Many of us grew up with the popular sing-along song of 99 cans of beer on the wall, and it can be fun or irritating depending on one’s mood. However, when those empty beer cans end up littering the roads and ditches I feel incredibly sad. My husband and I walk our dog, Booker, along mostly the same country road… Read More

Oh dear. The young well-meaning waitress brought me a glass of Cabernet wine instead of Chardonnay. Normally I would have clutched my throat and made dying of thirst motions—just kidding—Normally I would have sweetly asked her to take it back and make an exchange, but there was more to this story. To avoid the St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans, my husband… Read More

A number of years ago I heard a story about a family who, upon opening the clothes dryer to remove clothing, discovered their pet cat had met its demise in the permanent press cycle. My mind rejected the notion of it because it was too horrible to think about. “How could anyone not notice their cat in the dryer?” I… Read More

Sometimes the Universe has plans that are hard to ignore. Several years ago I was sitting in Peter Wahlstrom’s Greek Philosophy class when a women student I barely knew tapped me on the shoulder. “Psst, Gail,” she whispered. “Have you ever taken a class by Dr. Claudia Kittock?” “Noooooo,” I said slowly. (Why was this unknown-to-me student asking this?) “What… Read More

Minnesota experienced its first genuine winter storm last night and into today. In our neck of the woods we received somewhere between 8 and 10 inches of beautiful, sticky, wet snow. I only wish I would have had more time to make a snow sculpture because the texture was perfect for creative endeavors. The problem with this amount of heavy… Read More

Lauren, my web designer, is a special person. Her creativity and views on life delight me like a refreshing spritz of perfume. For a while my husband and I fantasized about having her “accidentally” meeting my son. Maybe sparks would fly. Maybe, maybe… Anyway, we like her that much. This morning I received an email from Lauren updating me on… Read More

I’ve heard it said Minnesotans are obsessed with the weather far more than other parts of the USA. Maybe we are. I would argue that when you have to make a one hundred mile round trip drive to class, and the roads are unplowed, and the snow falling is so thick that the windshield wipers clog up and look like… Read More

My daughter often grimaces and says, “Ewwwww…” when she notes my husband and I acting, saying, or being mushy with each other. Although in truth, now that she has her own boytoy and home she is saying fewer “Ewww’s” and more “oh’s.” Maybe understanding is the byproduct of relationships that are healthy. So, I’m giving fair warning to her. “Sasha,… Read More

Each day the stalks of the blue hyacinth bulbs reached tiny leaves toward the filtered window light, but were rewarded with stingy warmth at best. I watched the pot as I worked on the computer, and impatiently waited for serious sprouting. It seemed like the timid plants knew of my hunger, and would tease me with overnight growth. Each morning… Read More

The book is called “Fish” and it is the true story of a seventeen year-old boy sent to prison for robbing a Foto-Mat store with a toy gun. There are many levels to the why of it all, but the writing is good and the results are troubling and confusing. I’m about half-way through the book at this moment. Last… Read More

In my office postive statements hang, dangle, and shine from many places. Although some folks may roll their eyes at such classic “warm fuzzy” prompts, I take comfort from the reminders daily. Why not marinate in good thoughts? Here is one of my favorites by Jodi Hills—“She wasn’t where she had been. She wasn’t where she was going, but she… Read More

There has been a curious re-distribution of articles around the house since Pudgy arrived. I’m still missing a red-lacy garment but haven’t ruled my husband out on that one. Watching Pudgy’s curiosity overcome her better judgment is both amusing and terrifying. One day she was doing somersaults between the spindles on the stairway. “You’re going to fall if you keep… Read More

The woman was can’t-take-my-eyes-off-her gorgeous. Dressed impeccably in a suit, long pearls, and a beret-style hat, she owned the television studio. Her hair—which she self-styles I learned—was neatly and fashionably braided. Who was she, and how could I copy her confidence? The camera man panned her up and down as the narrator promised more details after the commercial. To my… Read More

The gray Tee-shirt fabric slipped over my head and started complaining as it met my breasts. Undeterred, I continued pulling the shirt downwards until I wiggled completely in. Looking in the mirror I decided my new “Minnesota Gopher” shirt would do for the basketball game we were about to see. Nonetheless, I was frustrated that the shirt’s tag, in what… Read More

The smell of country air and sweet laundry soap wafted up from Grandma’s flannel sheets. I loved it. Nothing said wintery comfort like burrowing under the covers on a cold winter morning and feeling the soft flannel warmth. The quilts Grandma used on her beds when I was growing up tended to be sewn from fabric scraps. Some of her… Read More

After the clinic called to schedule my follow-up mammogram I felt unsure of what to do next. My husband always phones at noon to connect and chat. Should I tell him about the appointment and perhaps needlessly worry him? Should I mention it to my son who was visiting? What purpose would that serve? It wouldn’t make me feel any… Read More

The wind hit my face like a wet-towel snapped on bare skin in a locker room. It was one of the coldest mornings of our abnormally warm winter and I dressed for Booker’s walk like an Antarctic explorer. Booker was patient, but looked at me strangely as I tried to move with any semblance of grace in my eighty-four layers… Read More

Feeling restless today I decided to take a break. It was early afternoon and I wanted brain candy to allow my mind to switch from functional to fun thinking. Sometimes I find doing something out of routine helps me concentrate better later on. Sometimes, however, it is just veers me off track and I find myself crashed on the couch… Read More

Reality check… Who am I kidding? I’m still in my pajamas and it is eleven in the morning. It is the best part of my day. 🙂

I call it woman-bashing, but I’m in the minority. Every other Monday my husband goes to a Bible study session fifty miles away before going to work. Too often he’ll come bouncing through the door at night and want to read me a few verses that he found “interesting.” Usually it has something to do with a woman being subservient… Read More

By eight o’clock this morning the house was empty. My adult children had departed to visit friends, and my husband had left for work. Coffee, which my husband and I don’t drink, scented the air from the haphazard breakfast I threw together as the human migration began. The silence seemed unfamiliar as I started straightening the remnants of our family… Read More

I call her our pet-pimp. Amanda is not only my daughter’s best friend, but has become essentially a daughter to my husband and me as well. Amanda’s family lives on a farm near Madison, Wisconsin and, well-deserved cheesehead jokes aside, they are fine, fine, people. My daughter first met Amanda when they were matched as dorm roommates in their freshman… Read More

I’m an odd person. I actually love the challenge of wrapping presents in a creative and beautiful way. Over the course of the year I look for things I can use to enhance my gift-wrapping. Small pine cones, rocks, buttons, pressed leaves, clearance knick-knacks, and remnant ribbons are all prime objects. Sometimes I tinker with the doo-dads by spray-painting them… Read More

The barks and hisses are laced with spittle. My doors and windows are covered with animal nose art. And, for the time being, I don’t see an end in sight to these unplanned play-dates. Each day I bring Booker into the sunroom of our house to spend one-on-one time with him. We’ve established a routine that includes a training period…. Read More

Now that Christmas music is giving us reason to hum along, I find myself waiting for favorites to come up on the radio or in our home CD mixer. Although, to be honest, I’m hearing less Christmas music on the radio this year. In the past one local radio station would dedicate itself to playing only Christmas songs from Thanksgiving… Read More

She leaps, she flies, she snoops, and she pounces. Our new kitten is in the accelerated learning program of life. She has been accidentally stepped on, closed in a kitchen cupboard, fallen over the side of the stairs, and off the side of the bed. We sound like terrible pet owners, but the truth is she is so curious about… Read More

Some people fear their college professors; some hate their college professors, and some, like me, genuinely like their college professors. Mostly. Dr. “Mostly,” you know who you are. This semester I’ve been having some stumbling moments as I try to write a paper my heart isn’t invested in. It’s not the subject so much as the style of paper we’ve… Read More

The shopping list was long and my available time was short. To make matters worse, this was my third trip into town for forgotten items. I’m hosting Thanksgiving and my scattered brain gives clarity in short spurts only. Wanting to shop local I first stopped at the food co-op. Most items cost more, but I’m pleased with the high quality… Read More

It was one of those days where it was hard to leave the warmth and softness of our bed. My husband gave me a kiss before he headed off to work, and I wriggled deeper under the blankets. Guilt finally found me under there, and made me get up and moving. I shuffled and yawned as I coaxed the sheets… Read More

It was that time. My annual check-up/pap smear was scheduled for today, and I went forth realizing my new practitioner would get to know me intimately. It’s hard to start over with a new person, especially when that first meeting requires me to spread my legs. Wide. Then there is the boob exam and other nuances my shy nature cringes… Read More