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From Decorating to Grandkids
For years I considered decorating my hobby. I love to plan and create beautiful rooms. I enjoy refinishing furniture. Antiquing can be regarded as a hobby. Nothing gets the old blood going better than entering an unexplored antique store. -
Hiding in the Car Wash
Every summer, our whole family gets together for two weeks at the family cottage in Door County. When Michael, Matt, and I lived in Colorado, this trip home was a hike.We had spent a very enjoyable time with my sister, her husband, and our two nieces and their families.
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An Almost Near-Death Experience
Most everyone loves summer activities. One that was always on my bucket- list was river rafting. I had done this activity several times before, one being down the Colorado River. It was a glorious sunny, warm day. The falls were doable and we had a great time. As it turned out our guide was a girl we knew from Beaver Dam. It is a small world. -
Climbing to Kjeragbolten
It was the end of our Norway excursion. The one place my sister-in-law wanted to see was Kjeragbolten –but we were tired. Did I really want to go or should we pass?According to VisitNorway.com “The hike to Kjerag is around 11 kilometers (almost 7 miles) long and the round trip takes 6 to 10 hours. You need to be in good physical shape before heading out on this mountain hike which has an elevation gain of 800 meters. In some places, you have to pull yourself up and slide down with the help of wires, so it is a demanding hike even for experienced hikers.”
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Irish Driving Drama
I don’t tend to do many dangerous things, but when prompted to write about a dangerous situation that I survived, what came to mind was driving in Ireland. -
OCD – Obsessive Collecting Disorder
I am obsessed with collecting items, especially when they are part of a set. I’m not sure where this obsession came from, but as an adult, it has definitely taken hold. -
The Occasional Collector
I am not a huge fan of collections. If I think hard, I can come up with three groups of items I have collected.
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Butterflies and Blue Santas
Does everybody have a favorite collection? As I was growing creating a collection seemed to be a way of getting a child to have something constructive to do. Today, of course, we know that most of our children don’t even think about collecting anything as they are too busy with their phones or video games. -
Obligated to Collect
Down in my basement storage are three plastic grocery bags filled with matchbooks. I have enough matchbooks to last…forever.The collection began very innocently.
In third grade, we were supposed to bring in a collection to show the class. I brought Mom’s lack shadow box with seashells that were Mm’s from her childhood. You see, I didn’t really have any collections. But during this time, I saw my friend Stacy’s matchbook collection and thought it was pretty cool. I happened to mention it to my Grandma Is and the wheels began to turn. Grandma was actually excited that I was going to be a collector. And…she could help! She and Grandpa Ron would go on regular trips around the US. As smokers, they regularly picked up matches from restraints, gas stations, and hotels along the way.
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My Chaotic and Messy Life
I like the idea of clean, simple, fresh, and uncluttered. Not chaotic and messy…I follow “The Minimalists” on FB, watch reels about decluttering, and notice the sparse backgrounds in my favorite podcast videos.
A simple life beckons, but (and this is a big BUT) that isn’t how I actually live my life. Let me give you just a few thoughts that come to mind…
Work
I am a Life Coach, writer, and podcaster. I am constantly struggling to create systems to organize my content and my work. This is important so that I don’t miss things like appointments for interviews and deadlines for posts. However, as I sit at my desk, I note that it has inexplicably fallen into disarray. Stuff, unnecessary stuff, I’ve accumulated has grown roots. So instead, I grab my computer and notebook and work on the couch in the living room.
Home
When I was a teenager, I loved going to a friend’s house that had 5 children. I loved going to my boyfriend’s house where the family room was always filled with people watching football on TV. The activity of people was energizing.
My home growing up was calm and quiet. Mom cooking “Hamburger Helper” in the kitchen. In the summer, she planted dozens of annual flowers out in the gardens around the house and tended the landscaping around the yard. Dad relaxing in his tweed Lay-Z-Boy watching “Gunsmoke” or tinkering on some project in his basement workshop. My younger sister at a friend’s house playing Barbies. This was home base…the place that was stable and secure.
Grandma’s House
I would go to her house most days after school and during the days in the summer. Thinking of the couple hours I spent with her after school, I can smell bean soup simmering on the stove. Michelle and I enjoyed a snack after school before sitting on the floor and leaning against the big, round Naugahyde ottoman to enjoy uninterrupted episodes of Gilligan’s Island, The Brady Bunch, Zoom, and Hogan’s Heros. On long, hot, summer days I can still hear the distant drone of a neighbor mowing grass and the whine of cicadas in the mature Norway Maple that shaded the yard.There was a predictability in Grandma’s routine as she daily filed and and painted her perfect red nails. The hair comb was always in its spot between the two organizers in the drawer to the right of the sink.
Now
As an adult and parent, I’ve tried to create the calm consistency in my own home that I didn’t appreciate from my youth. Our house has space for people to watch TV out of earshot of others. During the school year, there is a predictability of family dinners and bedtime routines. In the summer I enjoy reading out on the screened porch overlooking my gardens and the sound of waves against our shoreline.But I’m most happy when the silence is interrupted by Kadon and Aubrey rough-housing and laughing upstairs. I love walking in the front door and seeing my son and his wife cooking in the kitchen. It doesn’t get any better than having my grandson, in his “ExerSaucer”, turn and squeal as I walk into the room.
Maybe this life isn’t exactly unrestrained messiness and overwhelming chaos…
…it’s also definitely not the quiet of a lonely, uneventful home.
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Life is Best on the Water
I have always loved water activities. Once I learned to swim, anything to do with the water had my attention. At Girl Scout Camp, we learned to canoe. We were taught skills to navigate solo or with a second person. My third year of camp, we took a thirty-mile canoe trip down the Wolfe River. We slept on the river bank in two-person Alpine tents and cooked our meals over open campfires. We gained so much knowledge and had a great time.
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Outdoor Aversion
I’m trying to think of my favorite outdoor activity and I’m struggling. I’m not one that chooses to do the outdoor things. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do things outside if someone asks me to, but it’s not something that I’ll automatically choose if left to my own devices. -
Girl Scout Adventure
Summer of 1978 at William’s Woods When I was in elementary school, I learned that the local Girl Sout troup went camping in the summer.
Sign me up!
I belonged to our local troop which met at a building near where I lived. It was called “The Girl Scout House”. The building consisted of one large open room upstairs and another twin room downstairs. Our group me upstairs. There was a big fireplace along one wall that was never used. Several long garage sale tables and metal folding chairs were the only furnishings.
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I’d Rather Be Camping
Through the years I have discovered that my absolute favorite outdoor activity is camping. I especially love tent camping unless, of course, it is raining. This can make it a little uncomfortable unless you are savvy about how to set your tent up to avoid leaking. -
Teenage Fashion Dilemma
We, as a culture, seem to be attracted to black and white opinions. We see things as good or bad, flower or weed, Republican or Democrat, yum or yuck, right or wrong.As a parent it’s easy to be labeled as either the “go-to” parent or the “hard-ass”. Between Craig and I (generally speaking) I am the one who is more inclined to say “yes”.
But it really isn’t as simple as that…
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Dad’s Favorite Word – NO
During my childhood, I don’t think the word Yes was even invented. My dad was a salesman during all of my growing-up years. He was the head of the household even though he was not home most of the time. This required any decision-making events to be put on hold upon his return from work. Now, you couldn’t just say “Hi Dad” and pop the question which would require a simple yes or no answer. No, you had to work with due diligence and with a lot of savvy on how to handle a man that didn’t know the word yes. -
No Cookies at my House
It seems like it’s always easier for a parent or a babysitter to say NO to any request from a child. I’ve often wondered why.When I was little, my neighborhood friends and I would play outside and occasionally would go to someone’s house and say we were hungry. We asked to come in and have a snack. The moms always said NO. Sometimes they would hand us a cookie each and send us outside to enjoy it.
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The Downside of Yes
For a long time, as a parent, my first reaction when one of the kids asked me if they could do something was to say “No”. I usually had that reaction because I was concerned about them making a mess that I’d have the clean up or I was worried about them doing something to make someone else angry or other such nonsense. -
Finding Baby Sister
Craig swears that mom and I began planning for our baby girl when the airplane tires hit the tarmac when we returned home from adopting our boys from Russia.He was right.
I can’t remember a time that I didn’t think about “baby sister”. Our family just didn’t feel quite complete. Our boys were perfect, but there was still someone missing.
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Romance at the Hotel Rogers
When I was little, I loved to hear the story about how Mom and Dad met. I thought it was so romantic.My Grandpa, Mom’s dad, had lost his life in a fall from the convent building in Campbellsport, WI. Grandma Cecilia had six children and had to figure out how to support them. The only work she could find was as a dishwasher at the Hotel Rogers.
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Sleeping with the Bridesmaids
This story is on a hearsay basis. In other words, I wasn’t there, but have had this story told to me several times and I think it is pretty funny and is one of my favorites for this family. -
Caught Naked
Have you ever seen a family member naked that you shouldn’t be seeing or didn’t want to be seeing? Well, our family has a habit of seeing the wrong people naked and at inopportune times. Over the years, there have been multiple instances of this. -
Black is Back
My childhood room was nothing too dynamic in my opinion; One problem was that it was never just “my” room. I always had to share with a sibling. It started out with me sharing my room with my older sister. That was interesting as she never wanted me to touch any of her things, much less her clothes (I did do a lot of sneaking her sweaters though!) I’m sure that was one reason I spent a lot of time in Judy’s, my younger sibling’s room. We had a lot of fun in her room playing and goofing around. This was something that I was never allowed to do in “my” room. Because it seemed that I was in Judy’s room so much my mom (I really think my older sister, Kathy, requested this), changed our bedrooms. So I now shared with Judy and Kathy had her own room. (still didn’t stop me from sharing her sweaters!!!) We actually physically changed rooms. Judy and I shared the larger room and Kathy had the smaller room which had been Judy’s to start with. -
Bedroom of My Dreams?
As the firstborn daughter in the mid-’60s, I came home to a nursery decorated in soft pink. Mom tells the story of going with Dad, Judy, and Judy’s boyfriend, Spence, on a Saturday to buy a round, fuzzy, pink rug in Madison. Mom had exactly $13 in her purse for the purchase. Unfortunately, they were stopped for speeding. The ticket was $13. Judy and Spence bought their downhill skis, but mom decided to wait and save the money…again.It was purchased after I was born.
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From Dad, With Love
I tend to be a creature of habit. If something was done one way for me as a child, I feel the need to inflict that same thing on my kids. The Christmas cookie decorating ritual would be one example. Another example would be first bedrooms. -
In My Room
When I was a little girl, I had my own room. I don’t remember much about it except that my sister Sandy used to visit me and play. My roll-a-way had a handle that we pretended was the steering wheel on our pirate ship. Because we frequently got together to play in my room, our parents decided that we must want to share a room. -
Through My Mentor’s Eyes
Growing up, my mom was private about girl stuff and things I should be aware of. My older sister Sandy and I shared a room and she was the one I went to with questions about life and guys and relationships. I was shy growing up and Sandy’s advice helped me to handle a variety of situations. I knew she always had my back although she did tease me a bit first. -
Unexpected Mentor
Having worked in a law office for 56 years one would hope that I learned a lot. Actually, I worked for my current boss’s dad for twenty-three of those 56 years and learned an awful lot. Bruce was his name and he loved to teach. This was fortunate for me as I came to the office without a college degree, having just graduated from high school. I was the only secretary he had for a long time and while training me he was very good at teaching me why things had to be done a certain way and then how to accomplish this. He also gave me free rein once I had certain projects down pat. -
A Mentor For Life
In talking about mentors, I keep coming up with one person who has consistently been there for me for my whole life. She has known me from birth through the present. Sometimes she has lived close, at other times on the other side of the country. I’ve always looked up to her and admired her for the ways she’s embodied and encouraged me to be adventurous, self-confident, and independent… -
Stop Being Paranoid
One of the biggest mentors I had in my life was my sister Lisa, but I’ve already written about her, so let’s give someone else the spotlight. During my time working at a local bank, I had an amazing mentor come into my life. She was a challenging person, but very smart, and dedicated and it was my goal to make her happy.Her name was Tina, and she was the Senior VP of Operations at the bank. She had worked there since she was 19, I believe and moved her way thru the ranks. For the first 4 years that I worked for her, it was a struggle. I never quite felt like I was doing things to the point that she (or anyone) was completely happy with. There was a coworker that would come into the office very quietly. Every morning, I would stew about it, thinking that I’d done something to make her mad or upset. If she and Tina had a side conversation about something, I was always convinced they were talking about me. Finally, at the 4-year mark, things took a turn.
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Bad Grandma
I always say that since I have become a grandma I seem to constantly be in trouble, or at least get blamed for some happening that the kids get me involved in.I have a rather rambunctious, curious grandson who has always kept everyone on their toes. He is sweet, fun-loving, and as I said, curious and adventuresome.
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Smoking with the Cool Girls
Being a little sister is not always easy. Whenever Sandy and her girlfriends were trying things out, I wanted to try them too.As is often the case, when I was going through this experience, it wasn’t funny. With every telling, it gets funnier and funnier. And now, it is downright hysterical.
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Who Needs Backup Sensors Anyway?
I’ve never been known as an awesome driver. As a matter of fact, I’ve been teased relentlessly over the years for developing ADD tendencies while behind the wheel.
This propensity to ADD while driving has its drawbacks. But sometimes I get into trouble even when I’m clearly 100% focused. like. when…backing up.
“Protective” Barriers
Most recently, I had a day job driving a forklift. I loaded freight onto a pallet and moved said freight to a staging area. On one fateful day, I had a “big and bulky” load of only 2 items. I was “looking alertly in the direction of movement with my body appropriately having 4 points of contact with the lift and using a wide-legged supported stance” as I maneuvered my pallet into the lane. Unfortunately, the load of boxes was blocking my ability to see the barrier rod that prevented people from entering a conveyor area. -
Not a Prima Ballerina
I started my dance “career” at age 4 by taking tap classes. I believe Mom initially got me into classes to help me overcome my shyness. Hiding under Grandma Is’s skirt was where you’d find me if anyone tried talking to me during our errands.Now when it came time to be in dance class, my shyness disappeared. I loved being the leader of our class and getting to be the first one onto the stage during the recital. I never recall having stage fright or freezing while on stage. That never occurred to me.
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Soup Forever
The camp cook relaxing with Eli (2005). We were camping. It was the summer of 2005. We hadn’t yet adopted our boys. I don’t remember any men during the week. Who WAS there? Michelle just had knee surgery and was on crutches and down for the count most of the time. Grandma Doris, but was struggling with COPD and was using a power scooter. Mom was in charge of Chelle’s three kids.
I was in charge of all the cooking and beggers can’t be choosers. So I got to decide what was on the menu for the week. I chose soup. (I have a philosophy about soup that you can check out here.) So I got to decide what was on the menu for the week! Plus, everyone loves my soup and knows that I am the best soup cooker out there…you see, I have a secret ingredient that I add to my chicken soup that few people know about…
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Meal Prep to the Rescue
My family doesn’t have a “favorite meal” because we have too many different tastes to contend with. When the kids were younger, this contributed to my dislike of cooking. I already hated it, but it became amplified as a parent. -
A Civilized Family Meal
My husband was a great cook. OK, I know I’ve said this multiple times. I bring this up because I don’t remember a bad meal that he ever prepared.To identify a favorite family meal, I’ll tell you about a meal that Michael didn’t cook and all three of us enjoyed immensely.
It was a warm, comfortable evening in Louisville, Colorado. Michael, our son Matt and I came together after we were done with work. We had been given a gift for dinner at the Melting Pot Restaurant. Matt had never been to a Melting Pot and didn’t know what to expect.
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Expensive Taste
Reflecting on what my favorite family meal Is actually makes my mouth water. Well, since I don’t love or even like the preparation of any kind of meal I like to go out to eat. And when I go out to eat I love to consume lobster. Because of the cost, it certainly cannot be considered a family meal. Call me selfish, but even though I love lobster, not everyone in my family feels the same. It’s always better to dine with friends so as not to look to my family like I am overindulging!! -
Baffle Them With Bullshit
I was 25 years old when I started working at ExecuTrain as a computer trainer. I was tasked with teaching adults about how to use Windows, Microsoft products, and other such things. After working there for about 3 months, our network administrator left and my boss said, “Hey Michelle. You said you like technical things, right? Well, here’s our network. Take care of it!” -
Letting Go
March 20006 It’s been over a month since I’ve talked to my oldest son. Texts, messages, and chats go unanswered. His dad’s birthday has come and gone. Crickets.
Life has rarely been easy parenting Luka. We adopted him from an orphanage in Russia when he was 32 months old. The only thing we knew about his birth mother was that she was a registered alcoholic. He was a loving and sweet boy.
One of his elementary teachers noted about him, that although school was hard for him, he was the most determined and hard-working kid in her class. She was sure that that tenacity would pay off for him in the future.
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Home at Last
My son Matt and I pulled away from the house we had called home for the past fifteen years. It was the only home Matt remembered and a home that I loved. We had come back over spring break to finish emptying out the house and to complete our move to Colorado. -
Growing Pains
The day and year that I really grew up was definitely an important experience. One that I would have forgone forever. This was the day that my dad passed away. He was only sixty-two years old, died of a heart attack, and left his family reeling in shock and dismay. -
My #1 #2
Looking back at some real changes in my life would certainly include the birth of my two daughters. I am going to focus on the birth of my second child, who I teasingly call my #1 #2. (Get it – she’s my favorite 2nd child) See I try to make everything even outlining the importance of their being. -
First Communion Nightmare
My mom was raised Catholic and she agreed to raise her children as Catholics. The only caveat was that she did not want us to go to parochial school. In order for us to fulfill her agreement, we were required to attend Saturday Catechism classes until we were through the eighth grade. -
Lucy the Labradoodle
It was 2013 and I had been living as a single person for almost 5 years. Sam, our beautiful family black lab, had recently passed due to a horrible but thankfully quick struggle with throat cancer. I decided it was time to get another dog and this time, she was going to be mine. It was the first time I had been able to make a decision like this on my own. -
Tween Makeover
me, 7th Grade, 1977 I’ve written before about how I had many worries and thoughts about the future when I was young. But I was also a planner. One of the biggest “plans” I had was for my transition from elementary school to Jr. High.
In elementary school, I was a pretty typical kid. Braces, headgear, and rubber bands worked to fix my smile. I took tap dance lessons. In the band, I played the flute.
But I wanted to be different. So I came up with a plan. I was going to have a life makeover! But, of course, “makeover” wasn’t yet a concept.
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Teasing Teenagers
Picture this… I’m 14 years old. It’s New Year’s Eve and I’m having a date night with my boyfriend, Sam. Lisa and Tom are in the next room chaperoning us (as much as you can chaperone from the other room). Sam and I are kissing and before I know it, his hand is creeping under my shirt… -
To Know Me is to Love Me
Anyone who says being a kid or much less a teenager is fun has never been one. Well, my remembrance of being a teenager sort of makes me shudder. I was one of those kids that most parents would, at times, never want. I was rebellious, didn’t like the word “no”, hated restrictions, and liked to do anything at least once to see if it was worth doing again. -
Shy and Unhappy Teenager
I remember being very excited about becoming a teenager but for the life of me, I didn’t know why.My first memory of my teenage years was standing on the front steps of the Junior High waiting for the doors to open. It was the first day of 7th grade. I had grown four inches over the summer. I towered over most of my classmates that I remembered from 6th grade.
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Not Yet a Grown-Up
This is the worst topic. Why? Because it exposes how scary this time is in anyone’s life. And right now, my daughter Aubrey is in the middle of her thirteenth year. There are six more years of her teenagehood ahead of us. I remember the struggle of that age and how confused I was about my place in the world. For me, it was a time of questioning, trying out different personas, and worrying about the future. -
Nature or Nurture?
As an adoptive parent, I only occasionally think about how my kids are like and unlike me. I do see stories frequently about adoptees getting together with birth parents. They recognize all kinds of connections that they’ve never had before. Now they see someone else who loves golf as they do. Or they see where they got their long legs with knobby knees. Or they finally found someone else in the world who pukes at the taste of dark chocolate.
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I Am My Mother After All
I was 18 years old and sitting at Mom’s vanity doing my makeup. Mom came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders. I looked from my face to hers and back to mine again and I started to cry a little. I said, “Oh My God… I DO look like you!” Boy, I sure know how to make someone feel like a million bucks! That’s just one way that I’m like my mom. -
Mom + Dad = Me
If I had to choose which parent I am most like I would say a very little of either, but am a lot like my paternal uncle. My dad was very social, loved speaking before groups, and was just really outgoing. I cannot identify with most of these traits as I am more reserved in large groups, hate public speaking, and am sort of outgoing. Now, on the other hand, my mother was definitely an introvert. She depended a lot on my dad for his social support. When he passed she had to work very hard to become more social and outgoing. I would say I sort of fit in the middle of these two parents. The most drastic difference between my dad and I was speaking in front of groups. I always say I would rather give birth than do any kind of public speaking.
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The Professional Worrier
My parents shared many of their characteristics with me. Some were learned and some were in my genes.Dad was a procrastinator. He would finish dinner, sit down to watch something on TV, and often would fall asleep. He’d wake up when it was time to go to bed and then he’d start working.
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No Laughing at the Dinner Table
Mom and Dad had some interesting phrases that they repeated on numerous occasions.
Dad #1
One of our favorite parts of the day was when the family got together in the dining room for dinner Something would hit one of our funny bones and we would start laughing. Next, the whole table was laughing and joking. Dad would seriously interject “Cut it out or someone is going to be crying soon”. The sad part was that he was often right. He would get impatient with the frivolity and one of us would get in trouble. Then the tears would start.Dad #2
I used to love to debate with Dad. I didn’t consider it arguing but apparently, he did. When he felt backed into a corner, his next phrase was “Don’t talk back to me young lady”. At that point, I had to stop debating and quietly leave the discussion.
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If Your Dad Knew About This…
When my kids get into trouble, I am so glad that I’m not a single parent, Craig and I both are involved in the ups and downs of parenting.
When I was a child and got into trouble, my mom was the primary caregiver, the default parent, and the dealer of discipline. But the secret of her power was found in one little phrase…”If your father found out/knew about this, he would be so disappointed.”
That little phrase had the power to shape me because she was right. AND his disappointment was like a sledgehammer. Here is one example…
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Someday When I’m Dead and Gone…
“Some day when I’m dead and gone… then you’ll appreciate me”. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard that phrase from Mom’s mouth when I’m doing or saying something to her that she doesn’t like. -
Selling Pencils and Shoe Laces
A phrase often heard in our household when I was a kid was directed at the whole family, I guess. I had two sisters and we were given tasks to do. Anyway, my younger sister and I were given tasks to do. My older sister for some reason was exempt from this activity. It seems when responsibilities are given to children in households there are a lot of arguments and reasons not to participate. Well, my dad thought he had the answer to solve this problem. You see he would threaten all of us that “he was going to sell our house, we would have to live in an apartment, and he would have to stand on a corner selling pencils and shoe laces. This also came in handy to complain when he didn’t make a sale, as he was a salesman, and we would feel sorry for him. -
Small Gestures
Being thought of is a small gesture to make someone feel loved. A simple hello, preferably with a smile, can put a warm spot in my heart. -
Words Matter
I have been going through unusual trials recently. My husband, Michael is very ill. There have been several people that have sent notes either by text, email, or snail mail, that have warmed my heart and have caused me to feel cared about and yes, loved.
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All the Feels
What makes you feel a connection with another person? Some people make you feel cared for and seen. Others, not so much.Let me give you a couple of examples of what I mean.
A while ago, Michelle and I were talking about our parents and we found out that we have completely different takes on a common occurrence.
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Show Me The Love
Candlelight dinner from Nathan – Valentine’s Day 2011 When trying to think about what makes me feel loved or what gives me warm fuzzies, the first thought that comes to mind is when my kids remember to thank me for something I’ve done for them.
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Nicolet Forest After Dark
Some of my greatest adventures in life have been traveling with my sister, Sandy. She hates to be bothered by maps, instructions, or directions.We had rented a cabin in Eagle River, Wi. The “girls” were taking too long to get ready, so Art and Michael said they would go on ahead and open up the cabin. They said they might do a little fly fishing to get warmed up. We promised we would be close behind them.
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It’s a Cluster
For some reason, I seem to be at the basis for all the Sidetracked Sisters’ memories of getting lost. Imagine that? One of my many experiences of getting lost was a complete cluster. -
Driving Adventures
I pride myself on being great with directions. I can’t recall a single time I’ve been lost when I’m driving. (Now if Mom is driving – that’s an entirely different story). Even as a kid, I’ve always paid attention to things as we were traveling from one place to another. -
The Kindness of Strangers
This is a random friendly Irish cow that said “Hello” and made us feel welcome while traveling the beautiful country roads. What is a common fear when traveling?
Getting lost. Yup. Been there done that…
But it wasn’t as big of a problem as I had feared.
It was on our trip to Ireland. Mom and Melanie flew in first and rented a car. They got to our rental house first. Michelle and I rented our own car. We were told to rent a larger car with automatic transmission. The thinking was, if you have to think about driving on the left side of the road, shifting gears would be one more thing to think about.
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What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
I’m gonna be an artist when I grow up.
This is the answer I would have given to that age-old question that adults always ask children. I loved to make things out of paper and paint and wood and clay. I didn’t necessarily like coloring books, but I loved art materials. My first memory of Kindergarten is of making a scribble picture on construction paper and then coloring in the created spaces with crayons. -
Indecisive Decisions
The lack of a clear career path kept me from following through and going to college. At first, I wanted to be a clothing designer but I had none of the natural skills to make this work. I thought about being a veterinarian because I loved animals, but I couldn’t get excited about the necessary years of schooling. -
More Than a Secretary
Would you believe that while growing up I wanted to be a housewife and mother? I lived in a wonderful place with a group of stay-at-home moms and housewives. They made this sound like such a fulfilling, relaxing, and happy life. This was in the fifties and women that I knew didn’t work out of the home. We lived in an Ozzie and Harriet atmosphere. -
Computer Geek at Heart
When I was a little kid, I always wanted to be a teacher. I loved the idea of imparting my wisdom to others and knowing more about things than my students did. I always looked up to my teachers and wanted that admiration as well. As I got older, I decided there was no way I was going to be able to teach little kids. I love little kids, but their goofiness can get tiresome. Middle school kids are too hormone riddled to handle and high school kids are too close to adults and many show teachers no respect. So where did that leave me? -
Newspaper to the Rescue
April 7th, 1980. I was 9 years old and was heading to Grandma Is’s house after school. Grandma’s house was only 2 blocks from school and I made the journey without any challenges. It was a beautiful spring day. Not a cloud in the sky. At least not yet. -
Save the Pets!
I survived the Beaver Dam tornado of 1980. Someone actually printed up a bunch of t-shirts with this brag–back in the day.
I was riding my bike home from the Jr. High (Middle School) on this fateful day. As I was riding down Mary Street hill (the same hill from this post). I thought to myself, “Strange how the faster I ride, the stronger the wind blows.” It was like somehow my actions affected the atmosphere. They were correlated…
The sky was darkening to the west. The daylight took on a greenish cast…and then the tornado sirens went off just as I rode past the last few houses before turning into my own driveway. Was my first response to seek cover and head to the basement? No, of course not. My concern was for all of our pets.
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The Day That Shook Our World
My husband and I were living in Napa, Ca. Our one-year-old son, Matt was in his eight-sided play area. Our dog, Nikki, was asleep on the bed and Michael had just gotten back from a business meeting in San Francisco.We were all set to watch a world series game between the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics. It was October 17, 1989. Without warning, the TV screen went black and turned to static. The dog stood up on the bed and looked around with wild eyes. Matt started to cry and Michael, who was concentrating on a business report said “Judy, would you get the dog away from my chair? She keeps bumping it and I can’t type.”
Nikki was nowhere near Michael’s chair. I leaned over to lift Matt out of the play area and got so dizzy, I thought I was going to fall over. Simultaneously Michael and I looked at each other and said “earthquake”.
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Sunny Skies and Tornados
The only real natural event that I have ever been in was the tornado that touched down in Beaver Dam in the year 1980. It was always felt that we would never be subject to a tornado because of the lake effect. In searching for the data on this tornado I note that this evidently is misinformation as there were others mentioned, just not memorable to me. The tornado that I witnessed firsthand happened on April 7th, 1980. -
Rusty But Wonderful
I don’t remember that my first bike was an important item to the rest of the family as it was to me. You see, my older sister was a bookworm, not into physical activities such as bike riding. I, on the other hand, loved to be outside and really loved to ride bikes, scooters, and roller skates. In order for me to accomplish bike riding I actually had to go to a neighbor’s house who had adult children who left an old rusty bike in her garage. She graciously let me ride this bike almost on a daily basis. -
Make Way For A Landing
It was the end of the summer before the second grade and Lisa and I were on our way home from Grandma Is’s house where we spent our summer days while mom was at work. We were riding our bikes and because I was only 7, I usually rode on the sidewalk. -
Broken Vajayjay
When I was growing up, I loved having a bicycle. It offered freedom and adventure. I would ride my bike to friends’ houses and as necessary transportation. Back in the day, we didn’t wear helmets. I was responsible in that my bike was registered with the city and it had a license sticker on the frame.
Generally speaking, I was a careful driver. I rode on the right-hand side of the road (not on the sidewalk) and used hand signals when I was turning.
But there was this one time when I wasn’t as careful as I should have been…and I suffered the consequences.
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Bicycle Built for Two
I think I had three two-wheeled bikes over my childhood. The first one was my least memorable. It was painted a rusty color and had a triangle-shaped kickstand on the back wheel. I disliked this bike from the day it arrived and I begged mom and dad for a new bike. The tires kept going flat and it was very hard to steer. -
Flirting with Rotten Eggs
I was never much of a flirt in grade school. I was the youngest of three girls and I had no experience talking with my male classmates. They made me nervous and scared me to death. -
The Stress of Kindergarten
I remember several childhood grade school memories, so, where to start?The first one I recall was I was in kindergarten, it was Armistice Day, and of course, I had no idea what that meant. I went to Wilson School and had just recently moved to the north end of town. This meant I had to take a bus from school to home.
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Traumatic Events
I had a few traumatic events happen to me during my grade school years. Both events were a result of my teachers and had a significant impact on my feelings about those years. -
She’s In Trouble Now
Thank God I’m a grown-ass woman AND no longer a teacher. Do you know what that means? No. more. recess! I don’t get in trouble (or get others in trouble) anymore.
I’ve always hated recess. I’ve written before about spending a snowy recess with Mary and Mr. Fry in the boiler room here. But that isn’t the only time I purposely skipped out on recess…
I was in First Grade. My First-grade classroom was on the lower level of the building, closest to the boiler room, Mrs. Goetz was my teacher. We had been working on something when the announcement was made that it was almost recess time. But only students that were done with their work would be allowed to go out. I was done with my work, but Sean and Rochelle would need to stay in.
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A Captive Audience
My mom worked when I was growing up. I would walk to my grandma’s house after school. while there, I would lean against the round naugahyde ottoman and watch Room 222, The Brady Bunch, Marcus Welby, MD, and Gilligan’s Island. When it got dark outside, grandma would begin cooking dinner and mom would be there to pick me up. -
Hop Aboard the Wine Train
Hop aboard the Wine Train – We were in Napa, Ca. Mom and her sister Hyacinth were visiting from Wisconsin. They had arrived by way of the Golden Zephyr out of Milwaukee and I had picked them up at the train station in Alameda, Ca. -
My Mom – My Everything
My parents, especially my mom was a very special person in my life. She took care of my kids when I went to work after giving birth to my firstborn and also when number 2 came along. This was at a time when she was also caring for my oldest sister who was suffering with MS. she became a widow at the young age of 55. By that time my sister had passed. She made it possible for me to work enabling my family to acquire and achieve our dreams which would not have been possible without her help. -
Always There To Help
One thing I absolutely love about my parents is that they are ALWAYS there to help me. In any way, shape or form. As long as I can remember… I’ve been spoiled with this fact.I remember in high school, after receiving my own car (see my previous post about the little red hornet), dad would take each car to the filling station on Friday and fill it up for the week. I never had to worry about running out of gas while dad was around.
When I was in college in the dorms, mom and dad came up to Eau Claire and made my dorm rooms into better homes and gardens so that I would enjoy my environment. Dad made bunk beds and carpeted my rooms, while mom decorated every spare inch, from recovering bulletin boards and chairs to painting and hanging curtains. Once I moved off campus, mom and the grandmas would come up and take the weekend to repaint cupboards and bedrooms and again, decorate everything that would stand still so I wouldn’t feel so homesick.
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Worrying About the What-Ifs
You know the quote… “A mother’s work is never done”? Well – I think it’s more accurate to say “A mother’s worry is never done”. When thinking about what I worry about, I start to think that it’s easier to ask what I don’t worry about. -
Little Kids Little Problems, Big Kids Big Problems
Summer of 2012 I lay in bed and play the what if…game. Why are the what ifs always the negative possibility? What is the difference between worry and anxiety? Is it a problem that I don’t know the difference?
Maybe the problem with worries is that I am thinking about something (in most cases) that is not in my control. I am overthinking and projecting negative consequences onto someone else’s life.
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Worry – A Wasted Emotion
One of the first self-help books I read in my twenties was written by Dr. Wayne Dyer. He discussed guilt and worry as being the two most wasted emotions. He explained that guilt was about the past and worry was about things to happen in the future. Both of these emotions are out of our control unless we learn from past mistakes, rid ourselves of guilt, and take appropriate action to eliminate worry in the future. -
Constant Worrier
Everyone says that I am a constant worrier. To be honest I think I worry so much that I don’t even realize that I am worrying. It is my way of life. I do have a lot of people that seem to need me to take care of them. (I’m just kidding actually.) I read somewhere that worrying is a total waste of time and energy. I do realize this but just can’t seem to let my worrying go. -
A Grandparent’s Perspective
Having grown up in a household of girls, and having two daughters of my own, I am probably not the best judge of the difference between raising girls versus boys. But, then the unexpected happened!! I became the grandma to two girls and FOUR BOYS. Now we can compare. -
Rambunctious Boys and a Mini Me
Is there a difference between raising girls vs boys? I definitely experienced a significant difference between the two sexes. I wasn’t prepared for the discrepancy I experienced as I only grew up with my older sister and never had to deal with boys in the household. -
Everything Is Up For Grabs
Where did that come from?Why did he do that?
I would have never thought to do it that way…
The phrases parents regularly use to understand their children often have a basis in biology. It is assumed that your children, not only look like you but should act or behave like you do (or did as a child).
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What Do You Do With Little Boys?
When I got pregnant for the one time in my life, I was so excited. It didn’t occur to me to want a girl or boy. I just wanted a healthy baby.Several months later, I had the amniocentesis and we were asked if we wanted to know the sex. We both said YES! I was at work when the hospital called to tell me that 1. We had a healthy baby and 2. The baby was a boy.
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The House That Could Have Been
When we were planning on returning to Wisconsin, we found out that a doctor was selling his practice and his home. I called him that night and after ½ hour of discussion, I made him an offer at his full asking price. I knew this house very well because when I was growing up, my best girlfriend’s family designed and built it. It was built with the Frank Lloyd Wright vibe. There were large windows, vaulted ceilings, and unique features like a second-floor living room, a large backyard with gardens, and an inground swimming pool. -
Work With What You Have
From an early age, I have loved houses. I feel every house has a possibility. I do get sort of frustrated with the HDTV shows where they take a house, tear out fireplaces, knock down walls, and completely change the floor plans. I, myself, like to look at a house, work with for the most part what it has, update it, and make decorating changes to make it functional and beautiful. Not everyone has the money to practically tear up the whole house and begin from scratch. It is a lovely idea, but not probable or practical. -
Family Commune
When asked what my dream house would be, there is 1 thing that comes to mind… It would be to have a family commune. I envision it similar to how we used to go camping. Each family unit has their own private area, but there is also a common area where we would gather for meals and general activity. -
My House is Me
“My house is me and I am
it. My house is where I like
to be and it looks like all my
dreams.” –Mr. Plumbean
I taught First Grade…forever. One of the favorite ways to kick off the school year was with a week of color experiences. On “orange day” I would always read “The Big Orange Splot” by Daniel Pinkwater. In it, Mr. Plumbean has a house and yard that don’t blend in on his “neat street”. Day by day, neighbors come to his house and leave to create their own dream house. Following the reading, we would talk about all the things we would include in the house of OUR dreams. 6-year-olds included lots of slides, pools, TVs, and game rooms. This activity always made me a bit nervous.
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Matching Not Required
This is me at 4 years old. Yeah, I can still sleep pretty much anywhere, anytime… It seems that lately, I am so tired at the end of the day that I often get into bed–clothes on. I have a new day job that is really intense. when I get home, I shower, do my hair, put on a pinch of makeup, and go take care of dinner. So when I say that I get in bed fully clothed, that means socks and a bra also.
But life has not always been so crazy.
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My Favorite PJs (or Lack Thereof)
I was recently talking with friends at work. We were discussing buying Christmas gifts for their kiddos. They said the latest trend is to buy 4 gifts for each child: #1 something they need, #2 something they want, #3 something to read, and #4 something to wear.