Since BJ and I are both on Injured Reserve right now, we’re trying hard to be creative with our holiday gift giving this year.
I’ve never been one to buy savings bonds or life insurance for kids anyway; most years, I try to shop at the grocery store for the folks on my gift list.   […]

 As you may (or may not!) already know, I’m the youngest of five children.  Two girls, then two boys, then me.  I guess I’m the tiebreaker.  Anyway, it’s kind of a funny story.  My older sister Ruth had a three-year-old when I was born.  Mom found out she was pregnant with me the day my […]

The wheelchair ramp project has taken on a life of its own.
The initial ramp was fairly simple and straightforward, a straight shot down along the south side of the house, running from the top of the front deck stairs to the grass right beside the concrete sidewalk.  It works great, but it covers the outside […]

Poor BJ.
First, I’m incredibly high maintenance,  even on a good day, but since I’ve come home from the hospital, it’s been outrageous.  The poor baby hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep because of me needing help going potty.  I’ve been trying my best to be good, but I know it’s been hard.
Now comes the temporary […]

I’ve decided that having multiple pelvic fractures is a royal pain in the arse.
This isn’t going to be much of a post because I’m in a LOT of pain, but I did want to tell everybody just what happened.
I was cutting a dead limb from a very large maple tree, but OSHA probably would have […]

Today was the day 65 soldiers and their families had been waiting for:  They’re back home from Iraq.
The 150th Aviation Battalion of the West Virginia National Guard touched down this afternoon after having spent the past year on active duty.  One soldier’s family had the Christmas tree up and the stockings hung for him.  Others […]

It was worse, I think, than herding cats.
I took a picture of the dogs today to send away for our “family portrait,” and as I suspected, cooperation was at a minimum.
I started outside on the deck. I figured they would look cute all lined up on the swing. Bad idea.
First, nobody wanted […]

I can barely wait.
In early July, we’ll get one of the annual payments from BJ’s retirement, and for all intents, it’s already spent.
The two big projects this year are camp wiring, which I’ve already told you all about, and repairing the soffit, fascia, gutters, and downspouts on the house.
The south side of our house […]

I was talking to Marisa a couple of weeks ago about the possibility of getting her the degree she so much deserves.
I’m a dissertation away from a Ph.D. and would already have it if I hadn’t discovered that somebody else had already written in great detail about my thesis, which I had developed into almost […]

Have you ever had to take one of those personality profiles during a job interview? If so, how was it for you?
My former boss has a buddy who developed one of those things, and we were all subjected to it. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a firm believer in workplace harmony, but if […]