• Blessings,  Queen of Denial,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    The Comforts of Home

    This morning, exactly two weeks to the hour after I was at O’Hare airport and getting on the plane that would take me to Jim after his cycling accident, I was at McGhee Tyson airport and getting on the plane that would take me home. In the past two weeks I covered every single emotion under the sun as I watched Jim’s condition go from only being able to speak one word at a time, having practically zero memory, and needing assistance walking to a state I would call “100% back to normal other than the residual bruises and healing wounds”. The fact that this happened at all was tragic…

  • Confessions,  Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  Family Fun,  I'm Apparently Old.,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz,  Queen of Denial

    Six Of One, Half Dozen Of The Other

    I have always been very proud of the way I can remember things. From dates to pop culture factoids to details about all kinds of things, remembering is one of my greatest skills. Well, it was. As I’ve grown older (and frankly, more dependent on Google Calendar), my memory bank is shutting down a little more often than it used to. I like to justify it by saying that since I’m older I have more information that has to be held in there and so it’s only natural that some of the little things would fall through the cracks, but I don’t necessarily believe that. It’s just my way of…

  • Confessions,  Queen of Denial,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    PSA: Listen To Your Body!

    Show of hands: how many of you listen to your body? Uh-huh. Same here. Over the years I have been a pretty stubborn person when it comes to going to the doctor. I’m not talking about physicals and womanly checkups and such. Those I do, no problem. What I mean is, when something out-of-the-ordinary comes up, I typically dig my heels in for as long as possible (Queen of Denial) rather than call my doctor. I usually make the call once Jim and I get into an argument discussion about how hard-headed I am. I don’t know for sure why I am the way I am when it comes to…

  • Queen of Denial

    Silent Scream

    Around these parts Jim and I have chatted frequently about our impending “Empty Nester” status. We’re not only fine with it; we embrace it. We’re all sunshine and rainbows, happy that we’re thisclose to being able to say that we have raised two boys and sent them both off to college to prepare for their own life paths. It’s pretty exciting. It was also pretty exciting for the two of us to accompany J over the border into America’s Dairyland (Wisconsin) on Saturday so he could audition for a music scholarship. (He’ll be majoring in Business but the college offers music scholarships to non-majors: hurray!) We arrived early and had…

  • Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  My Sister Has Mad Skillz,  Queen of Denial

    Knife Skills Are Only Helpful When You Use Them

    Where was I? Oh yes, sitting here with a wrapped up finger after my kitchen accident yesterday. Here’s what happened. Not quite six weeks after attending a knife skills class during which we learned to “curl your fingers under when holding whatever you’re cutting, to protect your fingertips from the knife”, I was dicing apples for my very delicious and popular apple bread recipe with the Chef’s Knife I received at that very class (the VERY SHARP Chef’s Knife*) when it happened. *insert elevator music here, instead of the gory details* I didn’t panic; I grabbed a paper towel and started applying pressure immediately, keeping my finger above my head.…

  • Queen of Denial,  UGH.

    Technical Difficulties…Maybe. (Darn You, Feedburner!)

    Well, this has been a confusing morning so far, thanks to Feedburner. I’ve been hearing a bunch of chatter in the last week or so that Feedburner will be shutting down/changing/discontinuing service/majorly messed up/imploding as of October 20th. Those of you who are bloggers and/or subscribe to Suburban Scrawl via Feedburner know what that means; those of you who don’t blog and/or just pop in here from time to time may not know, and it won’t affect you as much (or at all). I’m not sure if the rumors are true, but what I do know is that, this morning, everyone’s Feedburner subscriber count went to zero, and none of…

  • Confessions,  Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  Queen of Denial,  Something That Could Change Your Life

    The Haircut (Alternate Title: “I Guess It Just Wasn’t Meant To Be.”)

    My hair has never been long, thick, and glorious. It’s been long. That’s it. One out of three? Not so great. I have always wanted to have bouncin’ and behavin’ hair that has just the right amount of curl and looks just as full at the end of the day as it does in the morning. I have always wanted to put my hair up in a messy-on-purpose-but-still-looks-cute ponytail, or a casual bun with pretty tendrils gracefully hanging down on each side of my face. I have always wanted to have hair that allowed barrettes and other accessories to cling to it rather than sliding off almost immediately as if…

  • I'm Apparently Old.,  Queen of Denial,  UGH.

    Another Example Of How Time Flies, For Your Reading Enjoyment

    Today J and I officially begin the in-person part of his college search by taking our first campus tour. (That’s not the example of how time flies.) (Well, it’s ONE example, but not the one referenced in the title. Wait for it.) We are starting in hyper-local fashion, by touring a small, private college located in our own town, one that I toured twice with D. J’s new Admissions Advisor at the college happens to be an alumna there. As it happens, she worked at the front desk of the health club where I was also employed, when she was a student of this college herself. She used to wave…

  • Queen of Denial,  Travels

    Tied Up In Knots

    As my “Weather’s Better in the Bahamas” series winds down, I wanted to tell you all about a competition we had on board the Pecheur that week. You probably already know that Boy Scouts tie knots. Well, sailors tie knots, too. (You knew that, right?) The two knots that all of us (even us adult, non-scout types) had to be proficient in before setting foot on the boat were the clove hitch and the bowline (BOH-lin). Well, as you would expect of people who are getting ready for a trip to the Bahamas, we all made sure that we knew how to tie these knots, but not to mastery level.…

  • Queen of Denial,  Travels

    Ahoy, Me Hearties! We’re Givin’ Winter The Ole’ Heave Ho! (Arghh!)

    Welcome to Part Three of my “Weather’s Better in the Bahamas” series, the purpose of which is to keep me and my readers (you) firmly ensconced in the denial of the winter season that is actually happening right now. Catch Part One here and Part Two here, by the way. Where did I leave off? Oh yes, PIRATES. The older boy and I were in the Bahamas for a Boy Scout High Adventure trip; these trips are always great. In our troop, you have to be at least fourteen years old and have attained the First Class rank in order to participate, and the trips are the biggest “carrots” they…