Pushing on a Rope
Family
And now, for a closer look
Family resemblances are a pet project of mine. I am endlessly fascinated by how people look and act alike. It is, I presume, the result of being adopted and growing up without seeing another person who looks me. Catherine’s birth nearly 17 years ago began to change that; she looks a bit like me, especially … Continue reading
(Almost) Wordless Wednesday — Wishing for spring
I love winter, truly I do, but it’s time for a little sunshine and warmth now. It’d be nice to have a Sunday afternoon like the one depicted above rather than yet more slush and cold.
In the driver’s seat
Today marked Catherine’s first driving lesson with an actual instructor and there were plenty of nerves to go around. She was anxious, too, but did quite well, taking a two-hour tour of lower Fairfield County, up to Westport on I-95, through Norwalk, Darien and Stamford, picking up the Merritt Parkway somewhere along the way. She … Continue reading
We’re outta touch
If “resilience” was the word for 2012, 2013’s theme must be “connection.” After starting the year off with a bang, finding and meeting my birthmother, and a whole “new” bunch of relatives, we Vaneches are continuing in the same vein. Basil has heard from a couple of schoolmates he hasn’t spoken to in years, and … Continue reading
Flashback Friday — Bag it!
I’m going to catch hell for this photo essay, but why not? It’s great fun. Catherine, probably about 18 months (I REALLY need to sort out the photos). Like most kids, she had more than enough toys (you can spy some of our impulse buys and contributions from zealous grandparents in the background of these … Continue reading
Oh, brother!
Each step of this reunion journey is like unwrapping another present. Having talked with Chris, one of my half-brothers, by phone and on Facebook, I’ve arranged to have lunch with him; Pat, my first mother; and Chris’ wife, Jill; in a few weeks, when Basil, Catherine and I will be nearby for a college tour. … Continue reading
Flashback Friday: Just Beachy
In honor of snowquester (here in Connecticut we escaped with just about 4 inches and yet another snow day that we must repay on April break) I give you this: Seagull Beach in Cape Cod, August 2003. Catherine was 7; Basil was far less … gray, and I think those swim trunks have shrunk in … Continue reading
You can’t touch that dial
Right now in our house, several piles of Basil’s cleaned and folded laundry have sat for days collecting dust while they wait to be tucked in the bureau. At least three pairs of his shoes silently mark their most recent steps. Mail towers in several clumps — on the buffet, scattered on the desk upstairs, … Continue reading
Forget the forks; this dish just needed to be tossed
In the world of culinary efforts, there are winners and losers. Tonight, we lost. Desperate for a little something different and inspired by a microwave rice dish my friend served two weekends ago, I tried a slow-cooker risotto. It seemed simple enough. I could plop everything in there, let it bubble away while I got … Continue reading
Time to get real (estate)
Strange things sometimes happen when I work from home. It’s not about the job — without the commute, I actually get more done and feel very smug and productive in my house slippers. Nope, it’s the outside world that causes the strangeness. Most days, it’s just me and the work, sailing along neatly, clickety-clack, down … Continue reading
Pushing on a Rope 