December 27th, 2024 | Architecture and Design, Boston, Changes, Family, Friends, General, Holidays, Massachusetts, Pets
A new home, a new address, a new life. New Roommate Ping. She arrived at the Costco parking lot in Newington CT from Texas, late at night on August 23. The cheek swab says she is 67.3% Shih Tzu, 19.5% Lhasa Apso, and 13.2% small Poodle. A “shapsoodle.” I named her for...
October 18th, 2024 | Family, Genealogy, General, Popular Culture
I’ve been called a witch often enough. Most of the time, I think that meant the word that started with a “b,” although the term chosen makes no difference to me or my sense of self-esteem. It certainly made a difference my 7th great-grand-dad Samuel Wardwell...
August 26th, 2024 | Books for Children, Boston, Family, General, Pets, Shopping
One of my criteria in looking for a condo in Boston was that they building be “pet friendly.” I didn’t have a pet, but I might want one. Now I do have a pet, and her name is “Ping.” The Story About Ping Yes, she is the namesake of Ping in The Story About Ping by...
May 6th, 2024 | Boston, Changes, Family, General, Time Passes
A young cousin Helen paid me a supreme compliment this past January as I laid out my plans for moving from Aberdeen, Maryland, to Boston, Massachusetts. She was thrilled to hear that we’d be, for all intents and purposes, neighbors and she described me as “the fun...
April 30th, 2024 | Changes, Family, General, Law, Loss
They say it takes nine months to bring a baby into the world and nine months to see a person on to the next. There are reasons for that. Probate requires that the opening of an estate be advertised to overlooked children and random creditors. Fair enough, I have...
April 24th, 2024 | Changes, Family, Genealogy, General, Loss, Memory, Time Passes
It is April 8th. This morning I meet with Dan’s estate attorney, Bob Blue, at 10:30 am to finish up details. This afternoon, Turning Leaf ladies come by to “stage” the house for the estate sale that will take place this coming Friday and Saturday. And, of course, the...