I was a civil employee early in the year 1988. I worked as a humble book-shelver in our city’s public library. It was heaven. I was there the day we closed the doors for three weeks, which is just unheard of. We then, meticulously by hand, one single book at a time, put every item…
Passion in a Pocket Part 1
In my distant and murky future I see a brilliant little jewel. It’s a vision of me owning a bookshop that also serves tea and sells pretty little frivolous trinkets. There’s definitely a kid’s corner. I can’t imagine any one bit without the other. It should have candles and flowers for sale too, and a…
Dust Bunnies Beware
I am the proud owner of an industrial size regulation yellow janitor mopping bucket. And I’m not afraid to use it. I’m sure it horrifies my family when I go to town on the floors; maybe it’s the way I tie up my hair, roll up my sleeves, and put on my game face. My…
Not Again!
It’s time to Spring Forward. Twice a year we move the clocks, replace the batteries in our smoke detectors, and get our teeth cleaned. Gooood times. How was your week? Mine’s gotten better since I filled my camelback with espresso. Everything has been coming at such a fast pace, I fall into bed exhausted each…
Is it Too Late to Mail a “Happy March” Card?
I feel the need to apologize to everyone who didn’t get a Christmas card from us this year. That would be all of you. Sorry. It was all mapped out in my head and on the calendar. In my world, that’s a slam dunk. My favorite part of Christmas is the cards. I love to…
Honor Your Partner Part 2
Always introduce a new dance class series with the Native American Rain Dance. You need a hook for these poor souls. They were told in no uncertain terms that these dance classes were mandatory and the first person to cop an attitude would face the firing squad. Their eyes are begging you to not make…
Honor Your Partner Part 1
“Everybody forward and back!” A banjo picks up the Virginia Reel that will take our class on to new heights of social cooperation and gender tolerance. If you can get a fifth grade boy to take a fifth grade girl’s hand for even that one small moment of sashay, you have achieved a major accomplishment….
Death of a Champion Part 2
So Tuesday I limp home, and start looking for mechanics. I call hubby to report. He’s taking it in first thing in the morning himself. I’ve been fired from mechanical maintenance. Wednesday, the car is repaired by a man whose name I cannot even pronounce, let alone spell, for a “good deal”. Fine. We team…
Death of a Champion Part 1
It is such a good thing that I hedged my bets and stayed home today. As you know, I took our Suburban in Monday for an oil change. I go to the dealership because they also go over the whole car, hoping to find other things wrong and therefore get to keep it for a…
Victoria’s Victorian Secret
I blame Victorian Magazine for starting me down the path of misguided inspiration. Back in our Diaper Days, I bought one just to admire a living room that wasn’t covered in toys and spit up. It called to me like a siren to a drifting sailor. Not a single thing in that period of my…
First Things First
My daughters went onto Facebook and played “Which Disney Princess Are You?” I can tell you which one I am immediately: Dory. Yes, the natural blue who didn’t recognize the sharks for what they were but had enough empathy, trust, and enthusiasm for the whole ocean. You will notice how many times she should have…