Waking Up to Cat Breath
This morning, my cat who looks more like a skunk wakes me up with very loud purring. She’s right in my face, purring with that horrible cat-breath. I’m not moving, so she puts one little paw on my nose. Purr, purr, purr. I pet her and lean in to figure out the source of her […]
This Looks Like You
My friend (who really is so close she’s like my sister) stops by this morning before the walk to school and hands me a beautiful new purse. “This looks like you,” she says. But it’s not my birthday! It’s not Christmas! I immediately put it on my shoulder. Two neighbors announce they have “purse envy.” […]
Listen to This Story
Vernal Pond in PA Today, I had time to listen to different folks tell me a story. I ask a neighbor to tell me the story about how she moved from one county to another. I ask a complete stranger to tell me the story of how she transferred from one college to another. Both […]
The Worst Gift-Giver
I’m a horrible gift-giver. It takes me forever to think about what would delight another person, and so I abandon the task altogether. Other folks present beautiful, timely, unexpected gifts to their friends just because they saw something and thought to themselves, “My friend would love this.” I wish I were a better gift-giver! […]
But We Didn’t
Last night, our doorbell rings at 10:00 PM. On our front porch, a woman in a gray sweater, sweat pants, and flip flops stands shivering. We open the door, and she immediately apologizes. “I’m so sorry to bother you,” she says. “I’m house sitting for my parents while they travel. I went into the garage […]
How to Get This Thing to Work
My friend just emailed a picture of my daughter swinging on a glider swing with her daughter. On a glider swing, two friends sit back to back. The rhythm required to get the swing moving involves taking turns pulling up against the bar in front of you. If you both try to pump at the […]
Hold My Hand
Children hold hands. They just do. As I walk the children to school this morning, I notice how many of us hold hands naturally. I wish we were all doing it. When do we stop? When did we become so self-conscious? Normally, we might hold hands to pray, to pull someone to safety, to keep […]
The Poop Revelation
“Poop? Poop? You’re writing about poop?” my youngest challenged me. “That’s gross, Mom.” Well, what can I say? I don’t always get to choose when the flair moment comes. I just witness it. On the walk to school this morning, my friend and I trailed behind her little dog (the one with the waggly tail). […]
After the Limo: Before and After and the Flair of Going Home
Here’s the picture of my friend 2 years ago. She told me I could use this picture (besides, it’s the front page of the paper today and in local news). Below, you’ll see the “after” shot. Here she is after we exited the limo and transformed her for her big reveal. You’ll see me […]
You Never Know When a Limousine Will Show Up
You’ll never guess where I am. Just a minute ago, I arrived here by limousine to a full day makeover. But it’s not for me; I’m just accompanying the winner of an extreme makeover contest in our town. A few months ago, I wrote a little essay about a local mom who inspires me. The […]