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happy birthday to my sister mary!
My sister Mary and me. When I think of my sister Mary, I think of yellow–bright and sunny as the early spring day she was born on. It must have been a warm day in Atlanta, Georgia when Mary made her...
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how a hungry teenager learned to cook
James’ recipe for Chili-rubbed Steaks with Pan Salsa: “Multiply by 2 or 4 if you are not an elf.” Oh, happy day when your children learn how to cook! The sun shines, the birds sing, and for one brief...
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what’s your harley and how mad will you be if i drop a ladder on it?
What’s your Harley? (Photo: Harley-Davidson) My husband Doric, the home improvement guy, had just finished installing some garage racks for a customer. Garage racks are a great solution for people to...
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tink the tormenter is gone, does maggie miss her?
The only thing Tink and Maggie enjoy doing together. Tink the puppy went to have her surgery today. When she comes back, there will be no possibility of little Tinks, Tinkettes, Tinkinis. No, for all...
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the last popsicle and how we learned to share
The last popsicle. This is a very small story about James and Joe and popsicles and sharing. Once when James was about 8, he and I were having a major throw down when he finally exploded in...
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there’s no such thing as an ordinary life–guest post at CCW
All of our stories are epic. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. C.S. Lewis Is your life fairly ordinary? Is there anything wrong with being ordinary? Today, I’m...
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the perfect dessert: chocolate coconut fondue and good conversation
chocolate coconut fondue This is for my friend Christa Sterken, who is craving something sweet today. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Leonardo da Vinci You heard the man. You don’t have to...
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the best mother’s day quotes of all time
I remember my mother’s prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life. Abraham Lincoln When your mother asks, ‘Do you want a piece of advice?’ it is a mere formality....
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how to give a dog a pill
The tumor on Maggie’s knee has been growing steadily. She won’t leave it alone, licking it obsessively until it’s raw and bleeding. I’m not sure how much pain she is in. Labs are famous for their...
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the lark ascending
Dedicated to my friends Pamela Hodges of ipaintiwrite.com and Christa Sterken of christasterken.com, and to all mothers whose baby birds will soon leave the nest. Fly baby birds, fly. English...
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aliens, prequels, Spielberg and bruschetta
Hubs got home before me and called to see if he could get dinner started. I asked him to grill some chicken marinated in a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil. By the time I got home, he had...
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the art of listening
When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen. Ernest Hemingway I wonder if Ernest Hemingway really was a good listener. I have always thought of him as someone with an outsized ego,...
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how to rebuild a shed in five easy steps
…and that goes for your little dog too. 1. Buy a shed building kit. Accidentally build the shed on county parkland adjacent to your property, which you have been mowing and maintaining for many years...
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couvade in reverse
Have you ever heard of “couvade syndrome”? Couvade is when someone close to an expectant mother experiences pregnancy symptoms, like nausea and weight gain. Couvade is derived from the French word...
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the sheltering tree of friendship
My friend is coming to visit. I’m excited to see her, but a little nervous too. What will she think of my house? Maybe I should have stayed up late to scrub the bathroom. I wish I had hung those...
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adore: ideas for treasuring the gift of marriage, free e-book by Christa Sterken
Mae West, photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Marriage is a great institution, but I’m not ready for an institution. Mae West Marriage shouldn’t be dull, boring old institution. It should be one of...
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how to wash the dust of life off your soul
The Ballet Russes, photo by Kathleen Caron The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls. Pablo Picasso When my sisters made a plan to meet in DC to see an art exhibit, I readily...
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a bridge too high and a friendlier beach
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge, Wikimedia Commons It’s been called “the scariest bridge in America,” the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, two flimsy steel parallel spans measuring 4.3 miles long and 186 feet high at...
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sir edmund hillary wouldn’t climb this mountain
There is a mountain in my house. Ansel Adams would not want to take a picture of this mountain, and Sir Edmund Hillary would not want to climb it. It’s a mountain of laundry that grows day by day...
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mom, interrupted
Joe, sweet 16. His brother gave him the shirt. With four drivers and vehicles in our household, you would think transportation would never be a problem for the one non-driver, Joe. You would be...
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