Recently, my husband Randy and I were sleeping soundly in the wee hours when our terrier, Libby, started barking. Only this wasn’t her usual “hearing a raccoon meandering outside” half-hearted growl. This was a full-throated, loud, angry protest. She leapt off the bed and stood by our front window, yapping in a maddened frenzy. Nervous […]
My father always loved summer. He was born in late July, smack in the middle of the season, the lushest, most verdant time of year. I think of my dad all the time since he passed away eight years ago, but especially this time of year. Here are five summer things that always remind […]
Let’s face it, we only get so many summers in our lives. And there’s always a certain pressure to make each one count. Usually, our family goes to the same Cape Cod house each year, but this time, our place was no longer available. We weren’t quick enough to find another in time… so, we’re […]
It felt like a normal Monday night. Randy and I had both gone to bed around 10:30 p.m. with our Yorkie Libby stretched out between us. We drifted off and then came the last sound you want to hear at 2:13 a.m. (or anytime). Our alarm system had gone on, blaring an ear-splitting, non-stop, whirring […]
Magic can happen anywhere. My mother found this out recently. Facing surgery in a few days, she needed a distraction and decided to go shopping in a local clothing store. She strolled around for a while but nothing caught her eye. As she was leaving,, an older woman who was also heading for the door, pointed […]
Welcome to the Stone house, where everyone gets a turn at the culinary wheel. There’s five of us living here – my husband Randy and myself, two adult sons, and my 80-something year old mom. Thankfully, everyone takes a turn one night a week procuring dinner. Over time, five distinct styles have emerged… Sunday – […]
The other morning, I came to my kitchen desk and found a picture of my Texan mother-in-law, Joyce, who passed away five years ago. My son Paul had put it there while rummaging through some papers. The unexpectedness of seeing her got me thinking. What would my pretty, dark-haired mother-in-law say about the pandemic […]
All families have unique ways to celebrate Turkey Day. Some like a lot of drama. Some watch football. Some go jogging. Our family has a strange tradition that only gets worse with time. It always starts innocently enough. Then someone throws down the gauntlet. Last Thanksgiving was typical. We’re eating turkey, with all the trimmings. […]
Yes, cars can be spooky. At least mine was, parked in our garage one strange October night. This time of year, it’s easy to picture witches and goblins flying by the window or tapping you on the shoulder, but being unnerved by your automobile? That night my youngest son Paul left to get something from […]
I saw a poignant sight recently. A little restaurant near our home had converted part of its parking lot to an outdoor eating space. Tables were set and socially distanced. It was about 5:00 p.m. Raindrops started falling on my windshield as I sat watching, waiting at a stoplight. One of the waitstaff started scrambling […]
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