Thursday, 7:30 pm

ever notice it seems easier to hear the rhythm of your footsteps on the sidewalk at night?  the cold air feels good.  and for the first time in a long time, my brain’s almost quiet.  wish i could just keep walking.  after all, i’m nearly half-a… Read full post »

He left 12 weeks ago.

My first fledgling.

He tested his wings in the Big Easy.

What a place to learn to fly.

The town was kind to him.

For that, I am grateful.

He fluttered, he fed and he grew.

He found his way home.

For a short while,… Read full post »

I’ve stayed home for 23 years having fun playing house.   I was extremely fortunate to be able to do this.  My husband and I shared the same philosophy.  Mom would stay home during our childbearing years, and dad would work his fingers to the bone to accommodate this.
&nbs… Read full post »

“Let’s go out to dinner Wednesday”.

“Sounds good”,  he replied.

He showed up wearing a tie.

My little boy.

We ate in a restaurant that was a favorite of mine when I was… Read full post »

On a trip from NYC to Buffalo about a year ago, I had a conversation with a stranger on a plane.

In idle conversation, I asked my neighboring passenger, “What brings you to Buffalo?” He told me that he was coming to town to speak/… Read full post »

In memory of my late Mother In Law, Jeanne, who died this month.  After 6 years in a nursing home, she died with a little help from her "friends" and morphine.

See my post http://open.salon.com/blog/brie/2009/08/19/for_jeanne_-_please_give_me_a_death_panel

For Jeanne - Please give me a death pa… Read full post »

Most people don’t know you Larry.

If asked, most people will say, I know Lady Gaga , but Larry Gaga?   Never heard of him.

Well, for those of you who… Read full post »

So my sister calls me today, breathlessly excited.   She works behind the desk at a local hotel and she exclaims that one of the Buffalo Bills wives just gave her three tickets to today's Bills game.

Before I commit to the journey, I ask her where the tickets are located.  She… Read full post »

 
It started when he first learned to walk. Always putting things in his pockets. Anything that he could find is his little world. Paper wrappers, pennies, the random piece of a broken toy found in the yard.

I always took such total pleasure in doing his laundry.… Read full post »

I came across this recipe while I was going through one my local charity published cook books.  It made me smile, so I thought I would pass it on....

ELEPHANT STEW

1 elephant

112 gallons of water

12 c pepper

12 c salt

Cut the elephant in… Read full post »

With tickets in hand, we excitedly walked through the parking lot with our 3 year old son Alex heading to his first NFL Football game. 

 We passed several school busses parked in the lot and this delighted Alex tremendously.  At his insistence, we let him/… Read full post »

This morning I was doing my usual “get the kid out the door” routine.   The same routine that I’ve been doing  every school morning for the past 18 years. 

Now that I’m down to one child in the high school, I can take a little… Read full post »

My eldest brother Bobby died in 1984 at the age of 32. He was a lovely, vibrant young man. His birthday is November 1^st, so every Autumn memories of him are front and center in my mind, and my feelings of loss are profound.… Read full post »

That's what mom used to say.

Today I took the time and called my brother.

We had nothing particular to say.

We talked for 71 minutes.

After hanging up, I smiled wide.

Thanks mom.

Call your brother.

note. This is a repost from another… Read full post »

A recent post by Theresa MacPhail inspired me to write this post about a recent shopping trip with my daughter at Forever 21.

While Caroline did her thing, I browsed through this very hip, very crowded store, scouring the racks working as her personal stylist.… Read full post »

Last night I was lounging on the couch with my laptop happily surfing the net.

I did my usual routine. I went to my usual haunts in my usual haphazard way.

I started out by visiting my member online publications… Read full post »

That's what Dad used to say while tucking a ten into my pocket as I walked out the door.

He did that through my teen years right through my lean years as a young wife and mother.

Today is the Anniversary of his death. 

He was a kind… Read full post »

That was the comment that I made to my long time acquaintance after we debated health care.

Her argument was narrow and selfish.   Her prejudices were transparent and her ignorance blatant.

I'm done with these types.  

Good riddance.

  Read full post »

 My lovely mother in law suffered a stroke 5 years ago. Although, she is conscious and able to sit in a wheelchair, she can't speak, eat without a feeding tube, or recognize her loved ones. Her body is skeletal,  her eyes swollen and empty and she wears a diaper. 

Although,… Read full post »