Kids Say the Darndest Things
June 29, 2023
There was a television show that ran from 1952-1970, hosted by Art Linkletter entitled Kids Say the Darndest Things. The premise was this. Art would ask the children on the show a question, often concerning a deep life topic, and they would reply in a way only an innocent child could, with simplistic honesty, which resulted most times in humor. As a mother to four children, two of them twins, and nana to seven grandchildren, all ages five and under, I can attest to the fact that children most certainly have an interesting and humorous view on life. I thought it might be entertaining to share a few of my personal experiences. My two-year-old grandson, Ollie, was having a full-on meltdown for some unknown reason when his compassionate three-year-old sister, Sloan, patted his shoulder and asked, “Ollie Boy, do you need $40?” Why she thought money would soothe his woes, or why the amount was $40, not $50 or $100, heaven only knows. Learn More
Clicking the Heels of My Ruby Slippers
June 29, 2023
Clicking the Heels of My Ruby Slippers Everyone should take a trip out of the area once and a while to truly appreciate what we have right here. Why is it our tendency to think what we have is subpar? Allow me to explain. Last weekend I took a trip to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Hickory Run State Park. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful experience and if you have never visited this area of the Poconos, I would highly recommend it, but as I looked at the mountains and walked the trails, I was thinking of home. As I have mentioned before, I am a sucker for waterfalls, no matter the width or height. They each have their own allure and beauty and this area did not disappoint. On day one I visited the tallest waterfall in the state of Pennsylvania, which is Raymondskill Falls. An interesting fact about this three-tiered falls, its total length is just a few feet shorter than Niagara Falls! Next stop, which was only a few miles away, was the second tallest, Dingmans Falls, as well as the fifth in the state, Silverthread Falls. One short hike yielded two very different, but both incredible waterfalls. Dingmans was the larger of the two, and quite stunning, but Silverthread, although much narrower, was unique in its perfection. It looked as though someone had carefully chiseled it out of the rock in a perfectly straight line. Learn More
Never Have I Ever
June 29, 2023
I am sure that most of us at one time or another participated in playing the game, Never Have I Ever. The premise of the game is simple. Each player gives a scenario they have never done. Such as, Never Have I Ever been run over by a bicycle or perhaps Never Have I Ever been sent to the principal’s office. Both, unfortunately I cannot truthfully say Never Have I Ever to either one of those things! When I was in second grade, I was indeed run over by a boy coming down the hill on his bicycle when his brakes went out. I ended up with my leg broken in several places. There was also my trip to the principal’s office. It happened while I was a student at East Derry Elementary. Not only did I have to stand before the principal, but I also managed to run a staple through my finger while sitting and waiting to see him. Being the fidgety little girl that I was, I began playing with the stapler on his secretary’s desk when the injury occurred, but I digress. Learn More
The "Maine" Event
May 9, 2023
This is what my daughter-in-law, Katie, and I called our recent impromptu trip to Maine. I casually mentioned to her that I had a pressing desire to see Maine. A friend had planted the seed a few years ago, telling me that Maine was a must-see state, and his contagious enthusiasm for its beauty left an indelible impression on me. My desire to get there was then heightened last summer when it seemed as though every person I spoke with had either just gotten back from Maine or was on their way there. This turned my desire from “I would like to see it someday,” to “I must see it now.” Surprisingly, Katie responded with, “I’ve always wanted to see it too, let’s just go.” She is just as spontaneous as I am, so instantaneously, the planning began. We decided upon the week following Easter since we were both able to work it into our schedules. Our adventure crew grew quickly to include Katie, my son Matthew, their two children Sloan, age 4, Oliver, age 2, and Katie’s mom Sarah. I am sure you are thinking that sounds like a full vehicle and you would be correct. We were in a large SUV, but we had to take turns sitting in the third row with all our gear piled precariously beside us. While navigating one particularly sharp turn, I experienced a children’s potty to the head. Learn More
