Helicopter Mom – You Are Grounded!

“A mother is only as happy as her saddest child,” a close friend’s grandmother used to say.

When I first heard her say this, all three of my children were young and safely in the nest so I could totally relate. Somehow I thought once they were grown up this would change.

It didn’t.

Trouble finds its way into everyone‘s lives – and as much as we hate it – trouble finds our adult children. Whether it rears its ugly head in a… CONTINUE READING >>

“A mother is only as happy as her saddest child,” a close friend’s grandmother used to say.

When I first heard her say this, all three of my children were young and safely in the nest so I could totally relate. Somehow I thought once they were grown up this would change.

It didn’t.

Trouble finds its way into everyone‘s lives – and as much as we hate it – trouble finds our adult children. Whether it rears its ugly head in a… CONTINUE READING >>

A Quirky Slice of Pisa

We’re not sure if we have ever heard the word Pisa without “leaning tower” in front of it.

There is good reason for that, the gravity defying belfry is certainly the star of the show.

And we’re not even going to try to hide the fact that we took several obligatory “holding up the tower” photos.

Starting out with the classic two-handed (with the addition of Veronica bracing for the fall for extra style points)… CONTINUE READING >>

We’re not sure if we have ever heard the word Pisa without “leaning tower” in front of it.

There is good reason for that, the gravity defying belfry is certainly the star of the show.

And we’re not even going to try to hide the fact that we took several obligatory “holding up the tower” photos.

Starting out with the classic two-handed (with the addition of Veronica bracing for the fall for extra style points)… CONTINUE READING >>

What if My Adult Child is Addicted to Online Gaming?

One of our readers sent me an email that really touched me:

I am not completely an empty nester unfortunately. My 20 year old son was not able to return to college this fall because of the lack of loans and grants available to him. So now he is doing nothing except for playing the computer game WoW (World of Warcraft) most of his waking hours. He did just purchase a small business that will make him a small living, but I pray he goes back to college. He is very bright and it would be such a waste if he didn’t. –Hannah

Hannah, my heart… CONTINUE READING >>

One of our readers sent me an email that really touched me:

I am not completely an empty nester unfortunately. My 20 year old son was not able to return to college this fall because of the lack of loans and grants available to him. So now he is doing nothing except for playing the computer game WoW (World of Warcraft) most of his waking hours. He did just purchase a small business that will make him a small living, but I pray he goes back to college. He is very bright and it would be such a waste if he didn’t. –Hannah

Hannah, my heart… CONTINUE READING >>

Discovering Buda AND Pest (you think we’re kidding, but we’re not!)

Budapest is truly a tale of two cities, Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube River.

Buda, steeped in history and stunning with her castle on the hill, preserves the past.

And Pest, the “New City” vibrant with change, showcases the hope of the future… CONTINUE READING >>

Budapest is truly a tale of two cities, Buda and Pest, separated by the Danube River.

Buda, steeped in history and stunning with her castle on the hill, preserves the past.

And Pest, the “New City” vibrant with change, showcases the hope of the future… CONTINUE READING >>

The Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama


It was hard not to let anger be our overriding emotion. Tolerance and nonviolent resistance were the hallmarks of the movement, certainly we should carry on that tradition today. When adding her name to The Wall of Tolerance, Veronica was openly sobbing… CONTINUE READING >>


It was hard not to let anger be our overriding emotion. Tolerance and nonviolent resistance were the hallmarks of the movement, certainly we should carry on that tradition today. When adding her name to The Wall of Tolerance, Veronica was openly sobbing… CONTINUE READING >>

Fear Conquering & the Flying Trapeze

It was my first fear conquering – as kids today say – “epic fail.” Not pretty at all.

Maybe I was too jet lagged. Maybe it was too early in the morning. Maybe it was the ten extra pounds of delicious-food Europe weight. Maybe 50-ish is a bit too old to take up a new trick this physical – the reflexes ain’t what they used to be! Maybe I should shut up and stop… CONTINUE READING  and watch the video >>

It was my first fear conquering – as kids today say – “epic fail.” Not pretty at all.

Maybe I was too jet lagged. Maybe it was too early in the morning. Maybe it was the ten extra pounds of delicious-food Europe weight. Maybe 50-ish is a bit too old to take up a new trick this physical – the reflexes ain’t what they used to be! Maybe I should shut up and stop… CONTINUE READING  and watch the video >>

Erotic Art in the Lupanar in Pompeii

Speculation is that the erotic paintings may have served as a menu of sorts. If that weren’t enough for a positive ID, rather lurid graffiti was also found left by both the customers and the workers… CONTINUE READING >> 

Speculation is that the erotic paintings may have served as a menu of sorts. If that weren’t enough for a positive ID, rather lurid graffiti was also found left by both the customers and the workers… CONTINUE READING >>