This is my original blog. I haven’t updated for years. I keep it as a reminder of the journey.
Please see Broke Teacher for education and Poser Homestead for chickens, recipes, and dead zucchini.
Complete Sports Detox: “Is there a game tonight?” (or “Food Freaks and the Big Game”)
There seems to be a football game tonight. I live in New England. People are building snow Patriots, commissioning expensive professional "Go Patriots" signs for their businesses, and wearing multiple layers of overpriced football gear. "If we win tonight..." "We."...
Twenty Items in Express–A Tale of a Girl Who Needs Math
"But I have way more than eight items," I said. I was stocking up. The beer fridge is outside, so I only have to go big shopping once a month--or less. "That's okay," she said. She directed me to express. It was a ghost town over there. Everyone else was using the...
Never Make a Video of Your Butt
"Never, ever make a video of your butt." This is the first rule of digital citizenship. "Why?" Declan asks. We've been home for some snow days. He's using this time to make painfully long videos. He wants to be a YouTuber. He tells me he's going to show his butt in...
Punishing Kids without Punishing Yourself
"Are your shoes on?" "Yes," he says. He hides his feet. "Are you telling me the truth?" I know the answer. I'm just trying to let him save face. Or maybe his life. "Yes." "Show me your feet." No shoes. He starts to argue that he has his shoes on. "I seeeee your...
Getting Rich by Age 7
"You know what today is?" I asked the boy. I was sitting at the computer. Declan looked over my shoulder. "What?" he asked. "Payday. That's the day I give away all my money and pay the bills." "Don't give away your money, Mom!" I told him I enjoyed paying...
No Bathrooms in Times Square
It's New Year's Eve, my least favorite holiday. I'm sitting on my couch in a seat marked "boring" drinking tea, trying to get the boy to stay in bed. He came out again with a Lego device. He said it could blow up the world. "Mom, here's where the detonator goes, and...
The Morning After
Christmas is over. I've spent weeks shopping, preparing, budgeting, cutting, slicing, roasting, entertaining, arguing, taping, and wrapping. Every bow has been removed, the egg nog has been drunk by the morning after. I want to rest. But now, it's the season of...
The Naughty List
Santa told Declan he'd been both good and bad, that he was right smack in the middle of the lists--not yet on the "Naughty" or "Nice" lists...but there was still time to be good. It's Christmas Eve. Declan's standing in front of me at the cusp of the "No way, buddy,...
How Phil’s Slow, Painful Death Teaches One Mom Nothing’s Impossible
"Mom, build a snowman with me!" Declan said. I didn't want to build a snowman. I wanted to go in the house, drink coffee and clean my room so Santa wouldn't be mad on Christmas Eve. Normally, I'm not a big room cleaner, but it's a scientific fact if Santa trips and...
How Jury Duty Didn’t Change My Life
I got dressed, bought a big coffee, and got out the door. I wanted to arrive an hour early so I could park in one of those places only someone who frequented College Hill coffee shops would know. Then, I'd walk to court for my jury duty from there. It would be a nice...
Christmas Letters to Satan
"S... A... T... A... N...E" "To Satan." With a silent-e. "From Declan Rowe." "Would you like another envelope?" I asked. "This one's addressed to Satan." Declan was never a regular at Catholic church and he hasn't gone to CCD, so he doesn't realize the full impact of...
Cyber Monday: How to Hijack the Holidays
"Did I mention I've never celebrated a holiday?" My friend's religion doesn't allow it. This year, she ate turkey with someone--eating turkey around a fancy table seemed odd. I told her not to panic. It's just a dead bird, after all--think of it as a frugal thing....