Once upon a time there was a mommy who signed her child up to do fun activities. Fun activities he asked and said he wanted to do. Each night before the fun activities, the mommy would prepare all the needed things. Clothes picked out. Snacks packed. Alarms set so the mommy wouldn’t oversleep (as if that were even possible for a mommy of small children with no reverence for sleeping in). Continue reading
humor
I Forgot the Title of This Post
Among the many books from my childhood was a Sesame Street one where Bert ties a piece of string around his finger to help his memory.* I think I tried it out for fun, but the string kept slipping off and I lost interest. No matter, my youthful mind didn’t forget much — other than when my mother told me to clean my room.
These days, I could use some help remembering things. Especially since the things I’m forgetting are sometimes bizarre. Continue reading
Back Off, Bugs, Inside Is My Territory
Around this time of year when I was little, the occasional bug would attempt an escape from the falling temperatures outdoors and wander into our home. If said bug was a spider, I would shriek and my mother would say something like, “Oh look! It’s a Halloween spider!” Maybe this was her attempt to make something scary seem cute, but years later, I remain unconvinced. I hate bugs. Continue reading
Why I Can’t Wait for Spring
I’m noticing a trend here, as I write yet another seasonal blog post. No matter, I’m over winter a month ago, and every day it persists I’m reminded of what I’m looking forward to when it’s finally over.
Warmth. (Pardon me for stating the obvious.) I don’t ever like being cold. Spring, for me, is ideal because it’s that blissful time without need of the extra layers essential to survive winter’s drafts and summer’s air conditioning. Continue reading
Football Stats and Commentary to Cut Next Season
NFL refs, analysts, and commentators take a lot of heat from fans. It is, after all, an integral part of watching football to yell at the TV — whether it’s because of a poor or missed call, statement of the obvious, or enforcement (or lack thereof) of a subjective rule. Was it a catch or an incomplete pass? If I had a dollar for how many times this season I heard if a player did or did not “maintain complete control of the ball” debated … I still wouldn’t be able to afford tickets to the Super Bowl. Continue reading
Another Thing to Love About Fall
A couple of posts ago when I wrote about transitioning from summer to fall, I neglected to mention one of my favorite things. Fortunately, I came across this reminder today from my all-time favorite comic strip: Calvin and Hobbes Comic Strip, October 18, 2013 on GoComics.com.
Lessons in Domesticity
Like most kids, my mother enlisted my free labor to help with household chores. Most of the time, I was happy to help. If happy to help meant I sighed and declared I was Cinderella.
Owning a house now, I realize I owe my mother a lot more credit. We’re talking major regret for all my griping. (She’s loving this post right about now.) Nonetheless, to honor Mom and her life lessons, below are five ways I manage domestically. Continue reading
Our Homeowner’s Association: Serious, or Suburban Formality?
My husband and I come from rural roots and now live in a housing development. Suburban life isn’t so drastically different though, as our home design caters to privacy and we have a decent yard.
Completely new to us, however, is the existence of the Homeowner’s Association for our neighborhood. I admit we were amused by some of the “regulations” when we skimmed read the bylaws the first time. After a few months in our new residence, we are still unclear about how serious they are since (don’t tell) some of our neighbors appear to be rule breakers. Continue reading
The Right Tools
Earlier I said I’m not dedicating my blog to chronicling all the DIY projects my husband and I do around our new house. This example from a couple weeks ago is kind of why.
Our bedroom gets a lot of afternoon sun through it’s two windows which, naturally, can make it uncomfortably warm. Solution? Shopping for thermal curtains! My husband, like most men, loves shopping for window treatments, so we spent some time at his favorite hardware store first to be fair. He had a list of things in mind that he needed for projects “in the coming year,” so he thought it would be a good idea to stock up. Plus, he had two coupons. We’re savvy shoppers that way. Continue reading
Amidst the Babble 