Mom is One for the Road

A great little essay from Amy Kenneley on Mother's Day.

I can still remember those little pairs of feet on Mother's Day, tiptoeing into the bedroom with a celebratory breakfast - a Pop Tart and a clutch of dandelions in a Dixie Cup. With Himself's urging, little hands thrust crayoned cards at me, vying to be the one who's card was opened first. Each one eager to be closest.

Read the rest of Amy's look at Mother's Day

As Amy says: To all Mom's everywhere: Well Done! To all kids everywhere: call your Mom…I wish I could call mine.

Scottish Poet Robert Burns anniversary celebration

Shano (Scottish Heritage Association of Northeast Ohio) hosted the 258th Robert Burns Anniversary Dinner & Dance at the American Croatian Lodge in Eastlake.

Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known as Rabbie Burns, the Bard of Ayrshire, Ploughman Poet and various other names and epithets, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide.

Some nice photos from Amy Kenneley from the Robbie Burns dinner

Amy K recalls when old tech was new

We stood around the wet square of film as the magic happened. Moments ago we had held our pose as my father-in-law aimed his camera. A click, and then he pulled, and out came the still-wet square. Now we hovered over it as the black and white image of us slowly appeared.

Now we didn't need to take a roll of film down to the drug store to have it developed. With a Polaroid camera we could see ourselves right away.

Magic!

Read the rest of Amy Kenneley's look back and forward,

Grandson's Senior Recital by Amy Kenneley

The huge auditorium, filled to capacity the previous evening for a performance, echoed this morning with the smaller sounds of pre-recital tunings and directions. This was my grandson's Senior recital, one that tested his four years of work at Belmont University's School of Music. He would be presenting five pieces, all reflecting the aspects of playing, composing and arranging music.

Amy Kenneley and grandson Patrick

Read the rest of Amy's story

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Nana visit the Grandkids by Amy Kenneley

Here Let Us Live

Pandemonium Nana Visit! I receive hugs and kisses, sidestepping the hodge-podge of grandkids' toys to maneuver my suitcase into the house. Backpacks hang, fighting for space on the wall hooks, interspersed with hats and caps flowing down to a basketful of tennis shoes in NASCAR colors.


 I used to say that if you wanted to know where a kid was, just follow the trail he left. That was still true, as I found myself stepping over action figures, hop-scotching around Lego manufactories, and ducking beneath the curly- ribbon strings of birthday balloons that still bounced merrily in the air currents as I passed.

Read the rest of Amy's visit

Tin Roofs and Rock 'n Roll

Tin Roofs and Rock 'n Roll
by Amy Kenneley

How did The Nut Shop get to be our hangout? I don't know, but that was where we landed when we had outgrown the neighborhood playground. It was just a short walk up 101st street to Euclid Avenue--"Uptown"-- where there were five movie theaters competing for your popcorn and Goobers change. I can see their beckoning lights even now: University, Keith's RKO, Alhambra, Circle, and Loew's Park.


Was it "Rock Around the Clock" that blared from the loudspeaker outside the storefront that drew us in? If so, Then Bill Haley and the Comets must have been our Pied Piper.

Read the rest of Amy's column about her own Happy Days

Feeling 'Up' about Downsizing

Can you relate? 

Feeling 'Up' about Downsizing by Amy Kenneley.  

It started innocently enough. The winter closed in and the rooms did too. I looked around at the stashes of accumulated boxes and drawers full of things and wondered, "Who is going to want this?" 

There needed to be a letting go of things that had been collected --and collecting-- through the years. How did it all happen?... 

Read the rest of Amy's attempt to Clear the Clutter