This is difficult and embarrassing to admit, but my first reaction to Kamila Valieva’s meltdown in the Olympics was schadenfreude*. I was astonished at my lack of empathy for this young girl and how innate my response was. Who doesn’t like to see a ‘cheater’ fail, though it was the adults surrounding her who were at fault. Even so, she suffered the consequences. The shame of it is…..

My friend and Bible study leader came over for lunch last weekend looking all put together. You know – make-up, jewelry, hair blown out, and an adorable outfit. After commenting on how lovely she looked, I apologized for my slovenly appearance admitting I hadn’t even taken a shower yet. She replied graciously that she was flattered to be considered a…..

This weekend was originally planned as a spiritual retreat for our Bible study ladies, but due to COVID those plans were postponed. My Texas friend already had her plane ticket so she and a couple of others decided to spend the weekend together anyway. Though not officially a ‘retreat,’ our time together always feeds my soul in…..

Last week I celebrated my 64th birthday. Some of my peers are approaching their sixties with horror. I, on the other hand, embrace it,acknowledging the sheer miracle that I’ve survived this long – and not because of my ongoing dance with cancer. Some of the horrific choices I made in my teens and twenties were far more lethal than any disease unless…..

During a visit to Florida over New Year’s, I was strolling down the avenue when a young man offered me a sample of wrinkle cream, which I accepted reluctantly. Sensing an easy mark, he literally pulled me into the beauty store. My husband kept walking. The eager salesman applied what he called ‘liquid botox’ to one side of my face to showcase its transformative power. Great, I’m on my way to meet friends for dinner….

Thursday marked the Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the Magi finding the baby they’d been seeking for so long. Their journey must have been arduous – certainly more difficult than my return from Florida yesterday, though travelling by camel seems easier and safer these days…..

“Should I travel? Do I have covid? Where can I get tested? Did I give Nana covid?” Nothing elicits more angst than celebrating holidays during a global pandemic. No one wants to be known as a super spreader. After reading the NY Times op ed, Please Don’t Tell Me ‘It’s Not Covid’ While Coughing in My Face, I decided to incorporate my negative covid kit result into my Christmas….

The Nativity quiz I mentioned last week only mentions four characters in the Christmas story. In reality, there were plenty more from which to choose. Mary and Joseph, of course, and all the animals. Who can’t relate to being an ass from time to time? Or perhaps a sheep, just following the crowd. Or maybe you’re the crippled lamb being carried on the shepherd’s shoulders. That’s a position I’ve experienced….

During our last Bible study meeting, our leader began with a quiz. I eagerly awaited the first question with pencil in hand. I’ve always loved those multiple-choice quizzes from magazines that claim to offer insight into your personality. It started with ones from Seventeen and Mademoiselle before I graduated to Cosmopolitan, the gold standard of the genre. My enthusiasm for them waned slightly when I was caught passing one of those infamous…

The trees are up, and my husband’s beloved light display has gone live. This is the earliest we’ve ever gotten our decorations up and running. It seems everyone else was just as eager to commence the revelry. Many homes in town began lighting up well before Thanksgiving. And why shouldn’t we be excited to usher in a season of “peace and good will toward men.” Our world…..

COVID has been testing our patience for almost two years. The disruption to supply chains promises to try our endurance even further as anyone who has ordered furniture in the past year can attest. I waited nine months for a sofa that supposedly got stuck in the Suez Canal…..

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, I’m relishing the fact that I no longer have to host an army of relatives or prepare that laborious and exhausting meal. During a dinner this week the woman next to me confided that she became a woman the year she fixed her first bird. More than any of the milestones that you would think mark womanhood…..

You wouldn’t think running is a spectator sport, but on Marathon Sunday in New York City, the crowds come out in droves. I wouldn’t be there (NY is a logistical nightmare that day) unless my daughter was running, but NY residents feel a responsibility to attend for no other reason than to…..

“Mom! Mom! Mom! Look at me! Watch this!” When vying for a parent’s attention, I vividly remember doing this to my own mother as much as when my own children did it to me in their youth. It seems people never outgrow that innate desire to be seen and affirmed. Isn’t that the purpose of social media? People of all ages screaming “Look at me!” with the number of likes and friends determining…..

There is a 2004 Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller movie called Dodgeball that my family loves. It revolves around a barebones gym called Average Joe’s - no fancy workout clothes, chichi juice bar, or Zen meditation classes. Think Equinox versus Planet Fitness. Whatever Average Joe’s lacks in sophistication is balanced by their dedication and loyalty…..

Like many other seniors, my mom suffers from macular degeneration, a progressive deterioration of the retina, causing loss of eyesight. It makes it difficult for her to read, watch TV, cook or any other simple daily task. I wish I could share a funny anecdote resulting from her blurry vision, but there’s nothing humorous…..

My visit with my folks this week was a three-day game of Mad Libs. For those of you unfamiliar with this party game, you substitute for blanks when prompted for a noun, adjective or verb without knowing the story. It makes for some hilarious results. And so do my conversations at “The Farm*.” My mom is hard of hearing, my dad has dementia, and their aide…..

Growing up with a nickname like ‘Gastank’ (thanks to my older brothers), you’d think I’d be accustomed to teasing of all kinds. Gastank was the kindest of the litany of names they had for me. ‘Load’ was another favorite. Eventually, they outgrew the fat-shaming, name-calling phase. Now, it’s my children…..

Years ago, my pastor left me a stitched plaque as a thank you for using our beach cottage. It is perched proudly on a bookcase across from my bed so that it is the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see each night: Hope anchors the soul (Hebrews 6:19). I can’t think of a better…..

More is my modus operandi. Always wanting more is generally not an attractive trait – except when it comes to spirituality. In fact, wanting more of Him is exactly the attitude God desires. He is eager to provide as many helpings as we’d like. The Lord hosts an unending, all-you-can-eat spiritual banquet. So, it’s no wonder that when invited to attend a We Want More retreat, I enrolled immediately. Not only was I nourished spiritually, the excellent food provided was…..