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As a child I grew up in a house without air-conditioning, a small, three-bedroom ranch with few windows. Air-conditioning made my mom sick, so there was no chance we would have any in the house. One year my dad finally convinced her to let him put a window unit in the garage, which, in the…

Even in winter, there is no better way for me to clear my head when I am having trouble writing than a walk along the shore. Most often, the wind is  biting and there is a soul-deep solitude hard to define. Sometimes I attribute it to the grayness of things; sky, water, boardwalk, even the…

Some of my favorite childhood memories recall taking rides with my parents. Sometimes we would take the bridge over the Normanskill Creek and stop for ice cream at Tasty Freeze, or drive around on election day evening looking for bonfires, or ride up and down city streets admiring Christmas lights. Sundays meant Mass, visiting with…

 “So shall we come to look at the world with new eyes.”                                                                                                                        What an extraordinary way to begin the New Year – if only we could…

When it comes to nightmares, it’s all relative.                                                                                                                                         Last night, while watching an engrossing movie with my son and daughter-in-law, we suddenly heard inconsolable cries coming from my four-year-old granddaughter sleeping upstairs. “She’s having a nightmare,” her mom said, as both parents scrambled off the couch to check on her. A few minutes later my…

Pumpkin spice coffee is making its comeback, to the delight of some and the chagrin of many. T’is not the season for pumpkin, they say. Those who wait out the winter with dreams of sun, sand and sea are not ready, mid-August, to move into fall. Me … I can’t wait. So, on a day…

When I get a late call from my daughter-in-law, my worried grandmother persona takes over as I answer the phone. “Hello?” I say, with trepidation. “Mary, when you write your screenplay, I want Jennifer Lopez to play me.” She is relentless. And she keeps me laughing. For the past year she has suggested, cajoled, hounded…

Many years ago, when I thought I would be boiling and coloring eggs and planning a dinner for my large family, I ended up spending the week before Easter in the hospital with my youngest son. It was certainly unexpected, but life doesn’t ask you if you’re prepared before it throws the unexpected your way.…

Otis Redding sang about it – some "girls they do get weary.  They have their grief and cares."                                                                                                                                                           Today, I'll admit it. I'm one of those girls. I’m weary … a bone-tired, overwhelming exhaustion that doesn’t get better with a cup of coffee, a walk in the fresh air or a break on the couch. Today…

On a recent trip home from North Carolina, I picked up a small gift for family members who were dog sitting for the week. The small black and tan plaque read: “Money can buy you a fine dog, but only love will make the tail wag.” It was perfect for them, because they love our…