Family Stories 1: Witches, Part One

Family Stories 1: Witches, Part One

October 18th, 2024 | Family, Genealogy, General, Popular Culture

I’ve been called a witch often enough. Most of the time, I think what meant the word that started with a “b,” although the word makes no difference to me or my sense of self-esteem. It certainly made a difference my 7th great-grand-dad, Samuel Wardwell (1643-1692),...
Changing Lives 13: Ping

Changing Lives 13: Ping

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...
Changing Lives 8: Welcome Home

Changing Lives 8: Welcome Home

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...
Changing Lives 1: Out With The Old

Changing Lives 1: Out With The Old

March 13th, 2024 | Family, General, Loss, Memory, Time Passes

No one asked me, but if they did, this is what I would say. “On your 50th birthday, stop collecting stuff. Immediately. Tell friends and family members that from here on in, you only want comestibles or donations made in your honor. No stuff. No tchotchkes. No...