This large bur oak is believed to date back to 1660. It stands 90 feet tall and its impressive canopy spans 130 feet. It’s considered one of the largest and oldest trees in Missouri and though it’s survived a 9 foot flood, a tornado, drought and lightning strikes, it is dying. Arborists have been working to slow the death of Big Tree.… Read more ...
It was around mile 454 that I first had the urge to strangle my child. It was Day 2 of our weeklong family adventure on the open road. I was in the backseat, sandwiched between two car seats, my feet were perched on a carton of juice boxes and my eldest was tapping my arms.
I logged many miles sitting in this seat between my two boys.
Incessantly tapping.
On the surface, tapping someone on their upper arms doesn’t seem so bad. Then 30 tappity-tap-tap-filled … Read more ...
In 1996, I was driving my Ford Tempo “Sherry” when a black car slammed into the driver’s side door.
You can tell how bashed in the driver door was.
I remember waking up with the gear shift between my knees.
This is what hit me.
R.I.P. Sherry
I was lucky to have only a broken collar bone and bruised ribs.… Read more ...
Do you know how many families are just like yours? We’ve all got aunts who can easily be referred to as the Cat Lady, or uncles and/or cousins who try too embarrassingly hard to be cool.
But how many U.S. households look like yours? Didn’t know if you peeped the graphic in The New York Times recently that gave us a glimpse inside our homes. The link of it is here.
After futzing around, I found that 8.1 million homes are similar to my … Read more ...
It kinda feels like someone is repeatedly slashing a razor blade across my shins. They’re shin splints. I’ve got ‘em. And it sucks.
My arsenal against shin splints.
I’m training for the Chicago Rock N’ Roll Half Marathon on Aug. 14 and it’s turned into a painful journey. I noticed the problem a month or so ago, so I got new shoes. They still hurt. I got compression sleeves (which are as sexy as old lady knee-highs.) When I ran the memorable 5K last month, … Read more ...