In the last four months I have replaced two computers and an e-reader. All with better models, but the process of upgrading still has me in a semi-dysfunctional daze. I knew last fall that my days were numbered – I had a six-year-old desktop that my husband and I both […]
Continue readingCategory Archives: Family
The Story of Things: Aquamarine Earrings from My Grandmother
After every natural disaster, as people pick through the remains of their homes, we hear them tell reporters that what is important is that they and their families are safe. They are overwhelmed by their material losses, but they know their family’s survival is the most critical fact. And yet, […]
Continue readingConfessions of a Non-Skier
After I whined in a recent post about skiing, I now must report that I did not ski on our recent family vacation. I had good intentions, but discretion dictated that I abstain this year. In mid-December, we drove to Whistler, British Columbia, in a snowstorm in the dark. (It’s […]
Continue readingYou Know Your Children Are Grown When . . . [Part II]
In an earlier post, I mentioned situations where I was confronted by the fact that my children are grown and independent. A family trip during this past Christmas season brought a few more such occasions to mind. You know your children are grown when . . . 1. They pick […]
Continue readingAge Changes Our Perspective on Family Myths
I visited my parents over Christmas, and one day I walked past a picture in their home of my maternal grandfather (the grandfather who took many of the pictures I’ve featured on this blog). As a child, I thought of my grandfather as an old man. I saw him as […]
Continue readingPear Pineapple Compote Recipe
Did you get too many pears for Christmas? They are a wonderful treat this time of year, but the abundance can be overwhelming. I think pears are best fresh, with a little cheese on the side. But here’s a tasty recipe to use them up before they go bad. Pear […]
Continue readingDid You Have a Memorable Holiday? Write About It
I hope your holiday celebrations have been filled with magic moments – moments you want to remember. Or moments when you realized a truth about yourself or a family member. Or even moments of sadness, when you felt a loss or remembered a happier time. If you had such moments […]
Continue readingPlaying Santa with Grandpa and Barbie
Only my father-in-law and I were at my in-laws’ house late on Christmas Eve 1984. All the Methodists in the family except Grandpa had gone to their midnight service, which began at 10:30pm. Early to bed, those Methodists. The three grandchildren – my nephew, niece, and son – were nestled […]
Continue readingLearning to Ski
As winter approaches each year, I cringe. Will my family want to go skiing? It’s not that I can’t ski; it’s just that I don’t like to. At best, I am a spring skier – when the temperatures hover just above freezing and the sun shines, then skiing is tolerable. […]
Continue readingInnocence of Christmases Past
I wrote today’s post before the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday. As I upload the post now, I recognize in sorrow that many families in Newton, CT, will not be able to pose their children under the Christmas tree this year, nor in future years. All […]
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