B-I-N-G-O

My first trip to a farm was in 1982 as part of a school field trip.  On a warm spring day, my classmates and I crawled through a hay maze, marveled at baby pigs, and exchanged our licked-clean popsicle sticks for 30 seconds upon a horse’s back.
Fifteen years later I took my next trip to [...]

The Bug

Once upon a time there was a place where school kids gathered to burn their seemingly infinite supply of energy, and to discuss important matters of the day.  The place was called ‘The Bug’.

Kids climbed through its mouth, swung from its back, and deftly navigated its serpentine tail.  While taking breaks in its belly, kids debated [...]

My Funny Valentine

A 3-yr. old doesn’t know about St. Valentine or courtly love.  A 3-yr. old knows perforated Hello Kitty, Barbie, and Micky Mouse Club cards with messages like “Be mine” or “Happy Valentine’s Day, Mouseka-Friend!”.  This year marked the first of many that the imp participated in an official Valentine’s Day card exchange at school, and I have to [...]

The Trail Less Taken

I felt a smile tug at my face as I watched the slightly battered Ford Escort pull into the campground.  Its driver was Raccoon, a co-counselor from my Camp Judy Layne days, and we were meeting for the first time in three years for a hike.  A long hike…my longest hike to date.  We had [...]

My Dream Vacation in the Homeless Shelter

Most people probably wouldn’t consider a 3,600-mile cross country round trip in a Dodge rental van loaded with 7 college students, 1 ‘grownup’, 8 bulging duffel bags, and a guitar a dream vacation…especially if that ‘vacation’ involved sleeping and eating in a homeless shelter, building a homeless shelter, and listening to the Simpsons soundtrack the [...]

Its Jump Was Worse than Its Bite

The first thing I ever hit while riding a bicycle was a mailbox.  It was the kind of mailbox that sits in the middle of a sidewalk anchored by a bucket filled with cement.  My mom had instructed me to keep my pink Huffy bike on the sidewalk, and I took her instructions literally…at the [...]

Will Travel for Peanut Butter Pie

Every year around this time my dad heads west to spend time with his favorite (and only) brother, and every year around this time I’m reminded of our one (and only) family vacation out west.  The year was 1983.  My knees were knobby, my older brother was my mortal enemy, and Thriller had earned Michael [...]

Showing My Age: 80’s Style- Vol. 4

Give me a nostalgic twitch and a spare hour (or two), and I will come up with an 80’s post. 
This Stawberry Shortcake in Big Apple City board game was based on a TV Special of the same name.  I’m guessing that it was my first dabble into the world of cross-marketing to children.  I don’t [...]