OK, I love living here. I like that it’s suburban without the oppression of a really big city. I love that there are nature preserves all over the place. I love that New York, Boston and Montreal are all an easy drive away. I love that it’s pretty affordable here. I’ve even gotten used to the fact that people are reserved until they’ve seen you at least three times in the same place – be it school, church or your workplace.
But I will never get used to the lack of signs. Once again, I set out for a local big store to buy a reasonably priced piece of furniture. I knew that I needed to be at the intersection of 90 and 787. I’ve been there before; I can see it in my head.
But then on 787, the usual questions. Not the Empire State Plaza exit, I knew...
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 May 07 Please, send me a signkmccarthy, Having it all May 19 For the birdskmccarthy, Having it all
The cardinals are back, with their nest of babies with gaping mouths outside of our dining room window. They come most springs, but now that my boys are huge teenagers, I don't look for them so much. I used to identify with the mother, dropping food into her babies' mouths, scolding us when we got too close, and settling on top of her birds in her nest. Didn't the babies' beaks peck her belly? Or is her warm body their signal to settle down? Must look in the encyclopedia...whoops, I mean Google.
But today was also screen day at our house, and the mother got furious when Chris tossed a screen onto the hedge from the upstairs window. I sat in a chair in the dining room looking out the window till I spotted the nest... Continue Reading May 25 Thank you, veteranskmccarthy, Having it all
There are a couple of World War II veterans at our church. One of them sits ramrod straight, and when I go to shake his hand during the sign of peace, his is an iron grip.
The only thing he ever said to me about fighting in Europe in the winter was "I had an awful lot of good boys there." We spent a chunk of time this winter watching HBO's incredible series "Band of Brothers," a Christmas gift to one of our sons. All I can really say to you about it, is: see it. I thought of our friends at church when I watched it, and of my own grandfather, now deceased, who served on a battle ship in the South Pacific. I think of my uncle whose eyes sometimes show shadows, which might be from his days in Vietnam... Continue Reading  |
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