Shifting Gears   Baby Boomer…Member Life 2.0…Wife, Mother, Grammie…Bicyclist…GoldWinger…Mensan…Girl Scout…Reader…Knitter…Rotarian

Chances are I won’t be awake at midnight to sing Robert Burns’ famous poem – at least I’m hoping that by that hour I’ll be sound asleep!  We are looking forward to a very low-key New Year’s Eve although Burl is the real party animal when it comes to this annual event.  As a compromise [...]

This evening I finish Richard Russo’s new book Bridge of Sighs which was equally as spectacular as his Pulitzer Prize-winning Empire Falls.  I’d started the book earlier in the week and discovered it was a novel I couldn’t skim in any way.  Each sentence had such significance to the whole of the book and his [...]

Tonight we saw “Charlie Wilson’s War” which we both enjoyed (what’s NOT to like about Tom Hanks?) but left us trying to figure out why we don’t remember anything about this whole event.  When they talk about a covert war, they are quite serious because the information I’ve gleaned from the internet all indicates that [...]

The little girls are bedded down for the evening following books, songs, hugs and kisses – and a few tears from Lydia who tells us with her body language that she is NOT tired although we know she is!  Ralph and Blair have gone to meet her best friend Claire and her hubby Doug for [...]

…and to all a “Good Night!”  Christmas Day is winding down – a day filled with family, fun and food.  Somehow Burl and I managed to sleep until 7:30 this morning - probably because the tree and excited grandkids were at the other end of the house.  By time we stumbled out of bed, Alex was [...]

It’s 11:20 on Christmas Eve and only a few of us are still awake at this house – the Santa-believers were in bed early after leaving carrots and oats for the reindeer along with cookies and milk for Santa.  The guys assembled the mini-trampoline for the little girls and Len put out the Wii for [...]

…and all through the house.  The mice were scurrying, down to every last mouse!  The house is chock full of company now that everyone has arrived – we have created sleeping quarters everywhere and the little kids are getting excited about Santa’s arrival. We’re heading off to Tammy and Steve’s for a family “let’s get [...]

I remember so well that feeling when I was a kid in school when we got out for Christmas break – the release from the scholastic routine mixed with the aniticipation of Christmas morning.  That feeling continued through college and then again when my kids were growing up.  Yesterday that same experience resounded with me [...]

Warning – this blog posting may cause readers to think it was written by a Grinch so don’t read unless you can have an open mind! A recent Wall Street Journal article expounded again on the plethora of homes facing foreclosure across the country.  I read the article at work and then happened to listen [...]

The world greeted our new grandson, Devin Michael, at 6:00 a.m. today Phoenix time.  He weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces, 19 inches long and mom and baby are both doing great.  For us he is grandchild #8 – let’s see how long it takes our twisted, dysfunctional family to indoctrinate him! Having lunch [...]