With riots and protests against the deaths/kill-ings of numerous black Americans, I feel compelled to join the voices of common people from around the world. My family may not be multiracial, but I am a mother. I don’t need to be exactly like someone to be able to find common ground with ...

I was driving to an appointment with my family, and we had to make a few scheduled stops. I saw many people not wearing masks. (Now keep in mind, people do not need to wear masks while practicing social distancing. I know you all know, but I digress.) The gas station even had a sign on its ...

Some people just swear. They don’t think much about it. If I were to stereotype I’d say that is every British person I’ve ever worked with. The difference is in the delivery. I don’t care if people curse, I just don’t like the name-calling that can be attached to it. Cue in my ...

I feel like there is a lot of judgment about people’s right to disappointment. Perhaps I’m incorrect. It’s been known to happen, just ask my children. I don’t have to understand everyone’s emotions, especially the ones swirling around my own house. I can sympathize, even empathize ...

Just to let you know any ramblings occurring throughout this column are generally applied to me. Perhaps something may resonate with you and yours, but in no way are my written thoughts directed at one person. I have been called every name in the book and sometimes by my own child. This ...

A widely quoted poem “The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost, has been used in inspirational posters, taglines and commercials. The poem is usually thought to be about taking risks and pushing boundaries. Some people think the poem reflects on the traveler taking the undiscovered path rather ...

Recently we had an online reunion with my husband’s family. Our niece is supposed to get married on Halloween. (Don’t even get me started on how excited I am that she chose that date.) We don’t see my husband’s siblings frequently and now the children are older and spread across the ...

A few weeks before the world closed a friend and I were talking about our children. His response to my family surprised me. He had this view that my life was perfect and I had churned out a couple of superhumans. Of course, I would like to agree and not throw my children under the bus, but my ...

Right off the bat, I need to stress how much I am not equipped to be a healthcare professional. So, it is good news for all of you that I am not one. I know my own strengths and I know my weaknesses. My tolerance for illness and pain used to be pretty low. Sometimes we have to rise to ...

I can sew, but I’ve yet to make one of the protective masks for healthcare workers. I want to help, but I’m not sure I will get to the stage where I’m mass producing masks for other people. I selfishly made a few to use so we could take care of my mother. I am in awe of the people that ...

It has been a week of homeschooling, remote working and social distancing. Our household is a bit unique in that I’ve worked online for years. The concept of being 50% dressed from the waist up for a conference call is normal. I just don’t usually have other people around to witness it. ...

We need a pandemic to treat each other respectfully? These are tough times with an undecided future. With that, I have seen such incredible acts of generosity. I’m only scratching the surface by highlighting those people offering to deliver meals and groceries, or tutor children online. If ...

Yes! We are getting ready to tap our five maple trees and just let the sap roll on in. Obviously, we are not in the commercial maple-making business, but our two-gallon target has been consistently produced over the years. That is enough syrup to keep us in maple-drenched waffles for the year ...

Whether you are a new parent or an old parent, there is always a lot of advice floating around. So I thought I'd chime in on some unwarranted and unasked instruction. Now that my children are older, I can become nostalgic for that child I used to cuddle. I want to recapture those times when we ...

In a perfect world there would be no sickness, right? We would all be washing our hands with soap and water. We’d cough and sneeze into our elbow. Each doorstep would host a chemical shower so we could hose off after being coughed in the face by a total stranger. That is what utopia looks ...

There are so many microbreweries located around the Adirondacks and more popping up every day. Though I like to visit because the beer is delicious, I really enjoy the various breweries' connections to their neighborhoods. Each place is different. Some breweries offer a larger public house and ...

We have been waiting for the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute to open. It’s a winter highlight for my family and one of our “go-to” winter activities for visiting family and friends. Sliding down an icy ramp onto a frozen Mirror Lake is not something people get to do everywhere. It is unusual ...

A month may seem like an eternity to your children and writing an original 10-minute play may seem like a breeze. That doesn’t mean that all Adirondack Park middle and high school students can’t start working and perfecting their winning entries for the annual Pendragon Theatre Young ...

This is my public service announcement. Parents, please stop gossiping about other people’s children. I was waiting in line at a coffee shop not too long ago and overheard a conversation between two mothers. It was not my intent to overhear, but they were talking so loudly that I’m not sure ...

This is a year for ice and with that comes an automatic stop at the Lake Placid ice track on Mirror Lake. Though there are plenty of skating opportunities around the Adirondacks, one reassuring aspect of skating on Mirror Lake is that the North Elba Park District graciously keeps it clear of ...