Up until my early 40s, I never wore glasses. My vision was fine, both for reading and distance. Then what felt like overnight, I needed bifocals. Well, it wasn’t really overnight. I went through that period of getting by without glasses, but having to hold menus at arms’ length. That sort of thing. Then I started getting headaches from eyestrain, working at a computer all … Continue reading Icons and old eyes

In today’s mail, my latest National Geographic Traveler magazine has a feature story called, “Italian Road Trip: Exploring Umbria’s Hill Country.” Every month when I get this magazine, there are stories that all but bring me to my knees. My passion for travel is such that I lose myself in imagining a stroll through the streets of Copenhagen, or the scent of a field of … Continue reading Dreaming of Umbria

I went with my friend Cindy to see “Sex and the City 2” yesterday. It was terrible. Really awful. I’m trying to recall one redeeming feature of the story or visuals and I can’t. Nada. Now, I began watching the HBO series a number of years ago when I was living in Concord. I couldn’t wait for Friday night to watch Sarah Jessica Parker and … Continue reading Such a bad movie

It is now 8:30 p.m. in Brussels. I should have checked into my room at the Holiday Inn by the airport this morning, had a little nap, and met my friend Ann this afternoon. Still tired from the flight, we probably would have finished an early dinner by now and retired to our rooms for the night. Tomorrow is a big day – our drive … Continue reading Back at the Ranch

Why haven’t I written in such a long time? Well, when I switched from my old desktop computer to this laptop, the appearance of the page where I write was distorted. I’d be typing along, then the letters would disappear off to the right and I couldn’t tell if I’d made a mistake without toggling back and forth from the posting page to a draft … Continue reading Testing, testing

I wonder if the notion that it’s never too late to change, to reinvent ourselves and try something new, is primarily an American phenomenon? It sounds like something that would be associated with a young country. A little bit naive, but still admirable in a plucky sort of way. I was reading Time magazine this morning and learned that Nancy Pelosi first ran for office … Continue reading Reinventing ourselves

This morning I sat down with my coffee and read the December issue of National Geographic Traveler. When I was quite young, I used to say my dream was to write one day for National Geographic or The Smithsonian. Now it’s NGT. I even went to a one-day seminar for aspiring writers in Chicago a few years ago, hosted by the magazine. Unfortunately, I was … Continue reading My hero, Daisann McLane

I haven’t spent Christmas at home in years, it seems. Chris and I would go to Florida to be with Mom and Dad. This year, with Dad gone and Chris in Australia, Mom and I are going to spend Christmas with Penny and Dick in St. George, UT.  So as much as I love home decorating, I haven’t decorated for Christmas to any extent in … Continue reading HoHoHome Decor

In January 1975 I flew to Australia on a jumbo Qantas jet, every seat filled with young teachers like myself. We were from the US and Canada and we had been offered a free (one way) ticket to Australia plus three years’ salary tax free to help fill in a desperate shortage of teachers in certain states. I was 23 years old, just weeks out of college, … Continue reading Then and now

Yes, I know that’s the title of Nora Ephron’s book from a few years ago. At the time I read it and laughed, because I do think  Ephron is a brilliant writer. And my neck was fine . . . Now I, too, feel bad about my neck. I thought being overweight would limit the effects of age. Or, in effect, the unattractive pudgy neck … Continue reading I feel bad about my neck