Tag Archives: shopping center

You Know You Work With Animals If…

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With apologies to that Jeff Foxworthy guy, I saw a list of “how you know you’re a vet tech” today. Some of the things made me giggle; others made me go “huh?” But then, I’m not a vet tech. But I was inspired to start my own list: you know you work with animals if… You pluck shed tufts or pick eye goobers off other people’s pets. I’m guilty of this one all the time. I can’t resist picking those eye goobers! You measure your own pets’ food very carefully. Since I started at the cats-only boarding facility, I’ve gotten … Continue reading →

Reconstructing Natalie – Laura Jensen Walker

I didn’t feel well over the weekend and so I got a lot of reading done. Out of the six books I’ve read since last Friday night, “Reconstructing Natalie” was by far my favorite. Natalie is twenty-seven and unmarried, but she thinks that might be about to change – there’s a new man in her life and he seems to be perfect in every way. She’s got a good job working in her parents’ company, and she’s living practically rent-free in her parents’ guesthouse. She has good friends and she loves her life. But one day while trying on a … Continue reading →

The Sock Fairy

You’ve heard of the Tooth Fairy, the Easter bunny, the Sandman, Santa Claus? Well, there’s a new mythical being on the block – the Sock Fairy. By night, she sneaks into bedrooms and places new socks in the drawers. By day, she sorts the laundry and throws the old socks away. If she’s really on the ball, she’ll get distinctive socks for each member of the family so everyone knows whose socks are whose. Mothers do a great many thankless jobs. I guess I’m lucky—I do get thanked for the thankless jobs. Sometimes my husband even brings me Ben and … Continue reading →

Friday Funny: Boy Were They Wrong!

In 1949, Popular Mechanics predicted that in the future “Computers may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” Well, we all know how off that one was. Check out some of these very funny quotes and predictions made by famous people and publications about computers and technology. “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” Ken Olsen, the president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. (1977) “Computers are useless. They can only give you answers.” Pablo Picasso. “The cloning of humans is on most of the lists of things to worry about from Science, along with … Continue reading →

My Mother’s Day

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Some very good friends of mine did a VERY cute thing for me yesterday in honor of Mother’s Day. They went shopping on behalf of my fur-babies, Moose and Lally. My dogs (and my friends) know me well. I got two types of chocolate candy and some cocoa powder for when I make smoothies. (Cocoa powder plus mixed berries equals delicious smoothie!) But my favorite part was the card. The envelope reads “For Momma, From Moose.” Underneath that, it says “It’s really from ME! Lally.” The card inside features a brown dog (like my shepherd mix Moose) and a yellow … Continue reading →

Caretaker Stories: What’s a Solon?

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Research has shown that one great thing you can do to keep your mind sharp is play games. Crossword puzzles, sudoku, logic problems, and more — they’re all good for your brain. My grandmother — who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease — resists many of the brain workouts we encourage her to do. One thing she’s always loved is playing Scrabble. Lucky for us, Scrabble is a good way to engage the brain… so we can get her to play on a daily basis. The last time I was home for a visit, I sat down for a Scrabble game with … Continue reading →

Caretaker Stories: Where’s the Fruit?

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There were many moments when acting as caretaker for my grandmother was a huge source of stress and frustration. Then, there were moments that were just hysterical. My grandmother and I had been to the food store earlier in the week. It was early summer, so there was plenty of fresh fruit to choose from — we brought home a big bag of nectarines, bananas, apples, and more. I remember the nectarines specifically, because I ate one on the drive home. I couldn’t wait! A few days later, I was browsing through the kitchen cabinets, looking for a snack. Fruit, … Continue reading →

Humor: National Grump Out Day

Here is another obscure holiday that you can have fun celebrating at home. Today, may 7th is National Grump Out Day for the United States of America. During this holiday, we are all supposed to stamp out grumpiness and eradicate it wherever we find it, whether it be in our selves or in others. No matter how sleep deprived you are, no matter how awful your boss is, you are simply not allowed to be grumpy (that is if you want to celebrate). It is hard not to have fun with this holiday, although I don’t know if it will … Continue reading →

Humor Helps with Dementia Homecaring Duties

Earlier today I wrote “GULP! I’m a Caregiver!”. I admitted how scary that was and how clueless I sometimes am about it all. The Humor of It All However, that leaves a lot of room for humorous incidents. Luckily, both my mom, husband, and I have pretty good senses of humor. Which is nice, because as my fellow bloggers Aimee and Beth have both written in previous articles, laughter is good medicine. (And not just my mom could stand a large dose of that at this point!) Humor had a chapter all its own in Keeping Busy: A Handbook of … Continue reading →

While Humor is Good, Not Taking Them Seriously is Not

I really do believe that a good dose of humor and silliness can defuse just about any stressful family situation. Having a sense of humor helps to get through all sorts of tough times and keep from taking circumstances and situations too seriously. As a single parent, using humor can be a lifesaver. It is important, however, that while we are laughing and making jokes, we do not laugh AT our children or send the message that we are not taking their problems, concerns, and emotions seriously. There is a big difference between laughing away a tense situation and using … Continue reading →