I stopped at Starbucks and instead of going through the drive-thru that was four cars deep I wandered inside instead.  It’s been a rough month for me on a lot of fronts and I’ve felt lost the last week or so, uncomfortable in my own skin, trapped in bad habits, and I have had no…

I write a lot of words. Today was more than most.  When I know I have a lot to write, I play the same song over and over so that the noise becomes familiar but I am not distracted by the noise changing regularly like would happen if I listened to the radio or watched…

Last night Cate decided that her beloved purple monkey needed mending.  He’d lost an eye… again.  The first time, the monkey’s original eyes were eaten by a well-meaning dog that just wanted another toy to chew on for a while.  Then Cate, in her own admission of curiosity, pulled on one and as it came off in…

Cate was gone most of the day and I got the rare opportunity to hang with Taylor alone.  We went to the public library, one of my favorite places on the planet.  She checked out biographies on President Lincoln and a mystery chapter book and I got We the Living by Ayn Rand, a book…

When I walked into the restaurant yesterday, I was one of only a handful of people NOT wearing a suit.  I was meeting an old friend for lunch and breezing through the dining room, I felt starkly out of place in my jeans and sweater.  Everywhere I looked were professionals toting their planners and dropping…

When Taylor got to the car, her cheeks were red and her eyes were brimming with angry tears.  I knew something was wrong.  Cate leaned over and said, “Taylor, why are you crying?” “Shut up, Catey!”  Taylor snapped back. And Cate, to her credit, did not respond but wordlessly faced forward and dropped her head….

Cate came running into the bathroom this morning wearing only her underwear and pink socks, her hair was rumpled and recklessly skidding across the tile floor… she arrived. I was brushing my teeth at the sink and we met eyes, me looking back at her in the mirror, she grinned, blue eyes sparkling and I…

We’re deviating from our normal with today’s life lesson and getting right down to business.  Not “handy” by trade, I’m remarkably resourceful and it’s served me well.  This one is all about being prepared for your life and what may unexpectedly find you…don’t get caught unawares.  About two weeks ago, I was told (admittedly for…