Packin’ it in
If I should ever have to evacuate in one of those horrible "you have 10 minutes to take anything of value and get out"...
Give me that merit badge, give me that badge
If I have learned anything from my years as a Scout Parent -- first with Cub Scouts (cute) and then Boy Scouts (cute, but...
Family vacation: Sunny days or bust
As if Andrew and Rita didn't do enough damage, pity the great state of Florida which now has the Seabolts to contend with. When...
Renovation mood blows hot and cold
Exactly one day after agreeing to purchase our ancient wreck of a house, we discovered, as do many young marrieds, that the good Lord...
When Food Snobs Ruled – and Ruined – the World
Eating used to be so much fun before food snobs ruled – and ruined - the world. For generations, down home cooking like pies...
Parenting? We’re just having a ball
I am probably the only parent in history who has requested a parent/teacher conference with the playground monitor.RulesGenerally, I teach my children that their...
What’s the recipe for a good family dinner?
Leave it to those same fine souls who brought us "cocoa powder" that tastes nothing like actual chocolate, in any form, to be up...
An ordinary life
His was, by all accounts, an ordinary life. I first met him when he was nearly 70, and I was not yet 30. He...
Words can be deadly: Bullies can go digital, beyond the classroom
"Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you." I have always hated that fable. Words do hurt. Words can...
Embracing my inner grouch
You hear all the time about embracing your inner child, but what if what you have is less an inner 8-year-old and more an...
