Yesterday, I was driving my 12-year-old daughter home from her second soccer game in roughly 24 hours so she could take a quick rest before heading back for game #3 later that day. She sighed. “Soccer tournaments are taking over my weekends!” “Not just your weekends,” I said. My...
March to March
Yesterday, the Ides of March, was a dreary, cold day, the type that reminds any Midwesterner why it’s foolish to stow away the snow shovel prematurely. As I took our dog for a walk, Lake Michigan roared in the distance and the sun hid behind a cloak of clouds....
A New Normal
COVID-19 is spreading around the world and life is getting stranger by the second. School districts are closing in droves and parents are scrambling to figure out what to do. Birthday parties, recitals, and sports events are being postponed indefinitely. Our phones are buzzing with updates from businesses assuring...
What the Mandalorian Nails About Being a Parent
If you’re watching The Mandalorian on the new Disney+ streaming service, you’re probably hopelessly obsessed with Baby Yoda, the big-eyed, cooing, gifted-with-the-Force character who’s central to the plot. Five episodes in, I’ve decided that all I want for Christmas is a Baby Yoda (seriously, he’s that cute). The more...
The Blue Jay
I am a nerd for birds. Though I can’t claim much official birding knowledge, I purchased a backyard feeder a few years ago and have learned some of the patterns of the feathered beauties who swoop in for a snack. The tiny chickadees are the most numerous, visiting frequently...