Janie and I have been sharing my iPod for awhile now (since hers bit the dust).
At first, I approached this arrangement with great trepidation because I was happy and familiar with all of my song choices.  But things have changed.  Janie has uploaded dozens and dozens of songs… songs that I would never have thought [...]

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Last night, I was talking to a friend of mine who has a 15-year old daughter.  This daughter is wonderful, responsible and smart… and she babysits.  Since summer is fast approaching and Audrey could use some babysitting help here and there, I asked what the going rate is for an-hour-or-so-here-and-there babysitting.
The answer.  I almost fainted.  [...]

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Of all the world’s oceans and lakes and rivers and steams -
Of all the man-made wave pools and splash parks and private clubs -
There’s just something so sweet and simple and innocent and enduring about a little back yard pool…

(This is my Nana, my Aunt Jean, my Uncle Bob, me and my brother Bill – [...]

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While Janie and I were talking recently about relationships and companionship and marriage and the magic and triumph of hope thereof… I found myself telling her about The Watering Can.
The Watering Can is perhaps my metaphoric vision of the “to have and to hold” piece of life and love and relationships. But my [...]

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Memorial Day. A day to honor the heroes who died in defense of our country. A day of parades and parties and people.
And a day for cookouts.
On days like these, I miss my dad so much that my heart hurts. Even though 34 years have passed since my dad died, each [...]

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31 years ago today, my world was blessed beyond blessed with the arrival of my little girl.  We would call her Audrey.
Audrey was a name that both her Dad and I loved, but there were some who tried to convince me that she would grow up to hate her name. I almost caved to these [...]

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Jake graduated from pre-K today… and as I watched this little-guy-who-is-now-suddenly-overnight-a-BIG-guy celebrate this wonderful event, I couldn’t help but think of how he has gloriously enriched the lives of his Grandpa and me and our entire family.
This is the story of Jacob Adam Couto.
Jake arrived in this world a bit earlier than expected, while Barry [...]

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I was reading the wonderful children’s book, Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey, to my grandsons this morning… and it filled me to the brim with a beautiful slice of my own childhood.
Blueberry picking.  And just like in the book, blueberry picking in Maine.  No, I didn’t get all mixed up with  a mama bear [...]

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A couple of nights ago, Jane and I made a last minute decision to go out for dinner. It was just the two of us. We tossed around a few choices, but settled on a wonderful Italian cuisine restaurant just on the outskirts of town.
It was fairly early, and the restaurant hadn’t filled [...]

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An Edy’s Strawberry Fruit Bar bit my tongue. Not kidding.
I know. I know. It’s usually the other way around.
But sometimes love hurts. And this is one such time.
I remember the first time we met… Edy’s Fruit Bars and me. It was summer. It was hot. It was magic [...]

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