A few months ago, I attended the bar mitzvah for a friend’s son. In the social hour leading up to the ceremony, my friend’s aunt approached me with a small zip-lock bag filled with some fabrics. The fabrics turned out to be a small collection of her deceased father’s bow ties. Read more >
Peek Inside a Houseboat
37 years ago when my parents divorced, I went house hunting with my dad. High-tech had not yet come to the shores of Seattle – there was more moss and less gloss back then. Dad had always loved the water, especially boats and sailing, so we began looking at houseboats instead of apartments. Read more >
10 Reasons Why Hosting an Exchange Student Is Fantastic
This year, our family decided to host an exchange student for the entire school year. We did it once before and had a great experience. In 2012, we hosted a 16-year old German girl named, Charlotte, when our son was 8. This time, we are hosting a 16-year old Turkish boy named, Utku, and our son is 11. We are laughing, learning, and cooking Turkish food once a week. Read more >
Reaching Across the Divide: Memorial Quilt for a New Baby
Laura Plimpton died just over a year ago, and her daughter conceived a few months later. Laura’s son, Chris, contacted me to ask about having a baby quilt made out of his mom’s clothes for his sister’s unborn baby – it seemed like such a lovely gift for a baby who would never be able to meet his grandmother. Read more >
Death:OK Conference
I am pleased to announce that I have been selected as a presenter for a very exciting and unique gathering, happening in just over a week. Death:OK is a one-day conference focusing on a myriad of discussions and approaches to the topic of death and dying. Read more >