family: Clutch Cargo Lips

Review: Life Among the Savages

Before Erma Bombeck and Jean Kerr wrote about life as housewives and stay-at-home-mothers in the 1950’s, Shirley Jackson had already published her account.
You’ve probably read, or at least heard of Shirley Jackson, but you might not remember where or how. Think back to your high school English classes. Remember reading The Lottery? If that doesn’t [...]

Mom’s burger friends

The last few weeks have been busy. I’ve seen people I haven’t seen in years and met a lot of new folks. One group of people I met were my mom’s “burger” friends.
Each Tuesday a bar in Elgin that I remember as The Sports Bar offers 99¢ hamburgers. I don’t know what the name of [...]

Elgin again

Heading off to Elgin tomorrow afternoon. Parents again – but this time it is my husband’s family.
My mother-in-law passed away last night. My husband was there – he got to say his goodbyes – although he feels like it was more important that he was there in September when his mom was more lucid. She’d [...]