Heroes: Books

BooksI love to read. Always have. In sixth grade, I read the most books in my class. Momsaid, “Lisa, you always had your nose in a book.”As a child, I loved going to the Hillsdale library, and checked out as many books aswas allowed. I read all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, Beverly Cleary…

Games People Play

Games People Play: The Psychology of Human Relationships, bestselling book by Eric Berne, printed in 1964, sold more than five million copies. I read it for a college class in 1977. Games, not tennis or soccer or chess or Parcheesi, but about functional and dysfunctional interactions between people, the roles or scripts they act out,…

Stockpot

One Saturday in August, Mom and Dad hosted Family Fun Day. Dad swept the pool, set up the ping pong table in the garage, and the croquet set on the lower lawn. Mom set up card tables and brought our her favorite games, Racko, Yahtzee, and Sequence. Mom loves the game Sequence. The objective is…

Dolls

Sleeping in a rubber tote, atop my collection of childhood smocked dresses, baby blankets, and a few of Grandma’s hand knitted sweaters, rest Kitten, Toodles, Twinkles, and Boo. Who are they you ask? My favorite dolls, my babies. Smudged faces, ratty hair, eyes that still open and close, well loved and intact, mostly. Toodles was…

March Madness

I caught NCAA March Madness fever when a teaching co-worker organized a staff bracket pool, and I joined. I researched, used USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and followed Jeff Sagarin’s ratings. And I called Dad. Dad loved to watch NCAA basketball, followed the teams, the players, knew the injuries, and had an opinion about what teams…

I Love This Song

“When I was young I'd listen to the radio Waitin' for my favorite songs When they played I'd sing along It made me smile.” Yesterday Once More The Carpenters, May 16, 1973 My high school music teacher, Mr. Lotz thought Karen Carpenter had the purest voice, in tune and her vowels were rich and open.…

Olden

“Today I choose courage over comfort.” Brene Brown It’s a bucket list item that I put on my bucket list after I did it because I am so proud I did it. And if offered the opportunity, I would do it again, probably. One port on our British Isles and Norway cruise was Olden. Olden…

Who Wants to Go First?

“Courage is Contagious.” Brene Brown The tour bus transported us to our destination, the rainforest in the outskirts of Juneau. About ten people signed up for this adventure. Two twenty somethings met us at the lodge. We watched a safety video, signed waivers, geared up with orange jackets, harnesses, and helmets. We walked to the…

What If?

“The willingness to show up changes us, it makes us a little braver each time.” Brene Brown Our first camping trip of the 2023 season; we took our Airstream trailer out of hibernation. First time out means pay attention; reactivate the brain and muscle memory, slow down and be intentional. Check the hitch: tow chains…

Road Closed Ahead

“I like your hat,” the salesperson said. I paused to think what ball-cap I was wearing. I have received many compliments on my Juneau hat, the one with no words, embroidered with a zip liner zipping on a line. But that has become my workout hat. My new favorite is my black Ted Lasso hat,…