Connecting with Quinoa

Tue, 9 Mar 2010 10:58:41 -0500

I’ve written about quinoa before but I want to again! It really has become my daily source of relatively inexpensive, meat-free, high-quality protein. I’ve also figured out a way to cook it that makes this low-carb treasure feel more like rice to me. Got a few other fast ‘n’ easy ideas too.

Redefining what it mean$ to be fiscally responsible

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 12:26:04 -0500

Letting myself feel successful is hard to do. I’m more used to the role of Struggling Single Mom. That’s why for years, I’ve shoveled my own driveway (while hating every second of it). Well, guess what -- in this latest blizzard, I stayed cozy indoors and hired a guy...with a snowblower! Ahh, nice.

This is the first week of the rest of my life

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:44:57 -0500

Can’t believe it. I’m an orphan. With Mom now buried next to Dad, I’m suddenly thrown into a new world where I don’t have to answer to them on any level. I’m free in a way that makes me feel like I’ve graduated. Is it too weird to say that I’ve become...a middle-aged teenager?

Photo album: Remembering Mom, 1917-2010

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 07:29:08 -0500

Mom died exactly a week ago, embraced by the love of her family and the nursing home staff. She was 92. The last two weeks with her were a profound gift that has changed our lives.

Watch & learn: Painting a flower challenges the storytelling skills of even the most adoring artist

Sat, 6 Feb 2010 20:26:52 -0500

Every month, our teacher Karen O’Neil shows us how to paint something that’s kind of tricky. She’s usually enthusiastic and relaxed. But then she met up with a fresh lilly that just wouldn’t make nice on her canvas. Watching her struggle with it was torture -- and, a great lesson in perseverance.

My dad cheated on my mom and all I got was...

Tue, 2 Feb 2010 22:46:43 -0500

In 1976, Dad had a fatal heart attack. Like a proper grieving family, we sobbed through the funeral. Soon after, we learned he had cheated on Mom. And that’s when the real grieving began. For decades, mourning left me with low expectations for true relationship happiness. But I think I’m finally okay now…