Karl A. Pillemer, a renowned Cornell gerontologist, used the wisdom of crowds — more than 1,000 Americans over 65 years old — to glean material for his book “30 Lessons in Living: Tried and True Advice from the Wisest Americans.” <iframe src=”http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=pampeandpakhl-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=0452298482&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1<1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr” style=”width:120px;height:240px;” scrolling=”no” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ frameborder=”0″></iframe> Here are twelve of those lessons (as adapted […]
Family
When you wish upon a star
This morning I read Baby Bird a new book, Olivia and the Fairy Princess. She loves the original Olivia and I’d heard great reports about this book too. In this book, Olivia is having an identity crisis. There are too many ruffled, sparkly princesses around. She wants to do more than just fit in. She […]
Who says you can’t take it with you?
Around the time I was 12, I rode my bike into the front steps of the house across the street, the house where my friend Dee lived. I fell from the bike and my knee hit pavement and gravel. After I limped back to our house, I washed my knee and attempted to get as […]
Newly minted: Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
When I was a little girl, my two favorite flavors of ice cream were coffee (I was destined for Seattle) and mint chocolate chip. So when I asked our cousins which flavor ice cream they’d like me to make for an upcoming Dad and son birthday party (yes, both born on the same date), I […]
Story hour at the Shepherds
Story hour at the Shepherd household. Okay, so maybe it was story ten minutes. Yes, at least four or five books were covered. Well, maybe not covered as in “cover-to-cover.” And, ahem, there were one or two distractions. Hmm, maybe there were really a dozen or so distractions. Please note: story hour was kitten approved. […]
Give a fig
“Someone took one of my figs, Bethy,” my father pined, last summer while he was still alive. “How do you know, Dad?” “I counted them. There were seven figs and now there are six.” “Dad, why would someone take one of your figs?” “Just to mess with me.” My father loved figs, his figs, the […]
Chef “Sheffere” makes sausage
Big Papa was never the chef in our household. He’d tackle grilling and I taught him how to make an omelet, which he’s done with great success when we’ve gone camping or stay some place with a kitchen, but for the most part, I do the cooking, food shopping, and menu planning. At least that’s […]
Hand-me-down
Guess who’s fifteen months old today? Guess who’s walking? And look who’s wearing the dress I wore, when I was her age, many moons ago. I love the yellow embroidered house. I grew up in a yellow house…and I live in one now. Thanks, Mom, for keeping this dress safe all these years and for […]
Mishmisheya for a friend
My friend Lesa lost her husband, Chris, this past weekend. Chris died in a hiking accident. Lesa is a fabulous chef, and I met her several years ago at an Armenian cooking class she taught at PCC. After that class, I asked her to donate her time as a chef-instructor for a class to help […]
Something blue
Five years ago, as I dressed for my wedding, I slipped a vintage 1960s Mexican wedding gown over my head, and placed my rose-gold engagement ring, circa 1880, on my right-hand ring finger. On my feet were brand-new espadrille sandals and my new wedding band was tucked into in the suit pocket of our best […]