I have a morning routine that I rarely stray from. I make my way into the kitchen shortly after my alarm goes off, look for the cat, give him his breakfast, defrost an English muffin, toast said muffin, doctor it up with a little peanut butter and…

Where do I begin? A few weeks back, I came home from work one night to find tufts of black cat hair on the family room carpet, as though there’d been a cat fight inside the house. My cat, not really much of a clump-shedder, had apparently been in …

The day of my 64th Thanky post, a.k.a. this last Monday, was also the start of a week full of new beginnings. Yesterday, one of my best friends got a job offer (see “My Shining Friend” post from February 15). He’ll be moving across the country in …

I think we all have those movies that, when they’re on TV, encourage us to skip whatever activities we had planned.When I was younger, it was The Princess Bride. These days (although I realize it’s nearly 20 years old), it’s Sleepless in Seattle.O…

It’s a tough thing to lose a pet who’s been such a part of every moment of every hour of every day for the last 10 years. 10 years isn’t the longest life, but it’s certainly a good run.We got Maxine when she was a couple years old and in need of a…

“I don’t always watch TV. But when I do, I prefer drama-free programming.” (Say that in the voice of the Most Interesting Man in the World for proper dramatic effect.) Those who know me best know that my preference for TV shows skews toward the un…

I’m pretty sure there’s a giant black wasp lurking somewhere in my house. The door to my driveway was open earlier today while I was repeatedly doing the domestic shuffle from house to garage, and I think it flew inside. I’m almost positive it’s t…

I went to the store yesterday evening and bought 32 items. Upon getting home, I thought I’d be productive and, before unbagging them, do some watering in the front yard. I walked outside and pulled the door shut, also locking it after me as habit….

In the last two days, I’ve noticed some people in need crossing the street. Yesterday, a 30-something man crossed a busy street during rush hour when he shouldn’t have. No sign indicated it was safe to walk, no cars were stopped. He simply stepped…

I don’t know if it was the combination of people in the room, or the way the sky looked through the blinds. I don’t know if it was because it was close to 5 o’clock, or because today is my Friday. It might’ve been because the cup of coffee I’d jus…