The know-it-all grandma and her acts of ignorance

/
The know-it-all grandma and her acts of ignorance

I'm often asked by family, friends — and sometimes even strangers — for answers and directions on a variety of topics. I'm happy to say that I can usually give them what they seek. My husband often jokingly calls me Google; my daughters consider me one of the best researchers they know.

Which makes it difficult to not fancy myself a know-it-all at times.

know-it-all

To keep things...

Read More

Grandma's birthday bike and GRAND Social No. 111 link party

/

Grandma's birthday bike

As one of seven children, it's not too hard to understand why I never received a bike as a birthday gift as a kid. Last Friday, though, was my (ahem) 50th birthday, and I finally — unexpectedly! — experienced the all-out joy of a such a gift.

new bicycle for grandma 

What a thrill! The...

Read More

Sunshine and gratitude

/
"As the years pass, I am coming more and more to understand that it is the common, everyday blessings of our common everyday lives for which we should be particularly grateful. They are the things that fill our lives with comfort and our hearts with gladness — just the pure air to breathe and the strength to breath it; just warmth and shelter and home folks; just plain food that gives us strength; the bright sunshine on a cold day; and a cool breeze when the day is warm."

~ Laura Ingalls Wilder, "Writings to Young Women from Laura Ingalls Wilder, Vol. One"

cats in the sun

I like to...

Read More

A hairy issue

/

troll doll

I have worn my hair long the majority of my life. From my earliest years, when my mom would cut my bangs straight across my forehead and the rest would hang long down my back, to my high school years, my childrearing years and all the years since. Not Crystal Gayle long, but longer than not. Always.

Except for one year. In...

Read More

Saturday movie review: 'Go Grandriders'

/

Today I'm reviewing a movie you're highly unlikely to ever see. It's not currently playing anywhere in the United States nor is it slated to be, as far as I can tell. It's not available on Netflix. You can't buy it on iTunes. You can, though, purchase the Blu-ray from Amazon. (That's not an affiliate link.)

Go Grandriders

The name of the movie is GO GRANDRIDERS, and I tell you...

Read More

On covering former First Lady Laura Bush

/

In light of yesterday's patriotic mood in honor of Memorial Day, I thought today would be an ideal time to share my experience covering the conversation between Laura Bush, Barbara Pierce Bush and Soledad O'Brien at the AARP Life@50+ event in Boston a few weeks ago.

Life@50+ Laura Bush presentation

As a guest...

Read More

Fine lines... worn and walked

/

As I scan shelf after shelf of beauty aids at the drugstore in search of the perfect product to combat my age spots and wrinkles, I consider the plethora of inescapable fine lines I encounter in this phase of life. Despite the endless number of serums and creams and BB this and AHA that created to (sort of) soothe away the skin issues, I’ve yet to find a solution to the fine lines that matter most: those encountered in my role as a parent to adult children.

tightrope walker

Most concerning are the fine lines I...

Read More