Archive for the ‘Featured’ Category

Posted on March 7, 2010 - by Cate

Heartstrings

“Thank you for taking care of me mommy” — those words caused a rush of emotion so hard and so fast I could barely choke out a response — “I love you sweetheart,” I whispered. “I love you too,” she replied quietly. I could tell she was feeling better — I knew the drill and knew exactly how she felt, when the pain went away — relief. But those words in her little voice got to me, straight away and recalled countless booboo’s and tears of frustration by my little one. Except my little one was 17 and recovering from a migraine. She squeezed my hand and I was holding my little girl again in my thoughts. It was all I could do to resist the temptation of crawling into bed with her and wrap my arms around her and hold her close. She was getting ready for her semester finals, and exhausted, found herself grappling with a headache. Cut from the same cloth – again, I knew the drill. (more…)

Posted on January 28, 2010 - by Cate

Meeting the In-Laws

We had been dating for a few months, seriously, and I was certainly smitten. He was outgoing, charming, and handsome. An Italian American, he reminded me of my East Coast heritage and it felt very comfortable and familiar. One day in October he asked me if I would like to meet his parents?

Meet the parents were ringing in my ears as I tried to focus on his face. What did that mean? What do you mean, what does it mean? I asked myself. Everyone knows that means something! Doesn’t it? (more…)

Posted on January 18, 2010 - by Cate

The Vomit Vacation

I was in the zone — a cross between Martha Stewart and Gloria Steinem. I can bring home the bacon and fry it up in the pan… Everything was falling into place.

I found myself planning a luxurious summer vacation — reserving ten days, not the usual seven. Not this time. There was a little extra cash in the kitty, so I opted for a ritzy condo complex with all the whistles and bells; a towering white stucco building with aqua blue shimmering pools both indoors and out.  It so happened that my youngest, Erica Rose, would be celebrating her birthday while we were there. I was able to shop, wrap and ship the gifts down in advance of her big day as well as order her birthday cake from a local bakery. Oh yes, I was in the zone. The MOMMY ZONE. (more…)

Posted on December 12, 2009 - by Cate

My Irish Uncles

My two Irish uncles, my mother’s brothers, have a special place in my heart. Two men, born and raised during the depression who served their country during and after World War II, raised families, worked hard and now, during their retirement find time to spend time with me.

My earliest memories take me back to Philadelphia in the 1960’s. My parents had moved us to Indianapolis but made the road trip back to Philadelphia several times a year. My mother wanted to maintain close ties to her family and wanted us by extension to understand and enjoy those bonds as well. (more…)

Posted on December 4, 2009 - by Cate

Gift Ideas for the Girls

My daughters are 18 and 20 respectively and I thought I’d pass along some inexpensive gift ideas I’m mulling over for them this Christmas (no they don’t read my blogs, unless they’re mentioned in a story and I feel compelled to inform them for the sake of full disclosure so they can’t come back at me later in life and withhold grandchildren or something.) (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2009 - by Cate

A Turkey Held Hostage

I’m wondering if holiday sharing is a common phenomenon among married couples. My husband and I have, since we married in 1986, traded Thanksgivings back and forth between our respective families.

Both of our families maintained strong holiday traditions. Both expected their children to continue to participate after marriage. Allowances were made once grandchildren entered the scene but only specifically for a few hours on Christmas day.

Early on, this methodology worked for us. It was a fair and even distribution of our much sought after time and attention. But truth be told, some years it was simply the fulfilling of expectations and being dutiful children. On more than a few occasions it caused marital strife.

And so it came to pass that my first Thanksgiving, mine to host and mine to cook and mine to serve came about as a result of family tension. So much tension, in fact, that my husband made the decision to forgo his family’s Thanksgiving. The story has been retold many times however this is the first time I’ve actually written it down to re-tell it in this forum. (more…)

Posted on October 3, 2009 - by Cate

The Great Northern Swing

Thirty years ago, when I was a teenager in the ’70’s, my dad was schlepping his family to at least one different national park each summer during his company’s shutdown in August. These were two weeks trapped in a hot car with vinyl seats (and I was often stuck to them on the long sweaty journeys), along with an irritating younger brother with a knack for trouble, a drill sergeant of a father and, as we affectionately nicknamed her, “Mary Tyler Moore”, my mom. I confess that my recollections begin to blur a bit, but I do remember the feeling of enduring rather than appreciating this gift Dad had given us. Now with time, perspective and a jolt from Ken Burns’ documentary I’m engaging in some revisionist history.

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Posted on September 26, 2009 - by Cate

My Honey Pot

The doctor was kinda talking to herself, murmuring really. Checking her notes from my last annual violation.

“uh huh, mmm hmmm, a couple centimeters I think…”

My mind is elsewhere. I’m doing my deep breathing exercises and wondering if we can just get this over with. Now mind you my ass (which has reached an unflattering middle-aged flabbiness) is hanging out of an ugly hospital gown and over the edge of an examination table, sock covered feet in the stirrups, my eyes fixed firmly on the ceiling, while I try to concentrate on anything but the doctor’s usual … “you’re going to feel something cold and then some pressure …”, but wait a minute, did she mention measurements? The last time I was measured in my nether regions was 1991, cervix dilated to 10, just before I delivered Erica. What the hell?

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