Phyllis

Not long ago, I was doing my weekly volunteer work for Meals on Wheels, delivering food and whatnot, and the most unexpected thing happened.

To my family,

First of all, to my readers,

It's been some time since I've written. But, for me, our country's election results have caused family and politics to cross. As a result, I felt strongly that I needed to put some words "to paper." These words could very well be relevant with regard to differences many of you may be having with your own family, friends, neighbors or co-workers in lieu of recent events.
So I thought I would share them here...

To my family,

Ever since I can remember my family has been of paramount significance and importance in my life. Mom and Dad, obviously. But aunts, uncles, cousins, first, second, and third, grandparents, every single one of you, I looked forward to seeing, catching up with, sharing a meal every Christmas Eve, and now, just any time I can get. I have greeted all of you, all of you, with smiles, hugs and love each and every time I have seen you throughout the forty-two years of my life.

Go, go Galette

I just dug up this beautiful personal project Fred and I did this past summer. We made a galette (and took pictures of it). For the life of me, I don't think I had ever made one before. We went about it using my mom’s pie crust recipe and adding a liberal sprinkling of sugar and cinnamon into the dough. Then spring-boarding from a NYT Cooking recipe for the rest, we were all set.

The Salad Days *part 2*

Do we know when we're in the salad days when they are happening or is it always something we reflect back on with great wistful fondness? I mean, I mostly know when life is hitting all of the high notes. When things are good. But I'm not sure I know when it's time to revel. To spin around on top of a grassy mountain top and exude Sound of Music exaltation.

The Salad Days *part 1*

Don't you like when the winter's gone?

And all of a sudden it starts gettin' warm?

The trees and the grass start lookin' fresh,

And the sun and sky be lookin' their best.

Birds be singin', flowers be bloomin',

A lot of brand new cars be zoomin'.

Yes, Biz - and thank you for that - it is, in fact, Spring again.

Stand by me, this big chill.

Right around the holidays I got news that a high school friend died. Took her own life. I hadn’t thought about her in years, but I remember her well. She was one of those people you don’t easily forget.

Toy Story

'Tis the apex of Holiday-Orama. I just recovered from some weird twenty-four hour stomach bug that was pretty unpleasant. Fred too. Even Emerson had some little nannyboosky situation in addition to her newly ever present runny nose. But, it's now Christmas Eve Eve, and we all three seem to be prepared for the big day, full bore. Go Team.

Lay, Lady, Lay

As an adult you don't really consider your friends' parents a whole lot (do you even know their names?), but as a kid, they can potentially have about as much impact, as much influence as your own. Especially if it's like your BFF. Countless sleepovers, after school times that run into dinner times, tagging along on family trips, our friends' parents had to feed us, care for us, love us (or pretend to), discipline us, very, very often. Think about it, on sitcoms there is almost always the omnipresent neighbor or friend who is part of the every day fabric of the protagonist family.

Chester Copperpot.

One both wonderful and maddening thing about living in a part of the world with four distinct seasons is that by the end of each one I am waiting with bated breath for the next. The anticipation and preliminary elation over the change of each season is thrilling and, in my book well earned. That's the wonderful part. But the being like so over a season before it ends is a bummer.

I'm OK, You're OK.

This past week I had a really weird day. Wednesday, over my morning coffee and email catch-up, news broke that a reporter and photographer for a Virginia news affiliate were gunned down, killed. It happened near the town where my parents and some close friends are from, where a good deal of my family live, and a place I've spent my whole life visiting. Each time these almost commonplace gun massacres occur, I've been thrown and emotional, but this one was closer to home. Both literally, and maybe because of the whole media sphere association.

A few minutes later I got a call from the doctor informing me that the results of my very recent mammogram came back and a couple things didn't look quite right. That sinking feeling. I was able to make a same-day appointment so the doctors could take another, a closer look.