After my husband’s passing, I wrote “thank yous“ for the wonderful condolence messages, and as was my habit, signed both our names. I soon heard from concerned friends that I wasn’t facing reality. “What reality?” I protested. “I am our secretary; he always left it to me.”

However, he did compose one note that I cherish. He wrote it on the day of our second daughter’s birth, and I have read the note at the naming of each of my great grandchildren.

“Thank you, dear G-d,”

My grandfather, like my grandfather's father and all the men before or after him in my family, is a fisherman. Not just any kind of fisherman, though. There's the fishermen who fish on the beach, off the dock, or off a boat, and then there's the fishermen who own party boats, capable of taking out crowds of 75-100 to go fishing during the summer and early fall. My grandfather was the latter.

When my grandfather's father was starting out in life (I'm saying his 30s)he bought a boat an

It has been seven years since my grandma passed away. Going into high school, I not only had to grow up but say goodbye to a really important person in my life as well. It was hard enough dealing with the upset, let alone going through the notions just to get through school. But I found a way to cope, knowing she’s happier where she is – no longer in pain from being sick. Ever since she left, I always thought of new ways to cherish her memory. But the things I made along the way got lost or rui

My grandmother called today. I saw her this past Sunday. Prior to today and Sunday I hadn't seen her since Christmas Eve. I'm ashamed of that.

When I do visit Nanny, she talks constantly about dying. Not that she is afraid to die, but that she wishes death would hurry up and arrive. I understand she has lived over 80 years so I try to steer our conversations to stories of the past.

Nanny is a wealth of writing material. She brings back memories during our talks that

Is that all there is? and then DIE?
I don't think so.....thats what I thought when I was a teen.....then HE TOUCHED ME! Yes, I was blown away when I was on drugs....I was 20 , a college drop out and making pizzas for something to do. I was drinking daily to escape the emptiness of my existence. Sure, it was a facade that I was "partying". I was miserable and God knew it. He was gracious enough to know when to intervene. I was busted a few weeks earlier for having a party with some pot at m

My grandmother recently had a heart attack. About six months ago, she was routinely doing chores and cooking food for my family in India, when she fell to the floor and started having heart pains. My aunt and uncle quickly took her to the clinical practitioner a few doors over and asked what had just happened. The doctor told them she had just had a heart attack! What was amazing was that even with the heart attack, she was able to walk to the doctor’s office. Nevertheless, my grandmother was t

Raised in Eastern Europe or possibly the Russian Empire, my grandmother could get by in a handful of languages. I don’t know about the other languages, but her English was heavily accented. That fit in just fine when and where I grew up in Upstate New York. Many grandparents and more than a few parents were first generation immigrants.

Our small city bore no resemblance to New York City. There were no neighborhood concentrations of immigrants from any one country or conversant in an

Dear Grandbaby,

When you are born, you will be the last of a long line of grandchildren. Your oldest cousins will be your teenaged babysitters; the grade-schoolers will be your personal entertainers. The youngest of your cousins, always a few steps ahead of you, will be eager to show you everything they’ve learned in their own short lives.

As for me, I will coddle and snuggle you as I have all the rest. But I will hold you a little closer, knowing you will be the last. I w

Sloan Baby,

I know you are only nine months old and so you won’t be able to read this letter for a while. But I know this Mamie’s feelings will only deepen by then, so multiply all I am about to say times a hundred.

I love you so much I let you teethe on my chin; yes, even when real teeth started coming through.
You love me so much you show off by sticking out your tongue or clucking it and winking at me (with both eyes, mind you). All - simply to impress me with you

Calling all fellow grandparents:

Name your favorite, free (or cheap) fall activity to do with your grandkids.

Mine is going to a local apple orchid. We pick apples, drink cidar, and check out pumpkins, etc. The one we go to here in York County, PA is Brown's Orchards & Farm Markets.

http://www.brownsorchards.com

Many have fall festivals, free music, etc. on the weekends. Check your local paper.

What's your favorite fall activity with you