Beef Stew & Bitching

Published on: March 7, 2013 by Missy O'Brien 1 Comment

“I will grudgingly do this, Mom,” wrote Younger Son. How can you be irritated at a kid who uses a great word like “grudgingly” and even spells it correctly? This was in response to a gentle reminder I’d posted about doing math homework or something equally as attractive. My subtle suggestions are always taped to […]

Healthy Normal American Boy

Published on: March 5, 2013March 5, 2013 by Missy O'Brien 1 Comment

That’s what we sang back in 1976, when my small-town high school tackled a production of Bye Bye Birdie. High school was not a shining social series of glory days for me. I was always the last person chosen for teams in gym – at least, the last person before the captains were reduced to […]

Watch Out For Your Neck

Published on: March 3, 2013March 4, 2013 by Missy O'Brien 2 Comments

My New Hampshire Grammy was a worried little woman – wisely worried, really, since there is indeed danger everywhere. She’d have taken last week’s Florida sinkhole death right in stride, though, adding it to her “See? I told you so!” defensive arsenal. We’re a family of deep and constant worriers, and she as matriarch made […]

Sincere Eternity

Published on: March 1, 2013 by Missy O'Brien 4 Comments

No, I am not going all new-age metaphysical on you — I’m far too grounded in Yankee practicality to float off into the calming comforts of other dimensions. I can’t even indulge in a nice juicy private fantasy without spoiling it with questions of logistics and petty details and common-sense obstacles. I feel too foolish […]