from the mixed-up files of a middle-aged mind

Tuesday is the 25th anniversary of the day my father passed away. If you haven’t read the story, you may find it  right here . It is more in my nature to remember birthdays rather than deathdays. I typically choose to celebrate the life of someone I love by doing something I knew they loved to do or something that reminds me of them, rather than heading for the graveside. My family thinks I don’t pay proper tribute, but it’s just the way I’m wired, I guess. (It’s certainly the way I would hope people would choose to remember me.) But  twenty-five years . That’s an awfully long time. So I’ll compromise. Tuesday–not his birth day–will see me baking his favorite spice cake from scratch and a double batch of caramel frosting. (Maybe with a side of  ice cream .) I’m not quick enough on the draw to steal the frosting right from under from my kids and eat it while they’re not looking, but that’s OK by them. I was dropping by to visit  cabesh  today (don’t you l...

At the church parking lot  as we pull in to indulge in our Sonic Slushes under the shade and notice a guy teaching his girl how to drive stick in his Mustang… Hey! I’ve got minivan. Take that Mr. Stang! –from my newly licensed 16-year-old son Over the phone… When the game is over, the kings and the pawns both go back in the same box. –my husband’s friend from high school, going on 20+ years in the Army At an unidentified someone’s unidentified office … Why doesn’t someone tell the Nazi receptionist to chill? –from a 20-year-veteran of a certain company when she had a difficult time being connected to a certain former co-worker. (The details will remain sketchy to protect the innocent. Let’s just say it couldn’t have been phrased any better). On “The Tonight Show”… So God tells Moses he wants him to build an ark… –Jay Leno to Wanda Sykes on “The Tonight Show.” Note to Jay’s agent: Why don’t you book Jay on “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” In the news… ...

When I was a child—I have no idea how old I was at the time—I went fishing with my family. Eldest daughter to a father who spent a lot of time at work so he could support his family, I cherished any time with my dad, especially if it involved being outdoors. On that particular day my father landed what is likely one of his biggest catches ever—me. If you’ve never seen a fishhook then you need to know that in order to actually land the fish, hooks are by necessity barbed. Read: they go in much easier than they come out. This one caught me on the inside of my left calf. And it hurt coming out. I still have the scar. When I was in college I dated my now husband for several years before we got brave enough to actually tie the knot. During that time we both enjoyed a variety of intramural sports available at the university we were attending. When I played, he would practice with me. One year it was all he could do to keep it quiet when I accidentally hit a softball so hard and high...

This is how I have often described my favorite (and only) daughter since she was about three. It was then that I both embraced and steeled myself for the fact that this little girl was going to make my life interesting. And so she has. Some of you may remember being introduced to the lovely L~ when I wrote about her  cutting herself shaving . Or perhaps you may recall the curious incident of the  Christmas hoodie . If you were to meet her on the street you would see a girl, tall for her age, clad in  boys shorts and whatever shirt she could find. She might look away rather shyly; or she might flash you her beautiful smile and say “Hi!” (If I were to meet her on the street she’d probably roll her eyes to the heavens and heave a heavy sigh.) Oh but there’s so much more. The truth is that while she is willful (and I still maintain, particularly for a female, there has got to be an upside to that quality), she is also a lot of fun. And today happens to be her birthday. (...

I know it's sideways, but it remains so even when I save it after turning it right. Sometimes you have to be smarter than the darn computer. And I'm not . If you have stumbled across this looking for compulsive writer, the post to which this photo belongs may be found at my new home at compulsivewriter.com .

Happy Birthday today to my baby K~. He’s a little big for me to call him that, but he’s my youngest so I’ve warned him he will always be my baby. Eight years ago today I gave birth to my  smallest  child, K~. My doctor laughed at me because when she told me he was only 8 lb. 15 oz. I said, “Finally, a  tiny  eight pound baby!” We never find out what we’re having, but I knew he was a boy and he was a sweet one at that. He was one of my best eaters and sleepers too (although the sleeping part is relative). He quickly put on weight and had the cutest little pudgy cheeks–just like big soft peaches–and feet. I remember one day I was holding him in the hallway at church and someone came up to me and gave the little fat pads on the tops of his feet a squeeze and looked at me and said with a smile, “Now that’s just criminal.” K~ is very loving and affectionate. He loves to cuddle good night and again first thing when he wakes up in the morning. Still. This is a blessi...

At the ballpark  last night after I got a little too frank with the umpire regarding a bad call… Sheesh. You have smart mouths for fans –a spectator (because there is a difference between  spectators  and true fans ) to one of my daughter’s teammate’s mothers In prayer  over the French-dip sandwiches I had made for my son and his friends, the brothers Reid, and their dates for their Friday Night Date Night (ask me how much I love it that because they were in my home and not a restaurant they felt the need to offer a prayer over dinner, even on a date)… And bless us no one will get hurt and we won’t do anything stupid –the eldest brother Reid At the end of their prayer , which was quite appropriate given the youngest brother Reid had just thrown the eldest brother Reid’s date smack down on my living room floor… AMEN! –me, from the other room, laughing in hearty assent