’s Heat Wave. Until the last lines… It isn’t surprising, She certainly can can-can. Can-can?  This body can hardly walk two feet without sweating buckets. And this leads me to my Im-perfect Bathing Suit. The temperature entered 3 digits here [...]

Ten years ago this month, on June 30, 2001, my daughter Audrey married the man of her dreams, Matthew. Ten years ago, Barry and I had 2 grandchildren… 2 beautiful little girl cousins… Taylor and Maddie. For her wedding celebration, Audrey had 2 little dresses designed for Taylor and Maddie… 2 little white and butter-colored dresses that matched her wedding [...]

Yesterday, I rolled my tuned-up Cannondale out of my shed.  I put on my bike helmet and gloves.  The day was sunny and beautifully June warm… albeit very, very windy. Jane was at my house at the time and came outside to wish me luck on my first ride of the season. But then I realized something.  I hadn’t been [...]

This Grandma not only knows NASTY. This Grandma loves NASTY. There.  I said it. I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t surrounded with boys… 2 brothers, one a teeny bit older and one a teeny bit younger.  My brothers’ friends were my friends.  And boys, my friends, love nasty. I played recreational boy sports like baseball, [...]

A Today Show segment caught my eye a couple of days ago.  It was about Boomer grandmothers who are rejecting the moniker Grandma and all its traditional forms… favoring names such as Glamma (the combination of Grandma and Glamorous), made-up names, ethnic/cultural monikers and even first names. It seems, to some, that Grandma and Nana conjure up all kinds of [...]

I love Fall. I used to not love Fall so much. When I was young, I dreaded the darker days and the structure of heading back to school. Or maybe I just loved Summer so much that Fall was always like the day after Christmas to me… Fall meant cold toes and frosty fingers while walking to the bus stop [...]

My Mom is not a tea-totaler.  But she doesn’t actually drink, either.  She’ll have a glass of wine maybe once or twice a year, or so… but that’s about it.  So the fact that she got smashed (for lack of a better word) on the day Audrey was born is legendary family stuff. This past Sunday, on Audrey’s 32nd birthday, [...]

My beautiful Maddie turns 9 today… and I wrap my heart around all the wonder and beauty and kindness and creativity she brings to our lives and to our planet. It is no coincidence that Maddie came to us in the Spring, the time of earth’s colors and scents and amazing renewal. This is for you, Maddie: The first time [...]