Best Hours of the Day

After brushing my teeth and slipping into PJs, I love to bolster up pillows and snuggle into bed with a book. I notice what a good mood I’m in, even if the day hasn’t been all that great. But reading in bed is such a treat I can’t help smiling no...

I Miss Manners

Out on a stroll recently, I stepped through a narrow walkway leading to the neighborhood park and came face-to-face with a man with a large dog that woofed. “He usually doesn’t bark,” the man said, “you scared him.” Instead of giving me a moment to...

Circulating Letters

Yesterday, I wandered next door to chat with a neighbor. Minutes later in her kitchen, I mentioned how I’d recently met a distant relative from New York State for the first time. In retrospect, I realized I’d forgotten to ask that person if they’d attended the same...

Your Best Pet Yet

As a girl, I was an animal lover. And still am. My parents gave me a fish tank, my first foray into the kingdom of animal ownership. In no time, I begged for a hamster. Later, a gerbil. And a German shepherd. And a cat. My parents indulged me, but they must have...

How Do You Deal with Stress?

I seldom get stressed-out. So, why did I awake with a start after a dream about meeting someone for lunch and not being able to locate the restaurant? Was my sleepy-time foray merely a worrisome dream or a nightmare? Should I take this recent...

A Hearty Breakfast

I smile as I recall my father-in-law telling me about growing up in South Dakota. Born in 1921, he commenced working summers at age thirteen as a cook’s helper on a nearby farm. An arduous bicycle ride away from home, but his family needed the money during the...