It was the late 1960s, and I was a single woman living on my own in New York City facing the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy. Read more.
My Ever-Changing Family
Our family shrinks and grows. People die. People get born. People get mad and won't talk to you for a while. Kids grow up and find partners of their own, and pretty soon there are brand-new in-laws. And a grandchild or two.
I Miss My Grown-Up Children — More Than I Can Say. Sheltering at Home Week 30
I last put my arms around Peter in January. He was here for his birthday, I haven’t seen him — or his sister — since. Read more.
He’s Not Bald After All. Thank You, Covid-19. Sheltering at Home Week 28
Thanks to the coronavirus, my husband hasn’t had a haircut in six months. It turns out he’s not bald after all. He’s got hair, lots of it. Read more.
Grandparents Day Is Today — How to Grandparent and Why
It’s Grandparents Day today. How to be a grandparent? I haven’t a clue. Why do we do it? I have some thoughts on that one. Read more.
Petunias! A Shopping Success Story. Sheltering at Home Week 21
The plant nursery down the hill was open for business. Everybody wore masks. Carts were wiped down with bleach. And there were — petunias! Read more.
The Lost Art of the Telephone Conversation — Here’s What Happened to It. Sheltering at Home Week 14
I know why young people do all that texting. It’s because 21st-century wireless phones make for a lousy telephone conversation, and kids want to — talk. Read more.
Grandparenting Via Webcam — Helping Out Those Frazzled Parents. Sheltering a Home Week 13
Babysitting via webcam: The grandchildren are sheltering at home with their frazzled mom and dad. Can grandparents give parents a break from afar? Read more.