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Category: Family & Life

Together We Are Something…Greater

Together We Are Something…Greater

With Valentine’s Day fast approaching, this piece of jewelry kept popping up as a suggested ad. “Melt her heart on Valentine’s Day with this keepsake necklace.” My odd sense of humor immediately decided to read it as literal. I chuckled to myself about giving a gift that would actually melt a heart—horrible gift! Okay…back to business. This is a possible gift. If not that, maybe it’s something that could get the inspiration going to find something. I’ll click… I looked…

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Cheer Up Sleepy Jean

Cheer Up Sleepy Jean

Last week, I got an ear worm. I could not stop whistling Daydream Believer by the Monkees. It’s an easy ear worm, it’s a catchy tune! By day two I began to realize, I couldn’t get this tune out of my head. The way I saw it, I had two options. I could either fight (and lose) to the ensuing insanity brought on by whistling that chorus over and over, or I could lean back and allow my natural curiosity…

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An Unexpected Visit from the Ghosts of my Childhood

An Unexpected Visit from the Ghosts of my Childhood

This morning I had an update from the sister of my best childhood friend, he has brain cancer. I was numb to it at the moment. I just nodded, and dutifully sent a message to my family informing them and scrolled on, not yet ready to digest the news, knowing it would hit me in due time. It hit earlier than I anticipated. Minutes after sending my family the update, I read a shared post: “At some point in your…

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The Amazons are Invading

The Amazons are Invading

Annie came storming into the living room. She was on a roll and would not be stopped. “I have Christmas Cards.” “Great!” “Wrapping Paper.” “Is it pretty?” “No, it looks like a dead raccoon.” “Nice.” “I’ve got gifts for…” Her voice trailed off. A link popped up on my phone about Tyrannosaurus Rex. “Which leads me to you.” (Me? Oh crap. What did she say?) “Here I am!” “No dummy. What do you want for Christmas?” “Oh! I gotta think…

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Seeking Pity, Irish Style

Seeking Pity, Irish Style

“Hey Lyd! Did the timer just go off?” “Yes.” “Great! Are you finished with your Breakfast?” “No.” “Really? Let’s take a look here, if it’s just a couple of bites left then I won’t…uhm. No. This is an awful lot. Lyd? You had nearly thirty minutes to finish a bowl of oatmeal, a cup of yogurt and some juice. What happened?” “Reggie was distracting me…” “Oh was she? So answer me this: has this happened before?” “Yes.” “What did I…

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Missing a Child You Never Met

Missing a Child You Never Met

It was a devastating day. We rode home together in practical silence. We had arrived Home and managed to maintain our composure for the babysitter. Lydia was watching some kids program in the living room. After the sitter left, Annie began trying to cook supper. I was leaning against the kitchen counter, arms folded. Then the dam burst. One of us said something, who it was, what was said doesn’t matter. All I remember next was that my arms were…

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Hoarding? Or a Hostage Situation?

Hoarding? Or a Hostage Situation?

“His destructive programming is taking effect. He will be irresistibly drawn to large cities, where he will backup sewers, reverse street signs and steal everyone’s left shoe.” -Dr. Jumba, from the Disney movie Lilo & Stitch For those of you who have never watched the movie Lilo & Stitch, it is a movie about an alien, or rather a creature, created in the laboratory of mad scientist Dr. Jumba. Stitch was designed to cause chaos and destruction. That’s all you…

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Alice Roosevelt Longfellow & my Daughter, on her Fourth Birthday

Alice Roosevelt Longfellow & my Daughter, on her Fourth Birthday

Have you ever heard of Alice Roosevelt Longworth? She was the only Daughter of President Teddy Roosevelt and his first wife Alice. She was stubborn, defiant rebellious and deviously intelligent. Teddy once caught her smoking, “You are forbidden from smoking under my roof!” Hours later, he found her smoking . . .on top of the Roof. She is credited with the phrase “If you can’t say something good about someone, come sit right here by me.” In an era where…

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It was the Best Lousy Summer

It was the Best Lousy Summer

It was strawberry season, Annie brought eighty pounds of strawberries home and we waited. Friends showed up, then more friends, then family appeared. Together we sat around an outdoor table and hulled all of those strawberries so that Annie could turn them all into a variety of different gourmet jams. We celebrated our accomplishments afterward with slow cooked pork sandwiches and cocktails. I slipped away during a lull in the conversation to look out at the empty lot next to…

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Resolving Conflicts…When No One is Innocent

Resolving Conflicts…When No One is Innocent

“Daddy?” “What’s up Hun?” I replied as I stirred her oatmeal. “Reg and I were playing restaurant, I was trying to show her how to carry a plate and she didn’t want to do it that way.” “Well, perhaps you should let her carry it her own way.” “She did it wrong! And then she got mad at me and pushed everything off the table!” I put down the spoon, I put both hands on the kitchen counter and counted…

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