"Uhhh...what are crumpets?" As soon as I saw this clue on the crossword puzzle I was doing awhile back, I knew what I was going to call this post. April 13 of this year, as you may know, is the sixth anniversary of my husband Mark's passing. In memory of his life, and his love …
"The naming of cats is a difficult matter." "It isn't just one of your holiday games. You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter, when I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES." I can't speak for everyone, but I have always loved "The Naming of Cats" by T.S. Eliot. …
A new goal for 2021 Did you ever think of becoming a social media influencer? I did, when I saw this photo on Pinterest the other day. As usual, whenever I see a cool idea on Pinterest, my first thought is, "I could do that!" Not that I thought I could redo my pantry to …
"Just add water!" So, if you've read "Just Add Water" (part 1) you know that it's easy to make your own cement. It comes in very handy for making cement spheres, which can then be painted and used as yard art. (Actually you don't want to know the story behind this "easy DIY" Pinterest project.) …
"Date of birth?" "Seven, twelve, fifty-one." I quoted this phrase so many times throughout the final five years of my husband's life that sometimes I automatically started to say that instead of "Nine, sixteen, fifty-eight" when asked for my own date of birth. I would often be the "spokesperson" when we would be at his …
My father was a man of many talents, as well as many interests. Recently, his antique bottle collection has found its way to me. What you are looking at here is a very small sampling of the bottles I now have at my house. When I was little, my dad and my uncles used to …
And no, I did not find this recipe on Pinterest! One thing most people probably don't know about Mark Tracy is that he was a pretty good cook. He wasn't afraid to try new things, and he used to say that presentation was everything. That should explain the above photo. All kidding aside (wait, is …
Who would have ever thought? I don't mind telling you I have found this whole thing irritating, to say the least. As you can see by this pristine photo of my chin, I have never had kitty acne before. In fact, I had never heard of it until Mom started texting Aunt Gail, searching stuff …
Because drawing always makes you feel better. Now that Foster and Panda have shared their "year of masks" with you, I thought I would share my "year of drawings". Because it hasn't only been about masks. This past year was one of changes, emotions, and new routines. And one of the best ways I have …
(With my apologies to people who really know how to do math.) This is the note that started it all. (Teachers, beware: You never know how literally your students are going to take what you tell them.) When Mrs. Halley, my seventh and eighth grade English teacher, wrote the above note in 1971 or 72, …