I haven’t worn a watch in years, and lately I’ve been missing one. Not a smartwatch. Not a watch that tells me how many steps I’ve taken, how well I slept, whether my heart is behaving, or if I’ve been sitting too long. I miss an old-fashioned watch. The kind you wind up at night […]

My husband is newly retired, and it is a whole new world for him. Like many people, his life used to revolve around his job. Work determined when he got up, when appointments could be scheduled, and whether we could make plans on a Tuesday afternoon without first consulting three calendars and a committee. Then, […]

I recently spent a glorious day at the beach. It’s what summer was made for, right? Toes in the sand. Wind whipping your hair in every possible direction. The ocean stretching so far into the distance that you can lose yourself in its vastness. Yes, it was one of those days I look forward to […]

My birthday is coming up this month. I have a friend who celebrates her birthday for the entire month! Not me. For me, it’s more like, “Oh yeah… my birthday’s this month.” No big countdown. No confetti. No birthday week. Definitely no birthday month. But when I was a child? That was a completely different […]

A humorous personal story about gardening, family memories, mischievous dogs, unexpected wildlife, and the baby snake that turned a simple lettuce harvest into a sprint for the record books.

Sometimes a thought pops into my head and just… stays there. Like a tiny uninvited houseguest that refuses to leave until I figure it out. This one came courtesy of Father’s Day — and all the great dads I know. The question that wouldn’t quit? What makes a real man? As a teenager, my answer […]

Let’s talk motivation. Or rather… the complete and utter lack of it. I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately and feel about as motivated as a sloth on a rainy Monday.  My motivation and I are currently on a trial separation. And judging from conversations with friends, I’m not alone. Is it the […]

So… it’s decision time. My 50th high school reunion is this year, and the invitation arrived. Fifty years. Honestly, I’m still trying to recover from hearing that number out loud. As I started stepping back in time in my mind, I thought about my high school self. I definitely did NOT have the three P’s. […]

I don’t know about you, but I have what I call “irrational” fears. Well… maybe the fears themselves aren’t irrational—it’s my reaction to them that probably deserves the side-eye. Take bugs, for example. They are icky, ooookey, and just plain yucky. In my humble opinion. And if some unlucky insect happens to land on me? […]

I am not a gadget type of gal. It’s not that I dislike gizmos… I just can’t figure them out. How they work feels like some kind of unsolved mystery. The kind best left to people who enjoy reading instruction manuals for fun (do those people really exist?). My husband, on the other hand, loves […]