> Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! This is how I explained the holiday to a four-year-old- Well, this and a half dozen library books on the subject. For the last two weeks, Punky has been collecting Thankful Feathers from various family members and putting them on the turkey. The result has been something the whole family has […]

> The evening after Punky’s ballet recital, Hubs brought her home a small bouquet of flowers to celebrate her achievement. Punky was in the computer room, playing Dora the Explorer games, when he entered. “These flowers are for you, Punky,” he said grandly, “for doing such a good job today during your ballet performance!” We […]

> Who knew this season would contain so many milestones in my daughter’s short life? Just in the last few months, Punky has started to read, she’s taken her first pony ride (something she’s been waiting a lifetime to do), and today, she performed before an audience for the first time. It was Parent Observation […]

If you need to catch up on this story, read Part One first. “There’s something you should know, and you’re not going to like it,” Jim said when I answered the phone. “Can I come pick you up?” “Can’t you just tell me over the phone?” I asked. “No,” he said. “I need to see […]

A while back, I told you about a certain Shitty Friend of mine. Over the years, those two simple posts have been among the most popular I’ve written. I’ve gotten well over a hundred e-mails from women who felt compelled to tell me about their own Shitty Friends, and I continue to get comments on those […]