Being in the garden with my grandma while she tended tomatoes and cucumbers was often educational and always relational. Watching her sew on buttons and whip up a meringue was magical. It was a way for us to connect. She taught me well. I love to cook, garden, knit, and quilt. I come from a long line of women who enjoy making and growing all sorts of things. When I was first living on my own, I would call Grandma often. Knowing how to get the powdered sugar just right on the chocolate ...read more
Murphy the Teacher
I have a small wooden plaque in my kitchen that reads, “My goal in life is to be the person my dog thinks I am”. I suppose that when people read it they see it like a bumper sticker. Curious and meaningless. But to me, it’s profound. I have a sweet little Shih Tzu named Murphy. I don’t want to be the crazy old lady down the street with the little dog, but I am kind of becoming her. I don’t take him everywhere with me, but I want to. I decline to take him to a friend’s house when I’ve been ...read more
Facebook and Emotional Constipation
Smiling faces, witty one-liners, political jousting, bumper sticker wisdom, and emotional constipation. Welcome to Facebook! You’ll notice my profile picture isn’t the one of me in my pajamas leaning over the bathroom sink plucking my eyebrows. It’s also not the one of me completely frazzled, cleaning up dog vomit on the stairs, late to a friend’s wedding. And, it’s not the one of me scarfing down too many brownies when I think no one is watching. Nope, that’s not what Facebook is for. It’s ...read more