One day, a few months ago, I was expecting company. My mother's father who I had very little contact with my entire life was making a special trip from Philadelphia to New Jersey to see me. We were never close, I barely knew him, but it was a big deal that he would take a few precious hours out of his life to travel and see his estranged granddaughter. So, I cleaned the house. Rid it of the intolerable animal hair that he is notoriously allergic to. And I made a pot roast. Some might say an act of God that I cooked. I sat outside on the front porch with my dog, scanning up and down the road, waiting for his rental car's arrival. He was right on time. We ate pot roast. Chatted a bit. And then he left and I've not heard from him since. I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but according to some pastor, Jesus will return Saturday around 6 pm. That's a handy little piece of information to have. I've seen it for the last few months on billboards and on the side of bus...

During my quick trip home to Nebraska, we spent an afternoon at Pioneer's Park for a family picnic. Unfortunately, the record high heat, made it a  short  afternoon. The kids got overheated and the playground equipment scorched their little legs and feet. But before we packed up the fried chicken and headed home, we made a few mandatory stops. Pioneer's park staples if you will... The perfect picture of Nebraska. Open prairie, muddy little pond, wildlife. We love the elk. Though, the boys lovingly call them "reindeer." Regina (sister), Ethan, Beth, Zach, Mary (mom), Erica (sister) Another family had a day out as well. Glad they enjoy stale hot dog buns.  See those pillars waaaay over there? That's where I got married. Sorry Eddie. Too hot to walk over. Zoom will have to due for today. Here's a close up of them from nearly 4 years ago. *photo by  Frank Ekeler Normally, there are buffalo out here, but they must have been hiding from the sun. I never re...

Lilacs are my favorite flower. Last week when I was home, we drove past a blooming bush in someone's yard and I swooned to my dad in the driver's seat, "Oooooooo. Lilacs!"  I haven't seen many this season and since they only bloom for a few, short weeks out of the year, every one is precious to me.  Later that evening, I heard my dad come in the back door. I peeked my head around the corner to see him coming upstairs with something in his hand. I immediately knew I wasn't supposed to see it yet. When he came into the living room, he handed me a freshly clipped bouquet of fragrant lilacs from a near by bush. "These are for you." He said. I pretended to be surprised, but I didn't have to pretend that I felt as special and precious to my dad, as a beautiful, rare flower.

I love playing piano for ballet rehearsals. It was something that intimidated me at first and took me a few months to understand and get used to, but now I feel pretty confident every time I go into work that I know just what the instructor is looking for out the pianist. I let the tiniest things get to me however, and when someone mentioned that I may want to try and learn more "classics" to play, I began to doubt myself. I like to take the songs I already know and put a new spin on them, like  Hotel California , music from Disney movies, and other out of the box songs. I've gotten positive feedback doing this too. (Though I have also forced myself to learn Coppelia, Esmerelda,  Giselle , and Raymonda Ballet music. Never thought I'd ever play anything like that!)  I'm one of the few non-Russian pianists on staff and when I hear the others play Chopin, or Rachmaninoff from a studio down the hall I shrink down to about 2 inches. So, this week, bound and determine ...

We sat in the living room when all of the sudden, 2-year old Zach, decided to get tough with his Papaw. Out of the blue, we hear his squeaky, little kid voice say, "You wanna piece a me?!" And then charge at his grandpa with all his might. It was so hilarious, we spent the next few minutes coaxing him into saying it again, which he did and I got on tape.  Zach  actually is the sweetest little boy in the world, which makes this clip all the more hilarious. And after all Zach's macho, tough-guy display, he screeches, "OUCH!" when he gets a little pinch in the ribs. Enjoy.

I will now tell you a remarkable story, which at the end, you will believe to be a written script from "I Love Lucy," "Three's Company," or another TV sitcom in which the most absurd, unlikely, series of events take place, yet everything works out in the end. It's a true story of believing in the impossible, never giving up, helping someone in need, and it all takes place in the City Landfill, up to my knees in a mountain of garbage.  It all began one innocent, hot afternoon when I couldn't find my bag of toiletries I kept in a plastic grocery sack. I was in town, staying with my parents. After searching high and low for the stupid thing, I finally woke my mom up from her nap because I was so irritated, and thought that in her neurotic (but lovable) cleanliness, she tucked it away somewhere I would never find.  "I haven't seen it," she said in a voice surprisingly concerned for someone who was just abruptly awaken from her slumber. "G...

Last night, I sat alone in my apartment, feeling melancholy after just returning from a week long visit with my family in Nebraska, and saying goodbye to my husband again as he left to finish his month long Army Reserve Psychological Operations Training. For a private person, who rather enjoys her alone time, I was in a rare moment of wishing I had someone to visit with.  I sat on my couch watching the news when I suddenly heard the most glorious noise coming through my 2nd floor apartment window. I immediately muted the TV and listened intently. Drifting in through my filthy window screen,  was the sound of music that made me grin from ear to ear. There were about 3 male voices bellowing in unison Spanish words I could not understand. But it didn't matter, I loved it. And then, like the buttermilk icing on a rich, chocolate cake...an accordion accompanying them.  My Columbian neighbors were having a family get-together, which involved every brother, sister, cousin, and...