-
The Naked Truth
Picture this, I am a small child living at home and it is the middle of the night and I need my mom. She was one of those moms that was always there for you. Unfortunately, when she came to take care of you or to take care of whatever you needed, she would show up naked. Yup, I said naked. God she would kill me if she could read this!!! I don’t know why she never wore a robe or a coverup, but she didn’t. This turned me off, so that in the future whenever I needed her I would grin and bear it and try to fix whatever I needed myself. -
Let’s Ask Mom
I was always a people pleaser as a young child. I never wanted to disappoint my parents with my actions. For example, on a Sunday morning when I was 6, I was ready for church before everyone else and was told I could go outside if I didn’t get dirty. I was found a few minutes later, sitting in my little lawn chair by the side of the road, patiently waiting for the rest of the family. See… people pleaser. -
The Glue That Held Us Together
I remember thinking my Mom was the hardest-working person I had ever met. She made sure the house was always neat and clean. The downstairs got cleaned on Fridays and the upstairs on Thursdays. When the house was in the least bit faded, Mom painted the living room and other rooms by herself. When I was little, my Dad wore starched white dress shirts. Daily. Mom would sprinkle them and keep them in the fridge so they wouldn’t mildew. Then every week, she would iron these shirts until they were perfect. -
Life’s Always Changing
I remember being home with my mom on a Friday morning. I was little—really little. She was getting ready to go to the office and sighed, “I wish I didn’t have to go to work.”
I thought the same thing: I wish you didn’t have to go either.But I was headed to my grandma’s house, and honestly, that softened the blow. Grandma’s house was the best. She made the world’s greatest buttered noodles and cut summer sausage into perfect little coins. I got to watch all my favorite shows and play Kings in the Corner and Go Fish on demand—basically a four-year-old’s dream of luxury and power.
It wasn’t until years later—when I became a mother myself—that I understood that feeling in my mom’s voice. I spent what felt like entire decades flying around the house like a feral squirrel in yoga pants, trying to feed everyone, keep things semi-clean, and still make it to school on time to teach a class. Between the school year, summer school, and the endless parade of kid-related responsibilities, every week felt…full. Very full. I often just wanted life to slow down for five minutes—preferably while someone else unloaded the dishwasher.
-
Tiny Home Survival Kit
I love the idea of becoming a minimalist, but I don’t know that I would ever be able to accomplish it. I love watching the show Tiny House Nation where they build tiny dream homes in spaces under 500 sq ft. They always have some type of multi-function item like a kitchen island that converts to a table that also converts to a storage bin or some other wonderful contraption. They also have lots of nooks and crannies that items are stored in. You’d have to be very organized to live in such a space and I LOVE to organize. BUT… -
Solo in Style
Here’s the scenario: I’m living alone in a small cabin up in Door County. It’s just me, and for once, I have total control over my surroundings. The cabin is modestly furnished with a bed, bathroom, kitchen, and all the basics for daily living. But I get to bring along my personal essentials—the little luxuries that make life truly mine. -
Camping in Comfort
As it is I love camping. When you enjoy this activity there are five items that you will absolutely have to have to make this a pleasant experience. -
Five Simple Comforts
Without going into major logistics, I need five things in my life to keep me sane. Let me start by saying that these five things were not the most important when my husband was alive. He and I had a very full life with a great deal of excellent conversation. This writing is based on being by myself in a living situation. -
Treasures of the Heart
Heirlooms can take many forms. Some are very expensive items that have been passed down through generations. Our family heirlooms are more about sentimentality than value. In my family, we have items that carry meaning. When Mom passed away in 2004, she had told each of us girls which of her rings she wanted us to have. Mine was her cameo, Sandy’s was Mom’s grandmother’s ring, Michelle’s ring was a blue tiger’s eye and Lisa’s was Mom’s engagement ring. -
Priceless Memories
Our family loves its heirlooms. Both sides of my family had a lot of neat antiques that would have been fun to own. The problem I faced was that I had cousins who became interested in antiques just before my interest was piqued. That left me with not much to pine after. -
More Than Stuff
Craig and I were just chatting about heirlooms the other day. He’s got his eye on something specific from his grandpa’s place: a miniature John Deere tire that was transformed into—wait for it—an ashtray.
Yep. An ashtray.
Oh, my.
-
Presents from the Past
I never received many heirlooms from either of my grandmothers, but in retrospect, I received a few items from my great-uncle Lloyd. He may not have meant them as heirlooms, but I chose to look at them that way.
-
Why Beaver Dam?
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin is my hometown. Tucked away in the south-central part of Wisconsin, it has a magnetic draw that I can’t quite find the words to express. I have left Beaver Dam many times only to find myself longing to return. This community is an acquired taste. It appeals to some of us and others, it is a stopping place on the way to somewhere else. -
Small-Town Adventures
People have differing opinions on what it’s like to live in a small town and throughout my life, I’ve had differing opinions myself. When I was little, I loved it. Living in a small town allowed me to ride my bike to Grandma’s house every day in the summer. It allowed me to walk across a major street to the local Dairy Queen for a sweet treat. I felt safe and secure in my little Beaver Dam bubble. -
The Good Life in a Small Town
I come from a small town called Beaver Dam. I don’t feel it is that small, but to those who like big city life, it is tiny. It is a town that boasts 15000+ Busy Beavers. Don’t think the media didn’t have fun with that phrase a while back. We have lots of parks, a lake, and shopping, and we are near several big cities, and let’s not forget the lack of pollution. -
Popcorn and Snuggles
I do not enjoy watching TV regularly. I have a hard time finding a program that I can enjoy and that is not repetitious or just plain boring. I do, however, like to watch TV if there is a special movie that I want to see. Then again, it is getting cold outside and this means outside activities and time spent in our screened-in porch are limited, When it gets dark earlier and is cold outside, then TV tends to be our evening entertainment. I would rather we use this time to get caught up in those projects that are left to do, but I turn into a mushroom in the evening after supper and fall into that TV-watching mode. -
How TV Brought Us Closer
When I first met Craig, I was absolutely anti-TV. My small television was banished to the sunroom, nestled between a loveseat and a jungle of plants. We’d snuggle up and pop in a DVD whenever we spent time together.After we got married, I caved and got cable—and a bigger TV.
Fast forward several years into our marriage. Craig often retreats to the basement family room to watch football or whatever sports game, while I putter around in the kitchen, read in the living room, or work on a project upstairs.
Then came the pandemic in 2020.
-
Happy with Hallmark
Watching a few hours of TV in the evening is enjoyable for me. It relaxes me and lets my mind wander. When my husband was alive we watched crime dramas. NCIS was a favorite. We also loved Castle and the various forensic science dramas. -
Drama, Abs and Time Travel
So, here we are again. It’s the weekend (or Tuesday afternoon, because who even knows what day it is anymore?), and I’ve decided to once more embark on an epic journey through the lands of Outlander, Grey’s Anatomy, and Arrow.You might be asking, “Why? Why do you keep doing this to yourself?” And my response, my dear reader, is this: comfort. These shows are like my emotional support blanket, my trusty old pair of sweatpants, the thing that’ll never betray me—unlike my Wi-Fi when I need it the most. And yes, I’ve seen every episode at least seven times, but here I am, clicking “Play” on the first episode like a moth to the flame.
Let’s break it down.
-
Lifelong Tooth Tales
Teeth have caused challenges in my life. First, when my permanent teeth started to come in, I had 7 baby teeth that never loosened up to make room for the next set. I had to have the teeth pulled. By this time, the new teeth were growing into the roof of my mouth. The dentist then had to slit the roof of my mouth to make a route for the permanent teeth to come down. I was tasked with pushing on the big teeth to keep them moving. Not so fun and painful. -
Cool, Calm and Toothless
Some people don’t have a very high pain tolerance. Then there are others that can handle quite a bit. My Nathan has always been the latter. His pain tolerance often shocks me. -
Dental Drama
Sitting at the dining room table after dinner, I absentmindedly run my tongue along the back of my bottom front teeth. One tooth feels thicker and smoother than the others. My mind jumps briefly to the day I clutched my throbbing chin, wet hands trembling, as tooth fragments filled my mouth. -
French Kissing Frustration
I hate my teeth. The first problem is that they are not white, and despite different procedures being completed to correct this situation, they are still not white. -
Saturday Morning Magic
It’s 1973. The house is calm and quiet except for the quiet rustling of cartoons on TV. Saturday mornings were sacred—a special time, just for us kids. Mom worked part-time during the week and Saturday mornings, so she took my baby sister to Grandma Meister’s house. I was easy to entertain. All I needed was the TV and a lineup of Saturday morning cartoons. It was the only day of the week devoted entirely to children, where the shows were designed for us and our interests, and nothing else mattered.
While Grandma drank her hot, black coffee and read the paper, I was glued to the screen, lost in the world of “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” and the wacky, larger-than-life adventures of “H.R. Pufnstuf.” “Schoolhouse Rock” did more than entertain; it sneakily taught me lessons about conjunctions and how a bill becomes a law. -
What is All the Fuss About?
When I was a kid I believe I was about eight years old the excitement was in the air. We are going to get a TV. Some of my friends already had this up to date for entertainment and I couldn’t wait. Well, to say I was disappointed was the truth. I remember walking up the stairs in the house I grew up in. The TV was positioned at the far end of the living room. It was turned on and I was appalled. -
Battle of the Network Stars
When I was a kid in the 1970s, there were only 3 major TV stations: ABC, NBC, and CBS. During the day, there were only soap operas on (which didn’t appeal to a young kid), and at night, sometimes, there were no shows that I was interested in. There wasn’t the plethora of channels and choices that are available today. -
Window to Another World
I remember the day our first TV was brought into the house. It was a square box with about a 12-inch screen. The first thing that showed up was a news story from New York. It was in black and white and I can remember being very curious about it. It felt like a window to the world.
-
Still Going Strong After 61 Years!
I am married to Art, my high school sweetheart, my soulmate, the father of my children, and oftentimes a pain in my ass! I say this last part as a joke, but I think you can imagine this can happen. -
Quirks and Conditions
Relationships come with many quirks and challenges. I experienced two failed marriages. I entered into each of these relationships with high hopes. I have learned that there were issues that got in the way of our happiness, that we never considered or discussed. Looking back, I realize I was very young and lacked the wisdom to make the best decisions. -
Lessons in Love
Do I want this relationship or not?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself more times than I care to admit, with friends and partners alike. In my life, I’ve mostly been behind the wheel when deciding whether to continue or end a relationship. (And trust me, my driving skills aren’t exactly known for being smooth.)I’ve written before about my ex-husband, Tom.
But one night in October, it finally hit me: I had given up way too much control in my life. I was walking on eggshells all. the. time. (And let me tell you, that’s exhausting.) Finally, I was done. I said the words that would change everything: “I want a divorce.”
-
The Next Best Thing
In today’s world, we’re surrounded by endless choices — from what we eat to where we live, and even whom we date. This abundance of options can make us feel like there’s always something better out there, especially in relationships. The allure of the “next best thing” can pull us away from the person we’re with, making us wonder if someone more exciting, attractive, or compatible is just around the corner. -
Adventure at 10,000 Feet
What is the last thing I got excited about?
Wow, we’re not talking about gratitude or feeling blessed. Not just happy or content. No… I mean EXCITED!!!
As an adult, that feeling only comes around occasionally for me. I used to get excited before trips, when we adopted our children, and when starting new jobs. But excitement is a rare emotion these days.
I most recently felt it was for my son’s 20th birthday party. But it wasn’t about the party itself—it was about the gift I was giving him…and myself. We were going skydiving!
-
Crazy Cat Lady
The idea of having cats is unreal to me. Growing up, I was always allergic to them. Lisa would have to sanitize her house before I came over so I wouldn’t have a severe reaction. When Jess got her cats 6 years ago, I was prepared to take allergy pills daily for the duration of them living with me. Turns out, I’m not reacting to them at all. I guess I’ve grown out of my allergy!! Thank goodness! -
Curses! Foiled Again!
I don’t have a bucket list but if I did, the first thing on the list would be skydiving. Since my early twenties, I have talked about and wanted to go skydiving. -
One’s Not Enough
- Wife: “Can we have one more pup?”
- Husband: “No”
- Wife: “Wouldn’t it be fun to have one more dog?”
- Husband: “No”
- Wife: “Our Emma is so good, but she is lonesome don’t you think?”
- Husband: “No”
- Wife: “Look at this picture, isn’t this puppy adorable?”
- Husband: Head nodding yes
- Wife: “How about we get this pup?”
- Husband with the start of dementia: “Sure!!!!!!”
-
The Power of Pride
Some people feel extreme amounts of joy, compassion, or awe when they move throughout their day. For me, those emotions are among the least experienced. After taking a positive emotions test on https://www.idrlabs.com, I found that the positive emotion I feel most often is pride. There are two kinds of pride, both good and bad. ‘Good pride’ represents our dignity and self-respect. ‘Bad pride’ is the deadly sin of superiority that reeks of conceit and arrogance.
-John C. Maxwell
-
Awe in the Everyday
I have always loved learning about myself.Sometimes, I’ve been so clueless… I can use all the help I can get.
When I was in college, I used an interest inventory to figure out what my major should be. I read books like What Color is Your Parachute? and Do What You Love and The Money Will Follow to explore my true calling.
Last summer, the Sidetracked Sisters all explored the concept of spirit animals using an online quiz
-
Why Mess with Perfection
After taking a test on https://www.idrlabs.com it is confirmed that: I feel contentment most of the time. By this I mean I have done pretty much what I have set out to do in my life.
-
Embracing Compassion
The emotion that I feel most often is compassion. It also moves frequently into empathy. I find myself trying to read others to identify what they are feeling. I have been told that I am too sensitive and yet, it is part of my emotional attachment to the compassion that I feel toward others. -
Beware of the First Step
Do you ever wonder why when you get older you seem super clumsy? Well, for some reason, this is happening to me on a rather frequent basis and I don’t like it one bit. I think I am just not paying attention to where I am going. Being active can also help with this problem and I need to step that activity up a lot. -
See You in the Fall
“Have a nice trip!” “I’ll see you in the fall!” These little phrases with double meanings used to be funny to me until I started experiencing unwanted falls with no explanation. -
Slicing and Dicing
One of the reasons I love writing with the Sidetracked Sisters is that after we’re done, we sit and read our words out loud. What follows is a mix of thoughtful edits, helpful suggestions, and the occasional laughter at the absurd lessons we’ve learned—or haven’t.
Sometimes, though, the lessons come before the writing even starts. This week, we were all racking our brains, searching for unwritten, unpublished memories about an injury. It wasn’t easy. We’ve covered this topic from multiple angles already.
I’ve shared stories about my broken leg and even breaking my “va-jayjay.” Judy’s written about her diving drama, Mom almost lost a toe during a bike ride, and Michelle had her ACL rupture saga.
Everything seems a bit anti-climactic after those major traumas.
But let’s be real—my life is peppered with mini-traumas. Little, insignificant ones that I willingly walk into on a regular basis—like nearly every time I cook dinner. You see, I’m a frequent victim of the fillet knife and my trusty mandolin.According to Michelle, I cut myself about once a week. My personal guess is more like once a month, but who’s keeping track?
-
Scarred for Life
As usual, our 2 labradoodles had managed to break out of our fenced-in backyard and I hadn’t had a chance to fix it. They needed to go out and I didn’t want them running away so I asked Jessi to let them out on a leash. She put Lucy on a 20-foot leash and Lily on a 6-foot one and started to open the sliding glass door. -
Curly Chaos
I’ve never thought of myself as a “girly” girl. I avoid ruffles. I like pointed collars instead of rounded ones. V-necked T-shirts are my first choice. When it comes to hair, I have always avoided curls. They didn’t seem to suit me. -
From Terrible to Great
First of all, I don’t think I have ever been happy with my hair. Short, Medium, Long, nothing seems to work.I want a maintenance-free, kicky, fun, shiny, healthy hair. Join the club right?
-
Keeping It Even
I just got 9 inches cut off my hair. I went into the salon with a picture of a cut and highlights. When I left, my hair was much shorter than I anticipated, but I liked it. Besides, hair grows.
I have no anxiety whatsoever when I get my hair done. I always look forward to the experience and have a nice time talking to my stylist. Sometimes I talk about the traumas of my boys. Sometimes I’ll tell of my daughter’s exploits. One of the stories I told her this time was how I learned to cut hair. Here is the full story:It was summer 1985. I was in Washington DC for a summer church leadership conference. Sara was cutting a girl’s hair in the corner dorm room. I was super interested. So I went in and pulled up a chair.
-
Salon Nightmare
I was in high school and it was time for the Turn-About dance, where the girls invite the boys to the event. I had everything planned, from where we going to eat to how I wanted to do my hair.
-
September Start Over
I have always been excited about a new school year. Whether I was a student or a teacher, September was filled with promise and excited anticipation. That isn’t to say that I wasn’t tired, burned out, and grumpy by May. By the time spring rolled around, I’d be dreaming of a “Teachers Gone Wild” vacation package—complete with all-you-can-eat snacks and a strict “No Grading Papers” policy.
This excitement was especially strong when changing school levels. Transitioning from elementary school, middle school, high school, and college were times that I could recreate or reimagine the person I wanted to be. Or at least that’s what I told myself every August when I was in denial about the impending chaos.I’ve already written recently about my wardrobe dreams when I moved from 6th grade at Washington Elementary to Beaver Dam Jr. High. I expected my new clothes to create a new person. Cool Levi’s corduroy pants and fresh shirts would wow my friends. Kids would be drawn to my aesthetic and want to be my friend. Little did I know that middle school was the time of life when girls would gossip all day and then go home and write “notes” in the evening. They would then pass them out the next day to recap and memorialize the previous day’s drama. Who knew that “Note-Passing 101” was a required middle school course?
-
Back to School Bliss
The beginning of the school year couldn’t come soon enough for me. The first day of school meant new supplies!! Crisp, clean, pretty folders with pictures of rainbows, flowers, or butterflies with matching notebooks, sharp, colorful crayons or colored pencils, and a new backpack to carry my supplies. It didn’t get much better than that, except for the new school clothes that I would also receive! -
How to Ruin Summer
That time is here again, meaning the dreaded times, SCHOOL IS STARTING!I always despised the start of school. I loved summer when there were no deadlines to speak of, I could sleep in, and I had the option of having the time to do what I wanted and if I wanted to do.
-
Crayons, Music and Learning
From the beginning of Kindergarten, I loved going to school. I remember the enjoyment of doing interesting projects that I would never have thought of doing at home. It was great fun to have a room full of 20 to 25 other kids to interact with. -
Rindercella
My first job out of college was to train adults on how to use computers. As I would begin a class, I would inevitably stumble through my words because I was a bit nervous and would be talking too fast. At this point, I’d have the opportunity to take a breath and add a little levity to the morning. I’d start out by saying “You’ll have to excuse me. You see, I grew up hearing my dad tell me stories of Rindercella and at the moke of stridnight, she was running down the stairs and slopped her dripper.” -
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Over the past several days, I have picked my brain to remember when I heard fairy tales. I remember the more recent telling of fairy tales through Disney films and children’s books. All of these mediums have softened up the original tales told by the Brothers Grimm. -
How the Sea Became Salt
I loved sleeping at my grandma’s house. When I was young, I would sleep in the front bedroom. It was small with a twin bed pushed into the corner. Shelves held books and knick-knacks above the bed. A Lane cedar chest and a round natural rattan chair were just across the narrow room. The sheets were white, always felt crisp, and smelled freshly washed. A small light on the bottom shelf was available for nighttime reading.
-
Cinderella
I don’t remember ever having someone read to me as a child. I would have assumed that is when fairy tales would have been introduced into my world. But I don’t remember having this activity in our home for some reason. -
The Music That Shaped Me
The music I enjoy depends on my mood. I like music that I can sing along with. Sometimes if I sing loudly enough, I can change my mood. Fortunately, this can work in the shower where no one hears me but me. -
My Musical Mashup
I always avoided conversations about music. It seemed like everyone else was fluent in the language of trending tunes, effortlessly dropping names of “in” bands and belting out the words to popular songs. Meanwhile, I was stuck on the local pop station. Pop songs, as everyone reminded me, weren’t cool.
Feeling like a musical misfit, I kept my preferences under wraps. The pressure to fit in with the musical elites was daunting, so I perfected the art of nodding along in conversations about the latest indie darlings while secretly bopping to bubblegum pop hits.Every now and then, curiosity got the best of me. I’d hear a catchy tune floating through the air and, swallowing my nerves, ask what it was. This is how I discovered the songs that would come to define my eclectic musical taste.
-
My Musical Journey
I love just about any kind of music. On my least favorite list are opera, jazz, polka music, or what I would call head-banging music, and let’s not forget rapping. I think rapping is dumb unless it is done well. -
Eclectic Musical Taste
I have an incredibly diverse taste in music. It ranges from country to Top 40 to classic rock to music from the 70’s. I’ve even been known to listen to polka and bluegrass on occasion. My only criterion for a good song is that it needs to have a good beat. I’m not a fan of slow songs. It has to be something you can tap your toes to. -
Is it a Cult?
I had a spiritual/religious experience when my oldest daughter, Lisa, went to college. Being what I liked to imagine myself at that time as a knowledgeable, with-it mom. Now when I mentally sent her off to college I was all prepared to try to handle the expected topics of drugs, alcohol, and sex. This is what seemed to be the most heard-about topics of my peers with college-bound children. Well, I was one of the lucky ones (tongue in cheek). I got religion. -
Bible Camp and Butterflies
During the summer of 1983, I went to Sugar Creek Bible Camp. It was for our confirmation class and all my friends were going. Unfortunately, 2 weeks before leaving for camp, I came down with chicken pocks. -
Spiritual Vignettes
My spiritual moments have not come in huge dramatic scenarios. They instead show up as small vignettes. It may be me saying a quick prayer when I need help from God and moments later I have an answer or solution. -
Layers of Faith
I loved Sunday mornings when I was a kid. We often went to church or Sunday School and grabbed a dozen soft, sweet, glazed Persians and cream-filled Longjohns. Afterward, we’d head over to our friend’s house for coffee and conversation. -
Raised with Grandma
My niece, Michelle came out of the rustic cabin on Green Bay shaking her head. She had a smile on her face but it was hiding her disbelief that my 10 year old son did not know how to make toast by himself. They had been in the kitchen when Matt asked her to make a piece of toast for me. She said “Wouldn’t mom be proud if you made it yourself?“ “Just put the bread in the toaster,” and he said “I know that!!” ‘At this point she said “then you’re halfway there! Next you push down the lever and when it pops up, you put butter on it”. -
Unappreciated Laughter
There are so many incidents that make me smile, but do any lead to a full-blown belly laugh? Well, I can remember one such episode and it always brings a smile to my face whenever I remember it. -
Sandyisms
Do you know what malapropisms are? A malapropism is a verbal error that occurs when someone uses a word that sounds similar to the intended word, but is incorrect in context. Malapropisms are often unintentionally humorous and can be used in everyday speech or as a literary device. I didn’t realize that there was a word to describe this. One person in our family does this more than any other and it always gives a good laugh when it happens. -
A Bird Named Peep
It was mid-summer, and I was pulling weeds in the back garden. Birds were singing crazily in the air, and a warm breeze was blowing through the trees. As I walked into the screened porch, I could hear a nest of baby birds chirping in an opening under the eaves.
The next day, Craig and I were still working out in the yard. Coming into the house for lunch, he mentioned that there was a nest just outside the porch beside the door. “And you know, I haven’t seen the mama bird. Have you?”“No,” I reluctantly answered and sighed.
I hauled the ladder out of the garage and propped it against the side of the house. I crawled up and peeked into the space. One little baby lifted its wobbly, fuzzy head. The other lay lifeless.
-
Photo Recreations
It was during my 2-week summer vacation last year when all my kids came up to stay for the weekend. We wanted to get as many adventures in as we could. On the night they all arrived, we discussed the possibilities. Horseback riding, winery tours, mini-golf, beach time, and the list goes on. Everyone decided that instead of doing our traditional activities, we would try something different. -
Childhood Confidence
This week’s writing was one of the hardest to focus on. A favorite picture was needed as the topic. Do you know how many pictures I have from the last thirty-seven-plus years? Each image has its own unique story to tell. My most popular subject has been our son Matthew. Matthew at Halloween, Matthew at the zoo, Matthew just looking adorable. I think you get the picture. -
Just Come and Look
One of my favorite pictures is from quite a while ago.As a mother of a three-year-old and owner of a newer home, I was happy with having no responsibility for a pet, especially a dog. I did not miss brushing the carpets of hair, hairballs in the kitchen and baths, and, of course, the wonderful duty of cleaning up dog poop.
-
A Golden Adventure: Finding Eli
It was my nephew Brad’s first birthday party. Standing in the kitchen of my sister’s house, we were talking about pets. Mom knew she had just heard the death knell of my marriage when Tom told me, “You will NEVER have a dog.” The look on my blank face showed that this was not connecting with me or my reality. He was drawing a line in the sand, and I was not intimidated, not cowed by his threat. -
Summertime Wannabe
When I had a young family, I remember wanting to spend with them, especially in the summer.On many occasions, Lisa heard me say as I was getting ready for work, “I wish I could stay home with you girls and enjoy this wonderful summer day.”
-
Memories of Lake Sherwood
There is a slice of my life that I haven’t written about in our weekly writings. I was married for the first time at the ripe old age of 18. My husband’s name was Clayton and he loved to explore Wisconsin. We spent weekends visiting forts and locating historical markers. Often, we invited my mom to ride along. She loved being included. -
Summer School Magic
Summertime memories are a mixed bag. People always believe that a benefit of being a teacher is the fact that you get your summer off.
In my experience, it is anything but. The end of the school year came, and the next week I was back in the classroom with a different bunch of kids. You see, I often taught summer school. For many years I would jump right back into the thick of things with barely a breath. But the big difference was the pace and pressure of educational expectations. I was able to teach FUN classes, classes that I would have loved to take as a kid. -
Chicks Can Camp
It was the summer of 1997 and Lisa and I were invited to go on a “Chicks Can Camp” adventure with her husband’s sister-in-law and her sisters. No boys were allowed and we were going to camp on the banks of the St. Croix River and go canoeing. We couldn’t wait for our weekend trip! I dropped my 3-year-old off at Mom’s house, we packed up our sleeping bags, our tent, some food and our handy 2-man canoe and set off for Minnesota. -
Errant Cough Drop
I’ve loved Wild Cherry Cough Drops for years. When I needed something because I had a dry mouth, I would pop in one of my favorite drops. -
Homemade Lasagna
So many embarrassing moments to pick from. One that comes to my mind is when we were part of a progressive dinner. This was where several homes were chosen to be responsible for different parts of a meal. The first one was drinks, the next was hor devours, the next the main course and finally one for dessert. -
Dessert Disasters
It was wedding season and the family was getting ready for a bridal shower. Everyone was doing their part. Someone was bringing a few appetizers, someone else was bringing a salad and I was asked to bring the dessert. “No problem!” I thought. I should’ve known better. -
When Outfits Go Wrong
Here’s a picture from High School. I was dressed for “Punk Day” during Spirit Week. Perhaps it was my Junior year in High School. I worked hard on my clothing, makeup, and hair. I wanted to present myself as edgy, fun, and…“out there”.
When I go to work, I shower, put on makeup, and do my hair. I like to experiment with long, dangly, and whimsical earrings. I give thought to what I wear. But my sense of self, how I present myself to the world isn’t always as I expect.
-
Big Ass Hair
There were so many fads of the 80s that I tended to follow. I had Care Bears, a Cabbage Patch Doll, a Boom Box, Neon clothes and accessories, talked like a Valley Girl, went to the Video Arcade for fun, and… had BIG ASS HAIR! This is one thing that immediately makes me think of the 80s. From rock stars to television personalities, everyone seemed to embrace the motto: the bigger, the better. -
A Foot in Two Worlds
Fads in the ’60s featured white go-go boots, mini dresses, hot pants, and bell bottoms. One hairdo many of us wore was the “flip”. It required sleeping in big rollers and using gobs of hair spray. The midwestern humidity didn’t make it easy to maintain. -
Are You Really Living?
It was the spring of 1977 and the end of 6th grade. I was sitting on the grassy hill beside the building where I had spent my early education–Washington Elementary. Mary and I were talking about our dreams and plans for the future. I was excited that I had actually gotten up the courage to ask Mom if I could shave my legs, and she said yes. But I was planning on waiting another year or so because once you started, you couldn’t ever stop. I was also wanting to give myself a makeover. I wanted elephant bellbottoms. They were so cool. You see I needed new clothes. Every year I always got new clothes for school, but I felt that I had really held off this year. I wanted everything new for seventh grade. Clothes represented on the outside how I would feel on the inside.Cool. Fresh. In style.
-
Oh Such Memories!
Remembering past fads is fascinating and laughable.In particular, I am thinking about the 1970s. I was beyond my years for the most part not having gone on to school, but that didn’t stop my wanting to fit in with those my age. I got married in 1963 and started my family shortly after that. I always enjoyed fashion and tried to keep up with all the trends.
-
Conquering Water Worries
I was cleaning out the fish aquarium. It was an ordinary day. I needed to siphon the water across the kitchen to the sink. It took the entire afternoon to drain the tank, scrub it out, and set it back up again. While cleaning, I watched my boys play in the backyard. They were running and playing. They were at the side of the house playing on the swing set a while later. I looked out my bedroom window and saw them swinging and laughing together. I finished in the bathroom and walked through the house.
-
Holes with Eyes
Grandchildren offer so many interesting and fun stories.Picture this. It is a cold and dreary late October evening. It is just starting to get dark. The wind was blowing and was whistling through the trees. There was an almost full moon. It was a typical late fall evening.
-
Child Eating Centipedes
If I had been called a nickname that fit me well, it would have been gullible. My sister, Sandy, and I would spend hours playing in the basement. She had set up an area like a little house and we had our dolls in baby beds, eating places and a pretend kitchen. -
My Children are Innocent!!
We were up at our family cabin, enjoying our vacation together when Lisa came flying into the cabin and yelled, “Fire!”Prior to this hysteria, we were all doing our own thing. Lisa was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner and the rest of the family was milling around or watching TV.
Part of the kitchen cleanup involved taking the garbage to the shed. When she went to the shed and opened the door, she was confronted with a garbage can spewing flames! She immediately ran into the cabin and didn’t know where to turn first. It was like stuttering but with her body instead of her voice. Suddenly her voice returned and she yelled “FIRE”!
-
Public Speaking Sucks
From the beginning of time, I have been told it is necessary to be able to present yourself in public. What this means is to get up in front of a group, or even just a few people, and give a book report, a speech, or just present an opinion. (But this entails being a single spokesperson and speaking in front of people). -
I Am Who I Am
It has taken many years to get me to where I am. In the past, I let myself be dictated by what others thought of me (or what I thought they thought of me), I focused on the wants and needs of everyone around me instead of what I wanted or needed, and I let others decide how I should think and feel. -
Giving Myself Permission
It was really hard when I was trying to get pregnant and was unsuccessful. It seemed like everyone was having babies… except me.Looking back on this time from the distance of 20 years is illuminating. I currently have three adopted children who are 20, 19, and 14. But back in the day, it wasn’t easy.
We decided to start trying to have kids when I was 27. But it didn’t “just happen.” Infertility and adoption work followed.
-
Red Flags
My early lifetime consisted of a series of rocky relationships. I credit the fact that I didn’t trust and act on my true feelings and needs. I went along with what other people wanted and considered to be the “right” thing for me to do. I had red flags in each situation that I needed to pay attention to. -
Surviving Wisconsin Summers
We live in Wisconsin. You might ask what this has to do with Porches and Patios? In the summer we have mosquitoes the size of crows and other flying creatures that make being outdoors difficult except if you have a screened-in space to spend your time in. -
Patio Time With Grandma
I planned and built a screened porch on my house. I grew up in a house with a screened porch. It was so important to my mom that our house had a fireplace and a screened porch.
My grandma had a screened porch built onto the back of her home. Now my mom wasn’t living there anymore, but I spent my summers there. Grandma Isabel (Grandma Is) took care of me after school and during the summers.
During the school year, I would walk to her house from Washington Elementary just two blocks away. I would rest against the cream naugahyde ottoman and watch Room 222, Gilligan’s Island, and MASH.
-
The Sleeping Porch
School is out and summer is here which, when I was a kid, meant it was time for Lisa and I to sleep out in the patio every night! This was one of the best parts of the summer. -
Summer Luxury
I am lucky actually to have a large porch and two patios. I have the porch and a patio at my home, and a patio at my cottage. My love of screened-in porches (a patio) started many years ago. My mom and dad had a patio installed on the back of their house. This offered wonderful cozy summer nights and days bug-free. This patio became the center of living during the warmer days of spring and summer.
-
Birthdays Come and Go
Our birthdays come and go and have some strange properties depending on where you are in this game of life. When we are young it seems like our birthdays take forever to come. Second only to the wait for Christmas is the wait for our next birthday. I would ask for something I wanted and mom would tell me to put it on my birthday list. It seemed that was the death of the want because it seemed like my next birthday was eons away. -
A Birthday Makeover
In my family, birthdays aren’t just a celebration—they’re an event. Each one is marked by a special cake and an array of thoughtfully chosen presents. The anticipation and planning begin weeks in advance, making every birthday a memorable and unique experience. -
Special Birthdays
Celebrating my birthday has always been important to me. When I had kids, I wanted to make their birthdays as special as I could so maybe they would enjoy them like I used to. In the beginning, I did tend to overdo! -
Laughter on the Road
Laughter plus fun equals happiness…
When have I laughed the most? Kids laugh all the time. As a first-grade teacher, it was hard to rein in their laughter. It bubbled up during reading time, music class, and recess. As a teacher, I had to hold their laughter to a minimum, which was a hard job. Sadly, it wasn’t difficult by the end of my career.
But back to me and happiness… The first thing that comes to mind is my trip to Ireland with my sister Michelle. We purposefully rented a small manual transmission car for our adventure. Both of us wanted to drive on the “wrong” side of the road, so we paid extra insurance to both be able to drive. Laughing all the way, we drove along the highways and byways. Sitting at intersections, we would repeat the mantra “turn left, stay left,” or “turn right, stay left” over and over. Each time, it became funnier. We drove with the windows down and marveled at the beautiful old homes by the road’s edge. We slowed down to talk to roaming cows. When we got lost, we both got out of the car and calmly enjoyed the rural scenery while waiting for someone–anyone–to rescue us. Someone actually drove up the same road and stopped to ask if we needed help. We said we were lost, and they told us how to get to our B&B by a back road. -
Simpler Times
I remember as a kid riding my new bike through the neighborhood. My hair was blowing in the breeze. My thoughts were on the beauty of the day and my mind was free of worry. I remember being in the present moment loving my freedom and enjoying the smells and sounds around me.
