I got the first of two shingles vaccine shots the other day. They start to recommend it when you hit 50, as I am now. Our health insurance paid for it 100%. And my sister suffered through a recent bout of it, so it’s top of mind. What about safety or side effects? Honestly, I […]
I’m Not Losing Sleep Over a Sloppily Delivered Mattress
As with cars, we drive mattresses to beyond embarrassing. What’s a few stains when you can conceal them with a fresh set of sheets? When she is home, Pippa sleeps on a 35-year-old full mattress. Not only was it visually sketchy, but it had more swayback than a decrepit old nag. It was time. I […]
A More Modest Bucket List
Baltimore is slowly – very slowly – joining other cities in building more bike lanes and trails. In 2014, $2M was allocated to extend the Inner Harbor-originating Jones Falls Trail to downtown Mount Washington, from Cylburn Arboretum. Construction wasn’t completed until 2020. Better late than never, and it does have an impressive elevated wooden boardwalk […]
I Take a Commission for My Matchmaking
A neighbor knew I like to cycle, so before he moved out of town, he gave me an ancient Raleigh bike that had been languishing in his basement. It was mummified by a thick layer of caked-on dust. The tires were so dry rotted, I had to bear down to get it to roll. I […]
Spending $42.69 a Month for Cell Service for a Family of Four – Including Two Teens!
Did you see the NYT article (apologies if you’re at your paywall limit) about the true cost of upgrading to the hot new phone? Buying a fancy $1,000 iPhone is the equivalent of giving up $17,000 in retirement savings, they say, because an investment of $1,000 in a retirement account today should balloon to about […]
How to Influence People on Climate…and Faith
Over the long President’s Day weekend, we drove to Vermont to visit Nora’s “second mother” (a nurturing presence in her life since childhood). Naturally, I took my bike: On Sunday, we went to her small Baptist church. It was a solid service and message, but I wasn’t very enthused when the pastor emphasized what power […]
We Added a Jumbotron to Our Empty Nest
When Grey went off to college in the fall, Nora and I became empty nesters and we did a little house reorg. I’ll let Nora take it from here – this is verbatim from the family group text: I moved our TV downstairs so dad could watch football while working down there. He loved it. […]
I Got COVID Despite Being Careful
My 85-year-old father thinks COVID precautions are excessive. Sometimes I agree, but I’m not anxious to get sick or inadvertently pass sickness to anyone else. So I accept his needling like a pin cushion, absorbing the barbs like I was made for it. Dad in the Cracker Barrel gift shop: “Why do you wear that […]
Six Micro Stories
My mom drives an old PT Cruiser, just like Nora does. We don’t take ours on long trips anymore because it is too unreliable. The left blinker is on the fritz, the radio shuts off randomly, and the rear hatch opens when it feels like it, not when you tell it to. Mom and Dad […]
My Son Saved $1,712 on Insurance When He Took His Car to College
Nora suggested we inform GEICO that Grey took his car to Kent State to see if they’d lower his ridiculous premium. There is no ‘see,’ I said – once the cat was out of the bag, he’d have to live with the new policy wherever it went, up or down. But I couldn’t imagine it […]
Storm Dropped Neighbor’s Tree on Our House, But We Didn’t Take a Bath
Last month, a wild thunderstorm swept into the neighborhood. It delivered fierce, howling winds, which caused me to run to the front door to see if the badminton net would survive. Miraculously, it did, but not the neighbor’s 60′ pine. That came crashing through our back patio and onto the roof. It snapped off – […]
Summer Vacation Edition: On the Road Again
Like most Americans, we are slowly returning to lives that resemble our former lives. In pre-pandemic times, Nora would travel most of the summer, visiting friends and family in Colorado, Vermont, Maine, and Long Island. Every other summer we’d do an overseas trip. In 2020, we were scheduled to go to England for a long-distance […]
Thoughts on Dropping Life Insurance, Avoiding Voluntary Taxes, and a Summer Jobs Update
We recently agreed to assume guardianship of friends’ two teenagers if the parents die. It’s one of those very low probability, yet very high impact type of scenarios. So it required some serious thought and prayer. When we told Pippa and Grey about it, their minds immediately went to…you guessed it: “What about us? Who […]
Real Estate Thoughts: A Refinancing Decision & Home as Nest Egg
Mortgage rates are in the cellar so refinancings are popular now. What about us? Should we refinance? We bought our Baltimore townhouse for $168,500 in 2001 with a 30-year mortgage and 6.625% fixed interest rate. Then we refinanced $159,600 in 2003 with a 30-year mortgage and 5.750% fixed rate. The house was appraised at $199,500. […]