Oh my God. So far we’re doing this. Five family members are living under one roof – Randy and me, my Mom, and our two adult sons, both on temporary “Corona” leave from school jobs. Like many families under lockdown, Team Stone is coping. Most interesting is how everyone’s talents are coming to the […]
It’s like the world’s been given a giant time-out. New sayings are popping up – “self-isolating”, “elbow bump”, and “social distancing” – that would’ve confused us even a few weeks ago. A little green plant in my living room is the last thing I bought before shopping became an anxious, Purell-driven event. And yet good […]
It’s a debate for the ages. Should our terrier Libby be allowed to sleep with us each night…or should she be made to stay in her crate? Practical people remind us that Libby is a dog. “Don’t allow her on furniture of any kind, including the bed,” they say. Then there are the softies. “What’s […]
The other day I overheard two women talking about their high school-aged sons. “I can’t motivate him,” said one with a sigh. “He’s smart, but his grades are awful. I don’t know what’s going to happen with college.” The other murmured in sympathy. Their conversation caught my ear because I used to be that […]
Do you like restaurants? Most people do. As a friend once said, there’s something nice about seeing and being seen. But even the best eateries have challenges and things that irritate or even perplex. Here are my top eight… Too loud – Sometimes you feel it the moment you enter. There’s a wall of […]
Someone once said we discover who we really are as we age. I used to wonder if that was true. And yet as the years have crept by, some personality traits seem not only hardwired, but (God forbid) more pronounced. Here are seven ways I’ve gotten worse—or better—in my sixties. Can you relate? More […]
It looked so promising in Home Depot. Artificial, but the perfect height, around six feet, and already adorned with white lights and “sparkles.” I won’t even have to decorate this tree, I thought smugly. Had I finally outfoxed Christmas? Anyone who reads this blog knows I have a complicated history with Christmas trees. When […]
She’s a family member who wears more hats than Lady Gaga. Her roles are varied — but vital — and I think she knows it. She even has this self-important strut as she trots through our house. Yes, Libby knows she’s not only loved, but needed. Here are the six vital roles this Yorkie/Papillion […]
Not since the Mongol Conquest of China in the 13th century, has there been such an invasion. But instead of men on horseback, we have tiny red and black-dotted beetles. There’s one room in our house these ladybugs especially crave, which now belongs to my mom. She’s tried everything to get rid of this […]
