Pushing on a Rope
Terri S. Vanech
A tale from the underground
It’s always good to get a little perspective, even when it is foisted upon you. These last two days, I shook up my routine, attending a conference in New York that found me riding Metro-North yet again. Two years later, the scenery remains the same, but my favorite characters were missing in action: No Patterned … Continue reading
About-face
You could almost have called Friday night The Great Vanech Face-off. Our dinner companions, meeting Basil for the first time, all remarked that he looked the same in person as he does on Facebook. I don’t know if they meant this Facebook picture: or this one: or this: maybe this? Even this one, perhaps? Anyway, … Continue reading
Some days it’s as though I have TWO children
Every day I learn something, and let’s face it, not all lessons are happy ones. Last night I learned that you should never take a man out who still believes the Scrubbing Bubbles guys actually exist and that somewhere in the world Prince Spaghetti is growing on trees. Because that childlike outlook will color everything … Continue reading
Stranger things have happened
We have a guest for the next couple of days — a relatively new friend of Catherine’s whose mom is traveling for business. The girl is lovely and already we’re having a great time. Funny how a new face can change the whole dynamic. We’re all on our best behavior, minding our manners, using a … Continue reading
Time to act my age
You know how kids say the darndest, cutest things? Teenagers don’t. We’re going to a dinner dance Friday night to support breast cancer research and I need to wear something pink (natch). Casting around in my mind for options, I remembered a cute pale-pink sheath dress Catherine bought a while back for a party. At … Continue reading
Curbing my enthusiasm for driving lessons
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and books by Spock, Brazelton and other child experts may walk you through morning sickness and stretch marks, colic and the terrible 2s. But those aren’t the most challenging milestones a mother will face. Nope. I submit that high in the running for that honor is Teaching Your Child … Continue reading
The train gang and other New York moments
Yesterday afternoon’s entertainment started long before we ever reached New York to see “The Book of Mormon.” As is so often the case, the train ride there and back provided good people-watching and “shake my head” moments. We lucked out going in, and got to ride in one of the new trains. But even the … Continue reading
Tying one on for old Broadway
Big treat today: We received tickets to a special benefit performance of “The Book of Mormon” as a gift and so had a chance to break up the weekday routine in an unexpected, fun way. It was a lot of fun — the show is very funny and irreverent. The afternoon made for a great … Continue reading
Stupid like a fox
As I dragged my sweaty, exhausted self in from teaching Jazzercise just now, Basil greeted me so excited I thought maybe he’d gotten a big buyout from work, won the Publisher’s Clearinghouse sweepstakes, found a third ’60s rocker’s photo in one of the boxes in the garage, or bought another new lawn-care thingamawhoozy. “You’ve got … Continue reading
Striking a chord with some ties to the past
Those of you who live in Fairfield County and the surrounding area now know we had a little earthquake Friday night. At first I thought maybe it was the universe’s comment on the fact that Basil and I actually left the house for dinner out. Then, when we had those torrential rains and a tornado … Continue reading
Pushing on a Rope 