Tag: Real Life
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If My Nest is Empty, Why is My Basement Still Full?
With both our kids married and living in their own homes, my husband and I have officially joined the ranks of “empty nesters.” Can I just say I’m not sold on this label? I understand the reference; fledglings venturing out in independence, leaving Mom and Dad Bird with no one in the nest to nurture. …
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Jack Misses His Breakfast
A Tale of Overthinking “Here, Jack! Here, Kitty, Kitty!” I shake the bowl so the kibbles rattle against the sides. “Jack-Jack! Come get your breakfast!” Most days, my cats come running within a few minutes of being summoned. But not today. I wait expectantly for the blur of orange to race into the garage and…
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When Meal Planning Derails the Meal Making
The path to my kitchen is paved with good intentions Meal planning starts with the best of intentions. Every time I enter the kitchen I intend to create an amazing, nutritious meal my family will love. Unfortunately, the reality of meal-making squashes the fantasy of meal planning. Statistically, just 6% of the meals I prepare…
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Build a Better Fly Swatter
I don’t need a better mousetrap Build a better mousetrap and the world might beat a path to your door, but I won’t be leading that charge. I don’t need a better mousetrap (I have cats). I do need a better fly swatter. Because I can’t swat a fly to save my life. Instead, my…
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33 Lessons from Marriage
Every anniversary is a milestone Milestones mark significant points along a journey. In the case of marriage, the “milestone” anniversaries are generally the decades, or the quarter or half centuries. But I prefer to believe every anniversary is a milestone. After all, each year represents 365 more days of mutual commitment to the institution…
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Cats, Mice and Olympic Ambition
Catching Mice Should Be an Olympic Sport I’ve never been a runner. But yell, “Jack’s got a mouse!” and watch me take off like an Olympic sprinter after the starting gun. Unlike my Olympic counterparts, my 50-yard dash doesn’t end when I cross the finish line. It ends when I fling open the back door…
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The Toothpaste Test
Living in harmony starts with the toothpaste test As another wedding anniversary looms I find myself thinking back to those early years of learning to live together in harmony. The difference between deciding to marry and living everyday life together is like fishing for sardines and landing a 100-pound halibut. The reality is so much…