Early in the pandemic, we canceled our membership to the YMCA and bought a treadmill. It was more than just a Dick’s Sporting Goods treadmill—we were told it was a grade just below a gym treadmill. For a year or so, it worked fine. But then it developed some curious traits. The deck seemed toContinue reading “Treadmill, Deadmill, Dreadmill”
Tag Archives: Parenting
The Shed, Part 2: Life and Death Underneath
Before we get into this, fair warning—if you have a hard time with the realities of the circle of life, you probably want to stop reading now. Also, you should stop eating food of any type at all. After all, we’ve recently learned that plants literally scream when they are cut or pulled, meaning thatContinue reading “The Shed, Part 2: Life and Death Underneath”
Walking Pickett’s Charge and Catching Pokemons, but not Fish
Years ago, I worked with the American Battlefield Trust to create an augmented reality app. It’s a free download on the app store. We returned to Gettysburg on Saturday, and while Graham ran ten miles, the rest of us hiked Pickett’s Charge. Before we started, we assembled at the step-off point of the Virginians justContinue reading “Walking Pickett’s Charge and Catching Pokemons, but not Fish”
Mo Would Not Make It to the Gettysburg Address
Thursday night, we were winding down in the hotel—the kids were taking turns in the restroom, getting their showers, brushing teeth, etc. Eli got frustrated with his twin, and exclaimed, “Geez, Emma. You are slower than molasses.” He paused a moment, then said, “I really don’t know who this ‘Molasses’ is, but I guess thatContinue reading “Mo Would Not Make It to the Gettysburg Address”
The Real Winner of the Battle of Antietam
On Thursday, I took the cousins and Graham to the Antietam National Battlefield, and oh boy. Before we went, I looked up some family ancestry. We picked someone from the Laws family tree and someone from the Settle family tree. Eli’s job was to learn all he could about Charles Foster Settle and the 5thContinue reading “The Real Winner of the Battle of Antietam”
The Revolution Is Here
I collect Civil War, Revolutionary War, and Colonial-era ephemera—nothing too exotic, just old soldiers’ letters, tax receipts, ship manifests, that sort of thing. (Don’t come rob my house, stalkers—I’ve never paid more than $100 for anything.) I had to work this morning before taking the afternoon off to take the cousins to Lexington and Concord.Continue reading “The Revolution Is Here”
Cousins for Lu’s Birthday
The Laws cousins from Houston arrived on Monday. They’re escaping the hurricane-wrecked city and roadtripping with the boys this week. Graham and I headed into the urban hellscape known as Logan to pick them up. The twins, Eli and Emma, have never been to Boston while their older brother Will hasn’t visited in a decade.Continue reading “Cousins for Lu’s Birthday”
A Camp Cliffhanger
Last Monday, Graham headed to Church camp, which was held at University of New England in Biddeford, Maine. He stayed in the dorms, and his buddy Elijah was his roommate. He had his phone and could use it whenever. His updates from camp the entire week were as follows. MondayGraham: Some of the kids inContinue reading “A Camp Cliffhanger”
The Lonely Grandmothering Preview
The family of Lindsay’s boyfriend, Carson, joined us for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Our eastern Pennsylvania visitors included, oldest to youngest, Chad, Carrie, Carson, and Griffin. Griffin is entering eighth grade and started the visit off with a bang—he marched in wearing a hideous Philadelphia 76ers hat. Tactical error on his part. “Wow,Continue reading “The Lonely Grandmothering Preview”
Show em You’re a Tiger
A few weeks after Bowie joined Lucia and Brayden, Lucia texted me to ask if I thought it was a bad idea to get another dog. I said something along the lines that if both halves of the marriage were good with it, it was probably fine. Turns out that Lu and Brayden had beenContinue reading “Show em You’re a Tiger”
His Smile Lit Up a Room and Other Things to Say at My Funeral 