Recently, I’ve been reading Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods. I’ve followed the author (literarily) through England and Iceland and small town America and I’ve enjoyed being virtually carried along. A Walk in the Woods, however, is a stretch for me because Bryson is talking about hiking the Appalachian Trail, something I would never, ever attempt to do. Ever. In my defense, … [Read more...]

A few weeks ago, my Florida daughter had to be away for a few days and Harold and I were called in to babysit. We arrived ready for a fun-filled weekend, happy meals and happy times – if only we could get through Friday afternoon carpool. There were two stops involved, my grandson’s parochial school and my granddaughter’s Mother’s Day Out. I assured my daughter that we’d leave … [Read more...]

It came to me at the end of an aisle in Barnes & Noble: Someone has to save Christie Brinkley. I’ve never actually met Christie Brinkley but I feel a kinship with the woman because she and I are the same age. There. I’ve said it. I’m old. But then, so is she. The problem is that on her old looks…different. She’s all blond and gorgeous and perky, and I am noticeably less … [Read more...]

By Sue Murphy 2016 will be an interesting year. In August, we get to watch the Summer Olympic Games from Rio. In November, we’ll elect a new president, but those games have already begun, with preliminary events including demographic posturing, mudslinging and the great insult toss, none of which have helped at all. The great thing about the Olympics is that if you want to … [Read more...]

By Sue Murphy It wasn’t an easy book to read. In fact, there are parts of me that wish I had never read it because it left me with a few painful images I would rather erase. Still, I continued reading because, amidst the horror, the author included short, powerful moments of hope. Good plan. How else could the hero have continued? The book was “The Giver.” Cold, … [Read more...]