Category: Retired Life
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Staff by Staff: How Piano Lessons Taught Me to Tackle Life’s Challenges One Measure at a Time
I should’ve known I could do it. I’ve seen others do it. One of my kids played the drum set for years, and seeing him perform in a couple of bands proved to me that it’s possible. But I didn’t think I could. No, the chances that I could make my hands do two different…
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From double-sided cabinets to persimmon pudding: Four generations in and out of the kitchen
When my mom was a girl, children weren’t exactly welcome in the kitchen with the grown-ups. But I love having my granddaughter as sous-chef!
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Would sage help my American Girl clothes?
I may have to light some dried sage and waft its smoke over the little red-striped cotton pajamas! I’m afraid they’ve absorbed a lot of negativity.
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Sage-ing wisely
How did I ever do it all? How do any good teachers do so much? How do they hang in there in the long stretch from January to spring break? Giving, giving, giving– living, really— for their students to pass the holy spring tests? Only two years ago, I was busy planning weekly lessons all…
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My new invasive species: AI
It’s February and my seed catalog browsing has ended. I‘ve decided to create a native perennial flower bed along a neglected side of the house and even have the seed packets in hand. Now it’s time to consider where each plant will spend the summer at my house. Writing the names of the plants on…
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Gorgeous flowers, with a little help from AI
I am starting to get over my Master Gardener imposter syndrome. I’m a teacher by training and vocation, so gardening has been a more recently developed hobby. But my knowledge is growing! After enjoying a bouquet of cut flowers sent by colleagues twice a month during the summer, my husband and I talked about whether…
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Breaking out of a well-taped box
There may be hope! For the past six months, I’ve been stuck in a box, albeit one with musical notes decorating it. Today, I broke out of it! During the past year since I retired from teaching high school English, I’ve had some grand plans. In the early days, my head was filled with projects…
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When doing the right thing kicks your butt
Giving blood was always a thing for some of my family. My grandpa belonged to the hundred gallon club. My mom did, too. Okay, my brother says it couldn’t possibly be a “hundred gallons.” Ten gallons maybe? Every chance they had, they went to Ball Memorial Hospital in our hometown to give blood. Following suit,…
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The Dog Days of Spring?
Gasping to get a breath, shaking, howling. It’s quite a temper tantrum for this late at night. Or is it? Maybe she’s afraid from the thunderstorm and can’t tell me. Or maybe it’s trauma from her previous life. We heard she was abused. My husband says maybe she just wants attention. To have someone near…
