Connie, your writing is absolutely a ray of sunshine (during a grey winter day in Nevada) in my inbox! My mom passed away 10 years ago this month. She definitely passed on her love of reading to me and I know she would love your writing! I hope she's "subscribed" up above. For some reason, today your writing brought back memories of Erma Bombeck. She too, made Mom and I smile about the every day lives of women. Thank you for all you bring to us during this crazy time!
I'm applauding the salesperson/teacher who can juggle being full time and know a sales has helped her recent customer save money! Good luck attaching the water line, it took us a few months to figure that one out. It has been beautiful in Columbus, as you know traveling down here, but we are expecting snow flurries next week. I saw a bee today buzzing around my very wintery garden and I said to it, "Lady, you are out much too early. Don't you know you are in Ohio?"
I am from Cleveland Heights, so I know the weather whereof you speak. But Cleveland has always had its share of bright, clear winter days, and I miss them.
I think you are teaching me how to write again. I've written a weekly column in the Lancaster, Ohio Eagle-Gazette since 2006, but every week I wonder if I'll be able to write another. Your work is an inspiration, for your style and substance are what I always try to achieve. I've managed to keep it entirely non-political, as is advisable for a 1960's liberal Jew who dwells on a street where patience is wearing thin as we wait for Mr Trump to summon The Rapture.
Was it you who, as the privileged spouse of a US Senator, advised those of us who might gain similar good fortune, "No griping on the yacht." I heard it on an NPR interview.
So many wonderful threads in this column! My Birthday is December 15, so it was nice to see it in print! Being from Michigan, the themes are so familiar. I love the calendar, my Mom used to get the Traveler's Insurance calendar every year and they were spectacular. They hung in the old telephone room at home, hours spent looking at them while in high school, chatting with friends. I look for unique ones every year. Thank you for putting the name and place in the column. I would definitely
like a conversation about rinsing or not, dishes before they go in the dish washer. One of my oldest and best friends and I agree on so many life choices, but not this one. She never rinses off her dishes and I always do. What about her poor drains???? Thank you, Connie for making this brown February day brighter!
It took us 15 years to find an 'entertainment center' that we liked, and those of course are now woefully out of fashion. The snowblower in the garage was gifted by someone who was helped in moving to a life care community, and has been used maybe twice, since they don't like gravel driveways.
If Murphy is about, you can thank Sue for her purchase keeping the snow gods away.
Love this, as I love all your essays. The sun we had for a day was so special. Only in NE Ohio can we get that excited to see the sun. We must embrace the sunny days here as true gifts. The shopping story really made me chuckle, thank you!
I remember that snowy Easter in 1963! I had “graduated” to my first pair of fancy sling back Easter shoes. I’ll never forget the snow in the backs of my shoes and my wet feet all through Mass.
Your description of mid-western women brought back a ton of memories of my mom. She was from Nebraska, with deep roots in the mid-west. She married a man from Iowa with stars in his eyes and an itch to leave family shackles behind. I'm number four of six, spread over 20 years. During the 25 years they were married, before my dad died, she moved house at least twenty times. (By the time I was eleven, I had lived in five different houses.) We always had the church calendar over the sink, or next to the sink, or by the refrigerator. Ours was the calendar that listed the saints' days, holy days, and all the important Catholic events. The last place we lived was in Michigan. She was back in the mid-west, where she was comfortable. She was never herself in New York or California.
I don’t believe in Hell, but if I did, I imagine it would be an endless loop of outdoor grilling in August.
Yes yes yes! I don't know how I got the furnace gene. My mom wears a sweater if it dips below 75. One of the best things about living in Ohio is the change of seasons. Spring sun on your face is so much better because we missed it, right? Greetings from sunny (ATM) Columbus.
Tuna casseroles and Easter snowstorms are my takeaways, the latter because the 2006 one was shared by my brother & his wife who live in North Ridgeville and my folks, who were in town for my dad’s Cleveland Clinic appointments. My mother (now 93) still marvels at the difference in snowfall between my brother’s house and their church (Trinity Cathedral). Here in Kansas we enjoyed highs in the 60s after a week of tornados.
I love your essays, Connie. They always make me smile. We are totally in agreement about rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Can’t change my mind in that. Sherrod is one lucky guy.
Connie, your writing is absolutely a ray of sunshine (during a grey winter day in Nevada) in my inbox! My mom passed away 10 years ago this month. She definitely passed on her love of reading to me and I know she would love your writing! I hope she's "subscribed" up above. For some reason, today your writing brought back memories of Erma Bombeck. She too, made Mom and I smile about the every day lives of women. Thank you for all you bring to us during this crazy time!
I'm applauding the salesperson/teacher who can juggle being full time and know a sales has helped her recent customer save money! Good luck attaching the water line, it took us a few months to figure that one out. It has been beautiful in Columbus, as you know traveling down here, but we are expecting snow flurries next week. I saw a bee today buzzing around my very wintery garden and I said to it, "Lady, you are out much too early. Don't you know you are in Ohio?"
Hi Connie,
I am from Cleveland Heights, so I know the weather whereof you speak. But Cleveland has always had its share of bright, clear winter days, and I miss them.
I think you are teaching me how to write again. I've written a weekly column in the Lancaster, Ohio Eagle-Gazette since 2006, but every week I wonder if I'll be able to write another. Your work is an inspiration, for your style and substance are what I always try to achieve. I've managed to keep it entirely non-political, as is advisable for a 1960's liberal Jew who dwells on a street where patience is wearing thin as we wait for Mr Trump to summon The Rapture.
Was it you who, as the privileged spouse of a US Senator, advised those of us who might gain similar good fortune, "No griping on the yacht." I heard it on an NPR interview.
So many wonderful threads in this column! My Birthday is December 15, so it was nice to see it in print! Being from Michigan, the themes are so familiar. I love the calendar, my Mom used to get the Traveler's Insurance calendar every year and they were spectacular. They hung in the old telephone room at home, hours spent looking at them while in high school, chatting with friends. I look for unique ones every year. Thank you for putting the name and place in the column. I would definitely
like a conversation about rinsing or not, dishes before they go in the dish washer. One of my oldest and best friends and I agree on so many life choices, but not this one. She never rinses off her dishes and I always do. What about her poor drains???? Thank you, Connie for making this brown February day brighter!
I was a part of my high school newspaper’s staff with Scott Sabol’s wife.
Just this year I also am leaving my bird calendar blank, free of birthdays and too many appointments. Yesterday (2/3) I said hello to February.
It took us 15 years to find an 'entertainment center' that we liked, and those of course are now woefully out of fashion. The snowblower in the garage was gifted by someone who was helped in moving to a life care community, and has been used maybe twice, since they don't like gravel driveways.
If Murphy is about, you can thank Sue for her purchase keeping the snow gods away.
Loved this bit of sunshine and am now looking forward to the To-Rinse-Or-Not-To-Rinse essay soon!
Aww...the wonder of living in NE Ohio...sun!
Love this, as I love all your essays. The sun we had for a day was so special. Only in NE Ohio can we get that excited to see the sun. We must embrace the sunny days here as true gifts. The shopping story really made me chuckle, thank you!
I remember that snowy Easter in 1963! I had “graduated” to my first pair of fancy sling back Easter shoes. I’ll never forget the snow in the backs of my shoes and my wet feet all through Mass.
Your description of mid-western women brought back a ton of memories of my mom. She was from Nebraska, with deep roots in the mid-west. She married a man from Iowa with stars in his eyes and an itch to leave family shackles behind. I'm number four of six, spread over 20 years. During the 25 years they were married, before my dad died, she moved house at least twenty times. (By the time I was eleven, I had lived in five different houses.) We always had the church calendar over the sink, or next to the sink, or by the refrigerator. Ours was the calendar that listed the saints' days, holy days, and all the important Catholic events. The last place we lived was in Michigan. She was back in the mid-west, where she was comfortable. She was never herself in New York or California.
I don’t believe in Hell, but if I did, I imagine it would be an endless loop of outdoor grilling in August.
Yes yes yes! I don't know how I got the furnace gene. My mom wears a sweater if it dips below 75. One of the best things about living in Ohio is the change of seasons. Spring sun on your face is so much better because we missed it, right? Greetings from sunny (ATM) Columbus.
Tuna casseroles and Easter snowstorms are my takeaways, the latter because the 2006 one was shared by my brother & his wife who live in North Ridgeville and my folks, who were in town for my dad’s Cleveland Clinic appointments. My mother (now 93) still marvels at the difference in snowfall between my brother’s house and their church (Trinity Cathedral). Here in Kansas we enjoyed highs in the 60s after a week of tornados.
I’m curious about the star hanging from your kitchen window. Maybe explain in a future column?
I love your essays, Connie. They always make me smile. We are totally in agreement about rinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Can’t change my mind in that. Sherrod is one lucky guy.