If we don’t know where we’re going, we might end up nowhere. Source Continue Reading
Just look at our little warrior grandson, Porter! 😂 This shopping spree was a battle of epic proportions — Porter vs the department store. It’s a drama we’ve all starred in! (CeCe who gets stronger by the store, has driven me to this point on many occasions.) Porter, like he’s auditioning for a melodrama, showcases the universal ‘I-can’t-take-it-anymore’ stance. We all hit these moments of exhaustion, from work, family, and life’s never-ending favors queue. But hey, what’s a little drama without a silver lining? 🌈 Let’s take a page from Porter’s playbook, folks!... Continue Reading
Our good pal, Father Albeen has been left as the last option for the 7 a.m. livestream mass, which also has a church full of parishioners. It’s basically the Oscars of our parish but with less red carpet and more Hail Marys. The original headliner for the day has messed up his timekeeping and now it’s up to Father Albeen to save the day. The poor chap barely has time to brush his teeth and shower before he’s shimmying into his Sunday best and making a mad dash for the garage. Hitting the garage opener, he dives into his car, cranks up, throws it into reverse and BANG! He rams the garage... Continue Reading
As I pulled out my favorite catch-all drawer at the cabin, I was dismayed that it was already overstuffed. Well, now I need to find another place to put this wrench. As I continue my “honey do’s,” (yes, CeCe has a long list of those for the cabin just like the house) I now need a tape measure to help with hanging the new blinds CeCe wants in our bedroom. Finding myself back at my favorite catch-all drawer, I feel frustrated again. After digging around for a few minutes, I can’t find the tape measure and I am pretty sure it’s in there. I have no choice but to start taking stuff out and... Continue Reading
“Pops you are overreacting,” says Davis my 17-year-old grandson. He helps me manage my fantasy football team and it’s Tuesday morning after week one. We lost all three games we played in. We are 0-3 to start the season and I’m pretty sure we have the lowest score of all the teams. Davis, we need to hit the waiver wire hard and get rid of some of these players. Pops, we had three fantasy headliners out hurt for week one. We can’t control that. We have to keep our cool and look for maybe one key waiver wire pick up. We are not ditching our team just because we had some... Continue Reading
Sir, did you pay with a card? Hearing this being shouted in the Kroger parking lot as I put my last bag of groceries into the truck, I turn and push my buggy to the buggy return section. Turning back around, I hear it again, Sir, did you pay with a credit card? Here comes a clerk walking very quickly in my direction. Oh, this is the lady who helped me weigh and scan my spaghetti squash. I’m sorry are you talking to me? Yes, did you use your credit card to check out? Yes. Well, it didn’t go through. Can you come back in and try again? Oh sure, sorry. Walking back in, I realize... Continue Reading
This picture either makes you smile or your brain to melt :/ This is a reprint of a classic blog that I wrote in May 2020 when I first started my company Shiageto Consulting. Enjoy! In this series, I share with you some of the key learnings I have had from my first 6 months of launching my first start-up (Shiageto Consulting) and how those lessons are applicable for the challenges my business is facing during this pandemic crisis (and any business at any time in fact) The initial challenge “I’m not sure I like the name. I mean who even knows how to spell Shiageto? Nobody will ever find it... Continue Reading
Dinner is almost ready, and here comes CeCe for what I know will be her junk food snack binge right before I have dinner ready. She will go nearly all day with very little nourishment, and just when dinner is close to ready, CeCe will come in and open five or six things and start munching down. It’s almost always sweets, chips, and cheese combinations. Today, it’s a couple of slices of cheddar cheese, ruffles, and some wedding cake cookies as the counter is littered with open packages. CeCe loves her snacks. But she will also be the first to tell you that this junk food is not good... Continue Reading
My younger sister Mitzi (Mom and Pop Joe’s favorite child) has provided us lots of joy, love, and LAUGHS over the years (you may remember her new mixer last year). Now I will be the first to admit that after raising me and Mike, I completely understand why a sweet, caring daughter might be the favorite, as we like to joke. On this year’s annual Havens Beach Retreat, Mitzi provided us with another one of her funny moments. I’m having coffee on the deck with Mom and Pop Joe as we watch the waves roll onto the beach — the sounds of the waves and the birds flying around made for a peaceful... Continue Reading
Recently, I saw a very interesting pie crust in the refrigerator. It appeared to be chocolate with nuts in it. As I was leaving for a trip to Chicago, I opened the refrigerator to discover it had developed into a beautiful pie. On my flight home, I couldn’t wait to have a piece of that pie as soon as I unpacked. Now, looking into the refrigerator, it’s GONE! CeCe, where is that pie you made? It looked delicious. Oh, it was! Where did you put it, in the other fridge? No, it’s gone. What? Yes, I ate the whole thing. It was so good and you know I don’t cook, so I just ate a little for every... Continue Reading
