Once my old man found me mocking up a shaky tree fort, took initiative, and eventually constructed something sturdy as a pole barn -I bought his house; my kids climb on the thing to this day. Another time “we” built a model rocket. In candy apple red. With a glassy clear coat. I spent most…

I keep a stuffed toy at my nightstand. Not for my comfort exactly, for the comfort of a kid sleeping in a different room. Sounds odd, I know. In the course of a room cleaning, tunneling into a pile of pillows plus other random items in the corner, I realized he was reluctant to uncover…

There’s a way round the “don’t like it/never tried it” debate. Food tastes better off other people’s plates. Known fact. Our palates are mysterious this way. Science only goes so far, after which metaphysics take over to do things like make the Elsa yogurt tubes taste better than all the rest (especially the Sven ones)….

I missed my post last week for a few reasons. For one, I’m working on recipes for a deadline (poor excuse, I know), and the other because I was wrestling with my first bullying experience from a parental perspective. Boys around the age of my son, six, are enjoying their first freedom on playgrounds, gymnasiums,…