Dear Daddy My sweet Mom sent me a text. Katybeth, add this number to your phone. It's your Dad's Life Alert number. Ok. What do I do if they call me? Answer it, then punt! And then it occurs to me. I am hearing impaired. I have a cochlear implant, but I don't hear reliably … Continue reading Poor Dear Daddy
Chicago Permit Seeker
My first experience as a Chicago Permit Seeker. We need a new backyard fence. So I put on my happy homeowner's hat and scouted out fence builders. A few estimates later, I fenced a deal. Construction would start the middle of July. At the end of June, customer service informed me I needed a fence … Continue reading Chicago Permit Seeker
Ten years ago
Many of you noticed that while the light was on - Odd's front door was stuck. Thanks for letting me know and welcome back! The door is open. We still need to fix a few things in the basement but come on in and meander around to your heart's content. I'm happy you are here … Continue reading Ten years ago
Dirty Laundry-Grand Appliance
Supporting family-owned businesses is important to me. After all, I run a family business. So when our Maytag washing machine took its final spin after 14 years of service, I decided to shop at a local family-owned appliance store. Grand Appliances. They have several locations in Chicago, and one is in my neck of the … Continue reading Dirty Laundry-Grand Appliance
Birthday Boy Dining in Chicago
It could be true that I had a kid for only two reasons: birthday parties and Halloween. For 13 years, we celebrated Cole’s birthday with a large kids’ birthday party and a family and friends party. You name it, we did it, from panning for gold in the living room to carnival games. No ponies, … Continue reading Birthday Boy Dining in Chicago
How to Find Lost Stuff
(First Post in this series: Keeping You in Suspense) It's not lost until Mom can't find it. I read this in a book once, but I was saying it long before I read the book, so quote me. Finding things is one of my superpowers—a superpower cultivated through lots of practice and experience over the … Continue reading How to Find Lost Stuff
Keeping You in Suspense
Buckle up. We’re going to *Ohio! Pack snacks and a cooler with some drinks. You might want to swing by Starbucks. The food of the day (Wednesday) is Chopsticks?? I guess that means eat Chinese food. Thursdays are dog park day. Yes, it’s February, but we head out to the park in the rain, snow, … Continue reading Keeping You in Suspense
It’s That Time of Life
"Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything (there is a crack in everything) That's how the light gets in~" ~Leonard Cohn Well, one of my students recently had his first child. To be clear, his wife did most of the work, but still he became a father—at least until a … Continue reading It’s That Time of Life
Back To School Blues
Summer time! A time when both the kids and teachers are set free from the classroom. A time to celebrate warm weather, swimming pools, and family vacations. Rhythm and routine are relaxed in most families, and time slows way down, except, it seems for retailers, who gleefully start to promote back-to-school shopping before you can … Continue reading Back To School Blues
Why I Like Baseball
Baseball. It’s all about playing catch and throwing strikes. Baseball is revered by fans and trashed as slow and stupid by non-fans. I know you’re wondering where Campo stands on this topic…so, without further delay…Batter Up. In these musings, I am writing about baseball and softball. The games are not the same, but I like … Continue reading Why I Like Baseball