Our story begins with the father of one of the girls in Cole’s 12th grade class offering to buy discounted tickets for all 13 kids in the class to this weekend’s Illini vs. Wisconsin football game. It’s a big game and the price was right, so when our kids asked us for ticket money, we … Continue reading Illini vs Wisconsin – Parents vs Teens
Family
Chicago Parking Bitch
Chicago Parking Bitch A few week ago, I was running an errand downtown, when I arrived at the store, “no parking signs” announced it was street cleaning day. Fortunately, I had planned ahead for parking problems and bribed my teen driver (Cole) into coming along for the ride with the promise of a lox and … Continue reading Chicago Parking Bitch
Rat Slayer, City Of Chicago
Rat Slayer---sticking with Michaelmas theme It never fails to amuse me that when someone comes to my door and knocks—and my pups explode into a barking frenzy—I open the door and the person says, “I couldn’t find your doorbell” as they quickly start backing away from the door. This is what happened last week, … Continue reading Rat Slayer, City Of Chicago
I Had An Epiphany – Hallelujah!
I had an epiphany—an experience of sudden and striking realization—as I pulled my car into the garage and removed the keys from the ignition. My keys are always lost or on their way to being lost. Recently, I was delivering something to somebody, with Rascal (my Jack Russell) along for the ride. I pulled in … Continue reading I Had An Epiphany – Hallelujah!
Teen Boys Island Adventure
Teen Boys Island Adventure: Cole has had plenty of water experience in one way or another his whole life. His grandmother taught him to swim in my aunt and uncle’s backyard pool in Albuquerque when he was three, and on our next visit she taught him to dive. In Chicago, we enjoy Lake Michigan, frolicking in … Continue reading Teen Boys Island Adventure
Mothers Worry, link included
7th grade: School Trip: High ropes course-Propelling off mountains Mothers worry. I ’m sure that won’t be news to anyone. Dads worry too. In fact, dearly departed Joe was, in many cases, a bigger worrywart than I was. As many of you know, my kid is on a one-week trip to Hermit Island in Maine … Continue reading Mothers Worry, link included
Mom Packs, Teen Travels
Chicago Waldorf Class of 2014: Awww, aren't they cute 😀 Mom Packs, Teen Travels: Cole and his 12th-grade classmates left on Saturday for a one-week camping trip on Hermit Island in Maine. They will spend the week studying marine biology during the day and eating fresh lobsters at night. I would like to think that at … Continue reading Mom Packs, Teen Travels
Spending The Day With Henry Ford
This past Sunday, Cole and I took a road trip to visit the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Our primary reason for visiting the museum was to gather information for Cole’s senior project research paper on car culture. We hopped up bright and early to start the trek from Chicago to Dearborn, Michigan. Traffic … Continue reading Spending The Day With Henry Ford
Rose Ceremony: Sweet and Thorny
The Rose Ceremony Twelve years ago, Joe and I sat in the auditorium of the Chicago Waldorf School and watched our 6-year-old and his first grade classmates walk onto the auditorium stage with their teacher to receive a rose and be welcomed to the school by a 12th grader. The first graders looked so small … Continue reading Rose Ceremony: Sweet and Thorny
Cracked Up: A Visit to the Chiropractor
A few weeks ago, I hurt my back going zig when a dog went zag. As director of Camp Run-A-Pup, a sore back puts me at a real disadvantage because most of my work involves throwing balls, scratching tummies, scooping poop, putting down dog bowls, and refereeing play that is escalating—all jobs that require you … Continue reading Cracked Up: A Visit to the Chiropractor