Some people are enthralled with camping. Die-hards have 10-room waterproof tents larger than most houses. Their sleeping bag is more extravagant than the linens on their bed at home and their pocket knives include expandable spatulas and can openers. I’ve tried “roughing it” and hope to never be forced to give it a go again. …
The road an old photo takes you down
Flipping through old photos is like taking a vacation. Some pictures – even if you’ve seen them a hundred times – guarantee a smile. I recently came across an old photo that brought back memories. In the photo, I am standing on our old deck by the lake at home. As my mind took a …
Bucket List
Nearly two years after it was released, I headed to the video store to rent The Bucket List, a movie about two men who have a wish list of to-dos before cancer takes their life. I had been working on devising my own “life list,” and figured it may be a good movie to watch. …
The annual canoe trip
My family tries to be normal. We sometimes go for walks together or spend some time in the boat on warm, summer days. But one adventure – our family canoe trip down the Crow River – generally ends in disaster. Still, this has become an annual event. Why? Because Mom insists we do it to …
What Swimming Lessons Didn't Do For Me
There were a few things I hated as a kid. I used to hate my younger brother. I used to hate when dad made me spit out my gum before going to bed. And I really, truly hated swimming lessons. It had nothing to do with getting into a swim suit or jumping into the …
Top 11 people you're bound to meet at the gym
Anyone with a gym membership knows the type of people you encounter when working out. Things can get rather interesting – and I’m not just referring to a clanking treadmill or a squeaky elliptical. And so, I present to you, my list. Top 11 people you’re bound to meet at the gym: 1.) GRUNTING …
The pain of being towed
Have you ever walked to a parking lot and noticed something is missing? Not seeing your car where you parked it is terrifying. Thoughts race through your head: I thought this was where I parked it – did someone steal it? Was it towed? How do I find it? What do I have to do …
Garage sale season — leaving you rummaging for rummage sales
It’s that time of year – garage sale season. City-wides, anyone? Set your alarms! While some find no value in digging through another person’s junk, there are others who spend half of their summer mapping out sales and hunting for deals. For a period of time (before my family collected enough rubbish to occupy nearly …
Beverage of Choice
Who doesn’t love jump-starting their morning with a tall glass of sunshine? Okay, so there are probably more than a handful of people who don’t enjoy this nutritious drink, but these are the same type of weirdoes who don’t think puppies are cute. For the rest of us, O.J. is the only way to start …
Taking a compliment should be easy, but requires practice for some
Some people don’t know how to take a compliment. You try to tell them how great, cute, funny and wonderful they are, and all they do is roll their eyes and deny it. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m one of them. Simply put, I don’t know what to say or how to react. Does …