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When I was growing up, there was a family that couldn’t talk to each other. They only yelled. On the bus, at school, even in their house — the kids yelled. The decibel rate in that house was stupendous, and I wondered how they had gotten used to yelling at each other without noticing it. …

We’d stopped at a candy “factory” next to the World’s Fair Park in Knoxville, and along with a few other candies, we bough dad some rum balls. At his request. He likes them. After having to suffer through my driving of the ginormous Suburban on Cumberland Drive, on into a mini-parking lot at a Wendy’s …

Last week I subbed at school and found myself chatting with one of the young students who had to stay in during recess. We got to talking about what he could expect when he got to high school and had to dissect animals. “What did you dissect?” he asked. “Oh, we dissected a fetus pig, …

The winter brings the need for snow fort diplomacy out on the playground. I’ve been subbing for a few days, and have had recess duty on some of those days. “Mrs., um, Mrs., um, Miss…Miss Neidlinger, they won’t let me in their fort!” This is a common problem out in the snow realm. The playground …

During Thanksgiving, my niece and nephew sat down at the table to do a little drawing. “Auntie,” they said, “draw something.” Seeing as how it was late in the evening, I sighed and grabbed a sheet of paper. What to draw? I certainly was in no mood for grand art. “OK,” I said. “How about …