Musings from my driveway, my home and my heart
When my husband’s Aunt Marie died in 1996, he learned he was mentioned in her will. She left him a cut-glass pickle dish that we take down from the top shelf in the cupboard and use every Thanksgiving. It is one of several items in my kitchen that I associate with the women in our... Continue Reading →
After Donald Trump’s comment that it wouldn’t hurt American children to have “two dolls instead of 30 dolls” in defense of his tariffs leading to fewer toys, I had a stunning realization. When my granddaughters come to visit, they have their pick of 32 dolls. These include vintage Barbies dressed in iconic costumes such as... Continue Reading →
Matching green stegosaurus Halloween costumes for my kids. A mama-and-baby elephant quilt for my granddaughter Eleanor. A pink linen suit I wore to my youngest son’s baptism. Felt Christmas ornaments for our first tree. A chuppah cover for a wedding made of white handkerchief material. The dozens of costumes I made one semester for the... Continue Reading →
When I was a reporter at U.S. News & World Report in the late 1970s, I was assigned to do “mood surveys” of Midwestern towns in America. They were places like Tiffin, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Indiana, the hometowns of “real people.” Our editors came up with their selections by throwing darts at a map... Continue Reading →
When the kids running the lemonade stand down the street started accepting Venmo, the mobile payment app, my grandkids looked crestfallen. Their lemonade stand was primitive in comparison. The eight-year-old and five-year-old made change with a few coins rattling around in a tiny basket that used to hold raspberries. Their hand-lettered sign had a misspelled... Continue Reading →
My mother’s Polish Catholic wedding on May 3, 1952 in Detroit included some startling elements and Old World customs. She wore a pearl-encrusted tiara and a custom gown fit for a queen, held hands with her old boyfriend Richard at the reception, and issued a warning to the Blessed Mother in church after the ceremony.... Continue Reading →
To pass out candy on Halloween this year, I had to fill out a form required by my subdivision and turn it in by October 24. No more just flipping on the porch light and putting out a simple carved pumpkin or two. The organizational effort in the neighborhood included a notice that our homeowners’... Continue Reading →
When I was in the fourth grade at St. Mary of Redford elementary school, Sister Eudora gave us a classic assignment: what do you want to be when you grow up? “A police officer!” I wrote, explaining in great detail how much I admired my father, a Detroit Police detective. I got an A+ on... Continue Reading →
When my grandmother was 12 years old, Russian soldiers quartered on her family’s farm in Poland during the 1914 Battle of Galicia, a major conflict between Russia and Austria-Hungary during the early stages of World War I. When the family heard soldiers tramping on the road, they rushed to bury food to keep it out... Continue Reading →
When my dog Rosie died peacefully on March 26, it marked the end of 14 years in the witness protection program. Just like the human programs run by the U.S. Marshals Service and other government entities to create new identities and protect innocent victims from harm, Rosie’s canine version was designed to keep her safe... Continue Reading →
Anita's Way 