Through the kitchen windows out into our backyard a confetti storm of red, orange, and yellow is raining down onto Jeanette’s meticulously manicured lawn. Here in New England we view the brilliant autumn colors that attract so many leaf-peepers from out-of-state as harbingers of a

Get yourself from one place to the next as expeditiously and efficiently as possible – that’s my motto. From Boston to Seattle in six-and-a-half hours; then from Seattle to Juneau, Alaska in another three. Just enough time to catch up on some reading and writing,

News of a newly expectant grandchild was once met with great anticipation but only limited preparation.  The tradition of buying everything from receiving blankets to booties in pink for girls and blue for boys fueled a frenzied dash to the mall upon the birth.  And

“You may think a “fee-only” financial advisor will never charge you commissions or other sales charges that could induce him to favor selling you something that is better for him than you. Think again. ” (Jason Zweig, Wall Street Journal, page B1, Sept. 20, 2013).

As a young child – and the first born, my folks purchased a small house with two bedrooms and a single bath.  As the family grew, rooms were added one at a time.  Over the course of four more children, the second floor was expanded

When my daughters married, they took their husbands’ surnames – a once prominent tradition that has weakened over the past several decades. Taking their husbands’ names did not stop them from being my daughters, it just made it a little more difficult for strangers to