There's nothing like being in the great outdoors for a few days to refresh and renew the spirits - and leave you with a sense of undying gratitude for the man who invented flush toilets and hot showers.
Labor Day weekend marked the fifth annual Wilderness Camping Trip for Cormac and me, along with my brother-in-law Michael and his son Tadhg. This trip evolved from one to Thompsons Lake six years ago that included spouses. Caitlin made it one more year to the first really roughing it trip, but Chris has forever declared he'll spend as much time outdoors as the rest of us, but he's sleeping in a clean bed at night...
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 Sep 08 A few days in the dirtkmccarthy, Having it all CATEGORY: General Society
May 24 Finding contentment at a Mass Pike rest stopkmccarthy, Having it all
I forget so often what really matters. I have fussed this spring over so many things. My to-do list at work gets longer, even though I spend the whole day hard at work. My home gets messier every day, even though I come home from the paying job to work for a few more hours. The economy continues to collapse, although by the looks of the family ledger, we mightily stimulate the economy every week.
But two things happened this week to remind me that really contentment is what I should feel most days. Last Tuesday, my sister-in-law gave birth to Ronan Liam, a wrinkled little fellow with the peculiar man-hands unique to newborns. On Saturday, we picked our firstborn up at the conclusion of his freshman year of college... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Apr 14 Really? We're that old?kmccarthy, Having it all
We've been talking about this half-century mark since the calendar turned to show us that while our names may still end in childish "y"s, we're hitting the big 5-0 this year.
Crap. I think we're putting off a decision about where to celebrate as a way of hiding from it! But two friends took the bull by the horns and organized their own events and so, during the first weekend in April, Chris and I went to not one, but two different 50th birthday celebrations, both in New York City. Cammy and her husband had a party for about 30 people in an upstairs room at a nice restaurant on the Upper West Side, Cammy's neighborhood since she moved to the city 27 years ago... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Mar 27 A great pick-me-upkmccarthy, Having it all
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Jan 20 To my sons on this historic Inauguration Daykmccarthy, Having it all
Dear Sons,
Remember always this historic day; remember too that we are the children of immigrants, people who came here seeking a better future for their children. Today, you have witnessed history. You will always be my children, the ones I always want a better future for, but you are also men who must shape your own future. Remember always the sacrifices of our forebears and the blessings of our lives as you make your way in the world. I love you; I know you will make the world better; and I wish you abundance, joy, and the ability to work hard all your lives... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Dec 10 Five-year plankmccarthy, Having it all
Everybody needs a five-year plan, somebody said to me recently.
Yeah, yeah, I used to have one of those. Climb the career ladder, move to a bigger dwelling, volunteer more … A five-year plan sounds alarmingly like New Year’s resolution,s and I’ve been making the same ones for way more than five years: lose the weight, pay off the credit card bill, beef up the savings, don’t gossip, don’t yell at the kids, see only the good in my husband … There, that’s this year’s list. But a bigger plan … hmmm, my five-year plan focuses mostly on my kids, who, at 18 and 16, don’t really feel that I should be making plans for their lives... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Dec 04 Come see Macbethkmccarthy, Having it all
If you ever wonder if you’re getting your money’s worth in our school district, come see Theatre Without a Net perform Macbeth at the high school this weekend. You’ll be impressed and you’ll be glad you’re part of a community that can do something this great. If you’ve never seen Shakespeare before, this is one of his shortest. If you’re a fan of the consequences of power run amok, this is your show. If you’re a fan of sword fights, this is for you. It’s hard to imagine who this show isn’t for! So do yourself a favor and come on over to the high school to catch this classic.
Tickets are $10 general admission; $6 for students and seniors. There will be plenty, since the show is in the auditorium, or you can order them in advance at theatrewithoutanet.org... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
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