“I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.” — Joan Didion I started keeping a journal during my sophomore year in high school, and I continued the practice into my young adult years. My journaling dropped off after I got married, started having children, and got busy with professional…
If your family is anything like my family, you go through your fair share of syrup for pancakes, waffles, French toast, and similar breakfast goodies. There is nothing quite like making a big stack of pancakes on a griddle during a lazy weekend, or waking up on a snowy morning and heating up the waffle…
I have a fascination with British food that goes back to the first time I visited the United Kingdom as a recent college graduate. I’ve now been to the U.K. twice, and I enjoy trying the unique foods there such as Yorkshire pudding, lamb with mint sauce, full English breakfasts with roasted mushrooms and tiny…
I’ve suffered with cold sores since I was a child. I don’t know who exposed me and I don’t remember when I got my first cold sore, but I’ve had periodic outbreaks of swollen, painful blisters on my lips going back possibly as far as my preschool years. I haven’t really known life without this…
Everyone reacts to compliments differently. Some people love them. Thrive on them, even. If verbal affirmation is your love language, nothing lights up your day like receiving a positive comment. At work, it might be praise about how well you handled a recent project. Among friends, it might be compliments about your new haircut or…
Rachael also contributed to this post. When I get up for work on a weekday morning, I keep to a routine. Among other things, I get something to eat, take some time to think about the day ahead, and then go get cleaned up and dressed for the day. While I’m eating, I also usually…
Lemon curd is a delicious addition to scones or toast. This sunshine-yellow fruity spread has its origins in England in the late 1800s or early 1900s, where it was served as an alternative to jam during afternoon tea. Lemon curd would be spread on bread and scones, or it would be used as a filling…
I have a number of friends who are considering leaving their jobs this year. That’s not surprising, because a lot of people have left their jobs this year. The reasons are varied, but a lot of it comes down to burnout. Many of my friends work in public education and are worn out over the…
I turned 40 during the pandemic. After getting vaccinated, I began catching up on some non-urgent preventative medical appointments, including scheduling my first mammogram. Many of my good friends are a few years older than me, so I know women who have already had mammograms. It was time for me to join the club. What…
Rachael also contributed to this post. If you’ve ever considered going on a trip to the Smokies — including Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park — you’ve probably wondered if it’s crowded … and, if so, how to best deal with those crowds. We’ve experienced it, so we can tell you. First,…
