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You know that feeling you get right before you step onto an elephant’s back to go for a ride? You know, definitely intrigued and excited but tinged with trepidation? That’s how I felt at the beginning of Thanksgiving break. I was waiting to hop on the back of the break, which was to be myselfContinue reading “The elephant and the turkey: a ride, a trot, and some driving”

Charleston offered a lot of great food and great views and we really loved getting time with Brooks. One of our favorite restaurants was Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan Island, an…unsullied beach, if I may say. We had the great fun of meeting up with Finn Sullivan on his 14th birthday at his dad’s restaurant, oneContinue reading “The Charleston Trip”

So here we are, in the Merry Twixtmas, the time in-between, the pause between the whoosh before Christmas and the ramping up activities to reimagine and resume life in the new year. I love the pause. This year brings particular need for it because I need a minute to catch my breath and reflect onContinue reading “Notes from the Menu”

I wish I could say it was the morning devotional or the jazzy Christmas playlist that slows me down, but it’s really just the fat cat sitting on my lap. Who wants to disturb the cat? So, finally, a moment of stillness on this sunny-cold early morning to pause. Why is it that Advent, theContinue reading “The Fat Cat and the Thermal Underwear”

I feel like a fat ghost has parked it’s rear end on our heads in Cabin John this morning, which seems kind of fair for the morning after Halloween. It’s as if Casper got into too much Halloween candy and is kind of worn out this morning. Clara had a hard time getting out ofContinue reading “Marvelous and Maudlin”

Two weeks ago today, October 15, I was on a train looking over cold water tumbling across rocks under the bridge somewhere between Montreal and Quebec City, about to debark into the 17th century village with cobblestone streets and flowers spilling over windowsill boxes. Mom and I would deliver our suitcases at the spacious, colorful,Continue reading “A Fortnight for Fortitude, from the St. Lawrence to St. George”

It’s official! Summer is over! The fall schedule is back on the calendar. It will be a quieter house next week, that’s for sure, since we’ll be down two family members with Tatum away and Kevin returning to Delhi on September 7th. Clara is starting at a new old school, back to Thomas Pyle MiddleContinue reading “First Day, Hooray”

One week ago today, this happened. After three harrowing days and even more torturous nights, a 3:00 am knock on the door from Officer Edwards of the Montgomery County Police Department opened the hatch to begin the escape from la la land. Tatum had showed up at a friend’s house, and we had the delicateContinue reading “The Case of the Missing Suitcase”

Author’s note: This was written last Saturday, before the Case of the Missing Suitcase. It was never posted because I hadn’t had the chance to proofread it before everything happened. So here it is, a week later. Working backwards, here’s the itinerary from Summer 2022. Down south (August 9-10). Okay, techically, that’s in the future,Continue reading “Summer Playlist”

It’s been a long time since I’ve written regularly or at all, actually. There are so many reasons to avoid writing about life: it’s difficult to find the minutes between deciphering regression results, washing sheets, and serving as social secretary and chauffeur; it’s, um, awkward to write about people aged 13-15 who have zero interestContinue reading “Catching this Messy Ball of Yarn”