What Happened To Values?

What Happened To Values?

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Hard work and sheer grit from individuals lead to success. In the forties and fifties, we believed this. We didn’t consider it a conservative view of life. It was common knowledge. It was common sense. Our parents’ religious beliefs generally reflected Judaeo-Christian values.  Our country was unquestionably Christian. We had no “State religion.” All of the religions I ever came into contact with in the fifties were God-centered: NOT Mohammad, Allah, not Buddha, nor any other god save God Almighty…

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Do You Know How to Relax and Be Lazy?

Do You Know How to Relax and Be Lazy?

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It is OK to be lazy sometimes. This is one of the great lessons of life. Everyone needs to learn the difference between being lazy and true indolence. If you have dogs, you know. Dogs instinctively relax multiple times a day. It is one of their best qualities because it causes no problems and is charming to see. Many people feel guilty about that kind of utter relaxation that loosens every muscle and often leads to sleep. I embrace it….

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America’s Unique Spirit of Resilience

America’s Unique Spirit of Resilience

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As you know, I never watch TV news, though people sometimes send me “clips”. I believe the news is designed on PURPOSE to upset and divide people. Creating chaos and animosity about things (Most of which) we have no control over. They set out to create fear first and then anger.   I feel so much more peaceful than some of my friends who REACT to everything the news tells them, whether it is true or not. This includes conservatives and…

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This is what Grammas do!

This is what Grammas do!

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A surprise trip can be a joy. There is no time to agonize over plans or things you might be skipping. It is fun to drop everything and go off on an adventure at the last moment. On Monday, my son said, “I would like to take Jack and Tom to Williamsburg and Busch Gardens. Would you like to come?” At first, I thought, “No.” The amount of walking was daunting, and I am still only walking 1.6 miles at…

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Positive Energy!

Positive Energy!

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A Satisfying Post, Rather than a Disturbing One. What to write about is often a dilemma. The subjects available expand like fireworks on the 4th of July. Exploding in my consciousness, the subjects entwine and then separate as I try to distill the words into a readable (short) blog post. Lately, I have struggled with two especially thorny subjects: one involves the medical-industrial complex and how dangerous it is to our health. The other searches for answers in the disconnect…

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Debutante

Debutante

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Debutante! The very name evokes images of young women in long white gowns twirling in the arms of young men dressed in white tie and tails or tuxedos and black tie. Or does it? How many young people today even know what “white tie and tails” means? Or twirling women in white dresses? Twerking is the word of the first quarter of the 21st Century. Elegance is a memory. However, in 1960, it was still very real for many well-bred,…

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A Week of Connections

A Week of Connections

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Life is full of ups and downs. I wrote this the week before I broke my hip. It just did not feel right to send it out at the time. Yet it was such a fun piece to write, and there is so much hope in it, I wanted to get it out there. So I am sending it now just as I wrote it. Remember that when you read this, it was written the week before Easter: “This has…

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Memorable Journey: My 1961 Trip to Jerusalem

Memorable Journey: My 1961 Trip to Jerusalem

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In 1961, when I was 19, my parents took me on a trip around the world. One of the places we went was to what is now simply called Israel. But we said we were going to Jerusalem. In those days, the city was divided into three sections. I believe they had the Muslim (It was technically Jordan), Christian, and Jewish sections. I was 19 years old and not paying much attention to the contemporary politics of the place. Instead,…

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Aren’t Weddings Wonderful?

Aren’t Weddings Wonderful?

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Weddings are such hopeful events. I am thrilled when I am invited to one. When it is in my own family, it excites me even more because these days I know how lucky I am to have a family that also believes in marriage. It makes me so proud of them for doing the traditional and time-honored thing. Love and admiration for them all fill me to the brim. I am grateful for my family. Saturday, April 25, was a…

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Sisi

Sisi

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 My Little Dog Sisi Died ​ She was such a free spirit! When let out the door, she would leap for joy. She looked like a young gazelle. It was amazing to watch. And it was joyful! Sisi was a miniature, short-haired, red female dachshund. She was a mature dog when I got her, and she had already had three litters. She was wise and completely at ease with people of all sorts. She never minded strangers touching her and…

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God had a different plan.

God had a different plan.

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Well, the best laid plans of mice and men… I was all set to have a very interesting and fun day. It was April 7th and I was visiting The Plains, Virginia, for my brother in law’s funeral. He was so loved, nearly every friend or relative would be there. It was exciting to begin seeing family members from all over.  I wanted to honor him as well, plus show my sympathy for his siblings and children. But Fate had other plans…

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Transforming Your Life from the Inside Out

Transforming Your Life from the Inside Out

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If you want to change your life, do you know what to do? How do you think about your life? Are you happy and proud with how it is turning out, so far? Are there parts you wish were different? Do you feel like a victim? Or do you feel confident that you are in control of your own life? If you are enjoying being a victim, you probably should move on. When you stop blaming your bad luck, come…

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Reviving Rugged Individualism: The Need for Strong Men Today

Reviving Rugged Individualism: The Need for Strong Men Today

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Standing up for rugged individualism has become a divisive act. Extolling the virtues of masculine white males because they built this country with their rugged individualism has become taboo. We need more men with this character type. The best of the best, “Be all you can be.” was a popular US Army slogan that inspired people to join the Army. These were the sort of men who were once looked up to as the pinnacle of manhood. Now this is…

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Why Last-Minute Trips Can Be Life-Changing

Why Last-Minute Trips Can Be Life-Changing

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My phone rang, and when I answered, it was my oldest grandson on the line. We commiserated about the snow and ice everywhere between his home in Baltimore, Md, and mine in Charlottesville, VA. Then he said, “When the weather is this bad, there is only one thing to do.” I laughed and said jokingly, “Go to Florida?” He answered, “No. Go to Jamaica.” His parents own a cottage at Round Hill, not too far from Montego Bay. He told…

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Burns Night to Celebrate the Poet

Burns Night to Celebrate the Poet

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The best gift is a memory. Recently, I was given a gift that made me happier than any other this year. And the last couple of years have been filled with gifts as my family has grown and thrived. There have been weddings, engagements, great-grandbabies, and puppies, beyond my dreams! But for my birthday this new year 2026, my children gave me an experience I will not forget. They all agreed to attend a black-tie, kilted gala for Bobby Burns…

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