While traversing the vast regions of the USA on a month long roadtrip in the 70s, my parents had a lot of rules of the road. You can only eat at McDonald’s, Howard Johnson’s or Burger King. My mom believed big corporations and franchises were always reliable. She had no interest in local flavor. WeContinue reading “Rules of the Roadtrip”
Tag Archives: family
A Good Deed
It was a cold and icy winter day. There was no snow on the ground, but the temperatures plummeted below zero for the prior week. A perfect recipe for ground ice. 17-year-old Greg woke early at 7am on Saturday morning and groggily bundled up to go to swimming practice. Mr. Herbert, Greg’s swim coach, insistedContinue reading “A Good Deed”
Grand Gemstone Hunt
Martha and her family were all gathered in the library of Grand Manor to read the will of their dear departed Uncle Frederick, who died just short of his 99th birthday. In attendance were her brother Freddie, her young cousin Tiffany, Tiffany’s much older half-sister Agatha, and Uncle Fredrick’s not so grieving window Twinkie, theContinue reading “Grand Gemstone Hunt”
Accidents Happen
It was an accident. A spectacular accident, but an accident nonetheless. I’m an artist. Graduating from a very prestigious art school, for years, I diligently worked on paintings for the important gallery opening I always saw in my future. But to pay the bills I painted commissioned art for commercial billboards to sell various productsContinue reading “Accidents Happen”
Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno
Soon after our California departure, the view from the backseat was blank. Literally nothing to see. But then some snow capped mountains appeared bigger and bigger in the windshield, despite the 70 degree temperature. It was so out of place in the desert, it almost looked like a movie set, so my dad decided toContinue reading “Tales from the Backseat: Viva Reno “
Different Eyes
Shopping at garage sales is my jam. I’m a handy crafter and relish making old things into new things. Somehow, I don’t see them as they are, but as what they can be. Where someone would see an ugly old octagonal 70s end table with orange felt on the sides and a broken door, IContinue reading “Different Eyes”
Family Gobble
Thanksgiving is a holiday I dread. It just seems to be a hotbed of dysfunction and a recipe for disaster. Like Uncle Burt asking people to pull his finger in between inappropriate off color and mostly unfunny jokes. As a kid, I giggled and reveled in the somewhat forbidden nature. But now it’s just aContinue reading “Family Gobble”
Fun, Fame and Family Secrets – Episode 2 Tales from the Backseat
Traveling in 1970 something was quite different than in 2020 something. Without the all-powerful and knowing internet, planning a trip meant visiting the library to look up travel books or arranging everything through an expensive travel agent. Hours in a library for a busy mother of three was not an option and travel agents wereContinue reading “Fun, Fame and Family Secrets – Episode 2 Tales from the Backseat”
I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7
The difference between being a preteen and a child on a family vacation is like the comparing Mount Everest to the dirt hill kids jump their bikes over. It’s a continental divide. During my preteen years, I wanted to be cool and strived to seem grown-up. And I definitely did not want to act likeContinue reading “I Left A Lot in San Francisco: Tales from the Backseat Episode 7”
A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes
Episode 6 – Tales from the Backseat California here we are. After three weeks navigating most of the lower half of the US and a bit of Mexico, we finally made it to the golden west coast. And as any red-blooded American family, the first place we went was DISNEYLAND. It was the mecca of small childrenContinue reading “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes”
SUZANNE RUDD HAMILTON 