The Dirty Job of Sacrifice, Mom-Style

Still Life with Aromatic Ointment. October, 2011. The Things Done for Love All my life I’ve used my bare hands to apply mentholated ointment, because that’s how my mom applied it when I was sick as a little girl. Recently I’ve had bronchitis and the ointment has been my friend. Vicks sorely strained our friendship one evening. I’d […]


The Dirty Job of Sacrifice, Mom-Style

Still Life with Aromatic Ointment. October, 2011. The Things Done for Love All my life I’ve used my bare hands to apply mentholated ointment, because that’s how my mom applied it when I was sick as a little girl. Recently I’ve had bronchitis and the ointment has been my friend. Vicks sorely strained our friendship one evening. I’d […]


Seeing in New Places

Elaine. Tahiti. January, 2004. Slipping Free of Fear My daughter Elaine and her husband Rob, who recently moved to Hawaii, just completed their SCUBA certifications. She posted yesterday on Facebook: I’m officially a certified open water scuba diver!! Aaaaaand I swam with THREE sea turtles and a shark today. So awesome. This news makes me […]


Seeing in New Places

Elaine. Tahiti. January, 2004. Slipping Free of Fear My daughter Elaine and her husband Rob, who recently moved to Hawaii, just completed their SCUBA certifications. She posted yesterday on Facebook: I’m officially a certified open water scuba diver!! Aaaaaand I swam with THREE sea turtles and a shark today. So awesome. This news makes me […]


Wedding Gifts, Part Two: Just the Thing

Art by Ali O’Brien Schaffner, Chocolate Moose Design.  Not My Day Being the stepmother of the bride is a precarious position. Rebecca was 24 when I married her father, so I’d had no role in her upbringing. She had her own mother to help her select a gown, share in the fun and challenges of […]