Family
Back on the Road Again
We’ve instituted a weekly family Zoom meeting, and sometimes, like tonight, we forget about it until a family member texts saying, “7:30?” Then we scramble to our respective devices and chat until someone, usually me, says they are tired. Tonight as I logged off, Aaron was yawning, so I clearly wasn’t the only tired one.…
Read MoreAdulting
Last week, Talia called: Blue, her 2006 Honda Pilot, needed help. As it turns out, Blue needed more than help; it needed an overhaul. And since the car was twenty years old, we decided that pouring thousands of dollars into Blue didn’t make sense. Which meant that Talia needed to do a few things as…
Read MoreI Folded Clothes as my Mother Lay Dying
I folded clothes as my mother lay dying— the shirts she once would have pressed, the socks that once knew her careful hands. Outside, the maple trees shed their leaves like silent confessions. I stacked her sweaters in trembling towers, soft monuments to warmth. Each crease a small surrender, each fold a way of saying…
Read MoreSeventeen: The Last Rodeo
Dear Melina, I’m writing this as I wait for you at physical therapy. The original plan involved walking while you saw Ann, but once again, we have a hot and humid day, and my own joints—my hip especially—are giving me issues. So I sit here and wait for the words to come, and since you…
Read MoreAh, Parchment Paper
Mom never used parchment paper when baking, so I didn’t encounter it until well into my twenties. Even then I didn’t routinely buy it because of budget constraints. Now, thirty years later, I keep parchment paper in the drawer, at the ready for when I need it. Sometimes, I even have an extra roll in…
Read MoreCucumber Salad Recipe
This past week, I went easy on the cooking since I only had to cook for two people. Because I had plenty of cucumbers in the refrigerator, I decided on a salad. We liked it so much, I’m including the recipe here. This makes quite a good bit of food, so keep that in mind…
Read MoreIt’s a 24/7 Job
Child #4 sets off on a class trip to Germany on Tuesday, June 3, with my husband serving as one of the chaperones. Before he leaves, my husband says, “What are you going to do while we’re gone?” Implied in his tone is the idea that I will have a ton of free time on…
Read MoreRachel-Mary Pecan Pie
In January of this year, a friend moved in. We hadn’t planned on having an extra person in our household, but she needed some help, and we had help to give. Five months later, she’s still with us, and she probably will be for some time since living alone doesn’t look like it will be…
Read MoreCookies for Melina
It’s been a long time since I shared a recipe, and since Melina keeps requesting these cookies, and I can’t find where I shared the recipe before (though I’m pretty sure I did), I’m sharing it again. These soft, cake-like cookies are delicious and easy to make. This recipe originally came from Annie’s City Kitchen,…
Read MoreQuick Tip: Change the Subject
Over the last five years, I’ve spent a lot of time with people with dementia. I’ve also spent a lot of time with family and friends of those living with dementia. Countless conversations have filtered to my ears, and the greatest lesson I’ve learned there is not to argue with someone who has dementia. Now,…
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