What are "reasonable" expectations? Are you comfortable with those you have and, presumably, honor? I was thinking about some of the expectations I have and considering their degree of realism. I think I do ok with most of them. My problem comes when I allow something external to start putting the squeeze on me - … Continue reading Expectations
Category: family
My just deserts
We celebrated a birthday this week, in a fairly low-key fashion. While I generally write a birthday piece and devote it to the celebrant, I struggled with a cohesive message when it came to my middle son's birthday and a litany of pithy observations and attributes just felt forced. You see, he is, as my … Continue reading My just deserts
Lorax night at ASH
Any idea what the items are in the picture above? Perhaps you've got a sweet tooth and recognize them as Twizzlers and Wonka nerds. I suppose you would be correct literally, but had you been at Lorax night at ASH, you'd identify them more literary as truffala tree stumps and seeds. And delicious, of course. … Continue reading Lorax night at ASH
Rise up
Last year, I was blessed to spend Easter in the Black Forest. There was a dusting of new snow that morning and I attended mass alone in a beautiful church where the only word I truly understood was "Amen." It was perfect. In the little town of Neustadt, thousands of miles from "home," I had … Continue reading Rise up
Motherhood and The Silver Star
This is either the perfect book or the worst book to read when you're dealing with an impossible mother-daughter situation. You've been warned. Are you familiar with Jeannette Walls? Her first book, The Glass Castle related the story of her own childhood and was on the NYT's bestseller list for 6 years. It was a … Continue reading Motherhood and The Silver Star
Giving up
You may not know this, but both of my parents came from large Catholic families. Is that redundant? I actually have an aunt and two deceased great aunts, who became nuns, for real. I grew up hearing about how my mother's family went to morning mass every day, staying for a marathon mass on Sundays. … Continue reading Giving up
Our new DelSo dog
Months back when we lost our Cassidy, the conversation began about getting a puppy. Quinn was adamant about wanting a Golden Retriever (damn you to hell, Airbud) and I was equally resolute that we were not getting a Golden. We negotiated and a compromise was reached - a yellow lab. The family we had gotten … Continue reading Our new DelSo dog
