Alphabet of Daily Life - R

R is for Running.

(Yup - I've gone out of Virgo alphabet order - I'm getting a bit wilder as I age!)

For years, I had vaguely heard people talking about the many benefits of running. Their words passed right into and back out of my ears. Running was not something I resonated with. In fact, I had very unpleasant associations with running. 

We had to run as part of our fitness regimen in the Army, and I never liked it. (Read my Army-related posts here: Careers, Excitement, Unrequited Love.) One thing I think many people have never taken into consideration (including Army fitness gurus) is that short women / people have short legs and this necessarily gives them a shorter stride. So, it takes shorter people more paces and a longer time to move a specified distance. To require short and tall people to cover the same distance in the same time period is far from fair. We short ones were running double-time ALL THE TIME in order to achieve the same fitness goals. I was always suffering while running with so many tall long-legged fellow soldiers. So, I hated running.

Fast forward 30 years to a time when my daughter was in college. She had gained the infamous Freshman 15, and wanted to do something about it. She'd heard of the Couch Potato to 5K running regimen and wanted to try it. She asked if I'd do it with her and I really didn't want to. But, I did want to support my daughter in any way she needed. So, I completed the program with her. I liked it. I was able to do it. And, at the end of it, I just kept running. And I'm still running today. In fact, I'm a running evangelist.

Here's what running gives me:

• Stress Reduction - it's amazing how much more mellow I am after I've run, and this feeling lasts for several days. It's a great way to deal with the stress at work. Whenever things go wrong, I just go for a run.
• Muscle Tone - for someone my age, my legs are looking pretty good! In fact, running works so many areas of the body - butt, abs, arms. It's a great workout that leads to smooth toned muscles.
• Youthfulness - people actually tell me I'm glowing. Yeah, how great is that?! It must be the enhanced circulation that keeps all of the body's cells refreshed. People usually guess my age as 10 years younger than I actually am. And, of course, the added energy that comes from running adds to the sense of youthfulness.
• Weight Maintenance - I find that when I don't run for awhile, the pounds slowly start piling up. But, if I run (I typically do 3 miles, 3-4 times per week), I can maintain or even lower my weight. Of course, I also eat lots of vegetables, eat very little junk food, and drink TONS of water.
• Ongoing Fitness - there's a feeling of confidence that you walk around with when you know your body is in shape. You know that it can do anything you ask it to - climb stairs, go hiking, ice skate - whatever. And, you know that this fitness means clothes look good on you. It's just a general all-around good feeling.

What took me so long? Who knew!

Alphabet of Daily Life - M

M is for Milk.

Yes, an odd (mundane) choice of topics, I know, but it's very meaningful in my life.

I was 8 years old, and we were living in Manitou Springs, Colorado. All nine of us kids were staying temporarily in rundown public housing with my mother, during the harshest part of winter. We were just up the hill from Manitou Springs Elementary School, while my father was down the hill living in the Truck, parked in a campground. The 3 big boys were not always home with us, though, as they had been working and staying on a nearby ranch for a few months.

We were very poor then, and had very little money for anything. Real milk was one luxury we never had (although we always had powdered milk - yuk!). I remember once being at the elementary school early one morning, before the other kids had arrived. One of my little sisters was with me. We had a few coins in our pockets and were goofing around in one of the bathrooms. For whatever reason, I put one of the coins, a nickel, into my mouth. I think I liked its metallic tang on my tongue. Before I realized what was happening, the nickel had gone down my throat. I could feel it lodged in my esophagus trying to work it's way down to my stomach. It hurt! My sister and I went to find a teacher - I don't know what we thought the teacher could do for us, but we thought it was the best tactic.

The teacher was naturally alarmed, but there really wasn't much she could do; I wasn't in any type of actual distress other than discomfort. So, her solution was to take us down to the cafeteria and request a (FREE!) carton of cold milk and a warm roll from one of the cooks so she could give it to me to help move the nickel down my throat. Wow, this was the type of food we never had - we didn't have the money to buy food from the cafeteria. The teacher had us sit down at one of the long communal tables in the dim empty dining hall and told me to finish both food items. She definitely didn't have to tell me twice! I ate every bit of that soft warm roll, following bites of it with swigs of cold creamy milk. My sister looked longingly at it, but I didn't wan to share my bounty, and never gave her any. She asked me what it tasted like and I described it to her, but I didn't let her try it, not even just a little bit. I still feel so badly about that greed and denial toward my hungry little sister.

At our house on the hill, when the boys would come to visit us after working on the ranch, they were allowed to bring large multi-gallon jugs of milk home (the ranch was a local milk supplier). The clear plastic containers sat on a shelf in the refrigerator of the rented house, and had a spigot that milk could be poured from into a cup. This meant we could go over to the fridge any time we wanted and have all of the cold creamy rich milk we wanted - any time and as much as we wanted. My God, that was the life.

Alphabet of Daily Life - L

L is for Lists

Does everyone live by making lists? I'm not sure if this is a universal habit among adult humans or just a Virgo thing. Personally, I don't see how I could get through daily life without a list of
something...

• a to-do list
• a grocery list
• a list of chapters for my book
• a list of other books to write after my first one gets published
• a list of places to travel to
• a list of projects to complete at work, especially "top priority" ones

The "list" goes on. For me, lists accomplish a couple of things:

1. They organize a project or a day (or a life): my lists begin by just putting lots of random, related items down on paper. Once visible on the page, it's an easy task to put them into some type of order, such as a time sequence for accomplishing, or grouped by subject category, etc. It's then a matter of just "working the list" to get things done.
2. They offer a sense of accomplishment: it's a very satisfying feeling to cross something off the list. And to have an entirely crossed off list is something good indeed.

This is a travel list I'm currently building. I determined that I want to take at least 3 vacations per year: 1 to the Cape, 1 to a US locale, and 1 overseas trip. I'm in the midst of planning the Florida Keys trip; it will be me, my daughter, my sister, her daughter, and our niece - all driving the Keys from Miami to Key West and back again. We'll hopefully also get in a quick visit to The Everglades, as riding a fan boat is on one of my lists!

Recently, my daughter, who has been groomed in my list-making mentality, suggested we help each other develop lists of our big and little victories in life. These types of lists are used to remind ourselves of what we're doing right when we're feeling down. We did so, and were quite pleased with our results. It's very compelling to see this list of accomplishments written on a page; you should give it a try (and get someone to help you - they sometimes remember things you don't and can be much more generous than you might be for yourself). We'll keep adding to our lists, but so far, mine includes:

• Broke the poverty cycle
• Brought up a citizen of the world
• Developed a successful career
• Became a gourmet cook
• Earned a Master's degree
• Able to consistently run a 5K (at least 3 times per week)
• Bought my own house
• Live a healthy lifestyle
• Paid off my student loans (woohoo!)
• Helped put my daughter through college
• Traveled outside the country (a life-long dream)
• Took an epic road trip (with my daughter, from MA to Yellowstone in WY, and back again)
• Bought a brand new car (my hybrid)
• Climbed Pikes Peak (twice)
• Spoke successfully to an audience of 600+, and also served as emcee

I also came across this interesting List, which is a "just for fun" type of list, featuring tidbits about TV Chef Ree Drummond, whom I greatly admire.

Do you live by lists? I simply must know.

Alphabet of Daily Life - K

K is for the Kitchen...

This is the heartbeat of our home, where just about EVERYthing happens. When we first moved into our house, the kitchen needed our immediate attention. We had to get rid of the faux flagstone floor, the pink countertops, and the pink, black and cream striped wallpaper scattered with pink flowers. I also did my first tile install, including use of a wet-saw, by putting in a tile backsplash over the counters.

Cooking

Obviously, all of the cooking takes place in the kitchen. After a long day at work, it's nice to just pour a glass of wine, put a good CD into the under-cabinet player, and set to cooking.

I have a beloved cookbook collection (they MUST have pictures...after all, how would someone know how the end result should look without a photo?). And, the cookbooks are used to plan out menus, both for our weekly repasts as well as for parties and holidays. We try to eat something new as often as possible. It's also not at all unusual for us to serve a completely new dish that we've never tried before to guests. So far, everyone's lived.

Canning

Yup, love to can (but not fruits and vegetables). I make chutneys or preserves. My all-time favorite is Victoria Sauce which is a rhubarb chutney; we use it on ham and pork, and also give it out (very parsimoniously) as gifts. I used to have a fabulous old canning set, but gave it to Goodwill in the midst of our moving-into-our-new-house frenzy. So, I now use a large stockpot. It does the same job, but without quite the same degree of convenience.

Homework

The handy counter height table and chairs we added to the "empty" side of the room make great homework and other writing or creative work space. My daughter will often do her homework here while I'm cooking.

Holidays

For some reason, during holidays, EVERYONE ends up in the kitchen. I'm cooking away, usually handing out cooking tasks to others, and everyone mills about or sits at the table, chatting and sniffing the good scents. We're wondering if our recent living room remodel will entice everyone to move into that room or if they'll still stay in the kitchen?
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Alphabet of Daily Life - J

J is for Jilly’s

The opening of Jilly’s signifies the official start of summer in our neighborhood. It’s THE ice cream spot on Elm Street. On a summer evening, we can find most of our local friends and neighbors there. It’s just a little storefront amidst a few businesses…nothing fancy or elaborate, but it’s just so homey. The people working inside are usually college kids home for the summer, and many of them we’ve watched grow up.

When my daughter was little, we lived just a couple of blocks from Jilly’s. After dinner in the summer, she and a friend would ride their bikes there, riding ahead of me while I walked behind watching over them. They were so cute stopping at each stoplight and waiting for me to catch up, their huge helmets making their little heads bobble, and feeling so important when they were a full block ahead of me “on their own!”

Then there was the important decision of what to order…they usually chose one of those flavor burst cones with the crazy tastes – like bubble gum or blue goo, and I am a devoted fan of the root beer float, which I remember fondly from A&W drive-thrus.

After getting our treats and LOTS of napkins, we would usually cross the street to sit on the steps of the dentist’s office, where we’d have a commanding view of all the people descending on Jilly’s after dinner…cars pulling up and elderly couples getting out, families like ours with bikes or skateboards, and groups of ladies out for an evening walk, everyone checking to see who they know in the crowd.

Now, we live further down off of Elm Street, so our walk is a little longer. But, making the hike is great justification for getting the sweet treat at the end. We figure our workout to get there qualifies us for additional calories. Spring is in the air, and we’ll be watching for the opening of Jilly’s any time now!
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Alphabet of Daily Life - I

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I is for Ice Glen…

Ice Glen is a local natural wonder – a wooded glen filled with ancient boulders set in a dark old-growth forest, and spotted even in summer with areas of ice that still haven’t melted. Walking up to one of the cave-like areas in the boulders gives one a whiff and a feel of very cold vapor trapped in the rocks.

I happen to have a penchant for this scent of refrigeration – odd, I know, but here’s how it happened:

When we first went to live with my grandmother in Schenectady, NY, my whole life had been spent traveling the US with my family in our “custom RV” which didn’t have electricity, and certainly didn’t have a refrigerator. One of the first and most important things I got very excited about at my grandmother’s was the refrigerator and freezer (hers was one of those avocado green babies!).

I still recall opening the freezer on the summer day we first arrived at her house…a gust of chilled white air rolled out into the sultry heat of her kitchen, which was decorated in varnished wood paneling, red dotted-swiss curtains and quilted calico appliance covers, and an avocado stove with turquoise pots and pans. I stuck my head inside the freezer to feel the coolness, and smelled my first scent of refrigeration. I've been hooked ever since. To this day, I will just walk up to the freezer, stick my head inside, and breathe in very deeply several times to get my “fix” of the scent of refrigeration.

That’s what Ice Glen smells like. I get to walk around in that scent.

Located in Stockbridge, MA, we traipsed through Ice Glen as kids when we “went back east” to visit relatives. And, we’ve taken our Fresh Air child there for the past two years. It makes for a short, relatively easy, and beautiful hiking experience (it's especially pleasant to bring a picnic to eat on one of the rocks). The boulders are fun to clamber over, though sometimes a bit slick with moss, the stone steps scattered throughout are enchanting, and the forest is truly dark and deep. We've always hiked in from the Ice Glen Road side, but we understand there's an entrance on the Park Street side, which we hope to try soon. (PS - be sure to wear bug repellent - you'll thank me for this tip!)

If one wants a strenuous and longer hike, they can head up to Lauras’s Tower, which is reached by a winding uphill climb through ferned and leafy woods. At the end of the trail is the tower, a lookout which is accessed by very steep steps and with a view that is far and wide. (I had vertigo when we were up there, and my knees wobbled climbing back down.)

A funny thing happened last year during our annual pilgrimage to the Glen. We met up with a tourist couple heading out as we were heading in. “Don’t bother going in,” the woman said to us. “It’s not worth it.” Little did she know that we dearly love this Berkshire treasure and find it well worth it!

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Alphabet of Daily Life - H

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H is for Hybrid...

My number 1 reason for buying a Honda Accord Hybrid a few years ago was NOT savings on gas! Surprising, I know, but I had an ulterior motive. Here are my reasons, in order of importance:

1. Voting with my pocketbook: the only way car manufacturers will create Hybrids is if there is enough demand to justify the expense of building them. So, each time I purchase a Hybrid (or other alternative fuel vehicle), I'm casting one more vote that helps manufacturers know that consumers want this type of green technology.
2. Commuting costs: I like getting an average of 30-35 mpg on my 25-mile drive back and forth to work (and even better on the highway), which means I use less gas. Some people (who don't own Hybrids) argue that since you pay more to purchase one, that kind of eats up the gas savings, but again, I bought it to have my vote counted. And, I'm sure the costs to own Hybrids will come down as demand increases and more options become available to consumers.
3. The environment: I like sending a significantly lower quantity of smog-forming and global-warming emissions into the Berkshire air.

People sometimes ask me if I have to plug my car in at night! Nope. As a Hybrid, the car uses a mix of gas and electric power to function. The gas runs the engine, the running engine charges the special battery, and the special battery helps give the car additional non-gas power when it needs it. Also know as Integrated Motor Assist (IMA). An odd feature of IMA is that the car totally shuts off at stop signs. It's completely quiet - no motor running at all. It took a little getting used to as a driver, and can also be startling to passengers.

It's also addicting to watch the dashboard indicators that show current average mileage and whether the battery is currently charging or helping the motor.

If you're thinking of buying a Hybrid (and I hope you are) here are my tips from first-hand experience:

1. Buy the warranty: my hybrid battery ended up needing to be replaced (I understand this isn't a common occurrence), which would have cost me over $3,000 - thank goodness for warranty coverage!
2. Don't just assume you'll get a tax credit: the rules are so specific and may not apply to your purchase. I was surprised to discover that my purchase didn't fit any of the tax credit parameters...no credit for me.

Overall, I LOVE my Honda Hybrid. When I'm ready for my next purchase, I'm hoping to get a Honda Insight! I hear it's meeting or surpassing the Prius as far as mileage. Anyone interested in getting a Hybrid Newsletter can contact Brad Berman - it's great for doing pre-purchase research.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - G

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G is for (Mount) Greylock...

The highest peak in Massachusetts is right in our backyard! Mount Greylock is 3,491 feet high at the summit. It got it's name because the peak is often locked in grey clouds or mist - a sight I often see as I drive to work in the mornings. (Photo at right is from the mass.gov site.) On the right side of the mountain you can see a patch of treeless brown - this is the site of the Great Mudslide that happened there a few years ago during a particularly rainy season.

Someone I know has a large molded-vinyl topo relief map of Berkshire County, showing the height of Mount Greylock, the Taconic Mountains and the Berkshire Hills, as well as the depth of the valleys in between. In looking at the map, one really gets a sense of how the mountains protect the cities and towns below. This same feeling is evoked when standing atop the mountain and surveying the expansive view, especially if you use the available binoculars.

Appalachian Trail

If you've read Bill Bryson's humorous "A Walk in the Woods" (I listened to it as a book on CD from the library during my daily commute), you'll know that the Appalachian Trail wends across Mt. Greylock on it's way to Vermont and into Maine, where the trail ends. In the book, Bill and Katz (I think Katz was still with him at this point) stop to pick up a few supplies in Cheshire, and I know exactly where they were from Bill's description of local roads and buildings.

Greylock Ramble

For years, the town of Adams has sponsored an annual Greylock Ramble, designed to reunite the locals with their mountain, and to help visitors discover it. (Not sure if this event still takes place?) On Columbus Day, hundreds of hikers, including many families with children, slog up the slightly muddy (depending on the weather each year) Cheshire Harbor Trail to the peak and admire the breathtaking views. Various family members and I have made the trek in years past, and it was a fresh and new experience every year.

Bascom Lodge

A favorite feature of mine on the mountaintop is this rustic lodge, built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in the late 1930s. It is beautiful - made of native schist stone and red spruce - with a large old fireplace in the main area and an aging screened porch full of picnic tables along the length of the back of the building.

I've stayed overnight at Bascom and the experience was charming and just a bit hippy-ish. In the dim evening light, someone was playing the guitar in front of the fire as we lounged in cabin-style chairs and rockers. Later, we had a hearty family-style meal in the large dining hall, with many friendly and talkative strangers. We slept in a spartan, but clean and comfortable, room, which I imagine is heaven to an Appalachian Trail hiker who's been roughing it out in the elements.

If I remember correctly, Bascom Lodge is currently in search of new caretakers.

March Cataract Falls

When my daughter was young, we hiked EVERYwhere in Berkshire County...she was such a trooper. (Sadly, she doesn't enjoy this anymore.) One of our day trips was to March Cataract Falls. We drove up the mountain and parked near the Sperry Road camping area. From there, it's a reasonable hike through a fairly flat wooded area with a floor of luscious green ferns that rustled against our feet as we walked - me with the backpack containing our picnic and her sashaying ahead of me with her pink Little Mermaid backpack and a walking stick. We ate lunch sitting on the rocks near the falls, and then had time to wade and splash and play a bit before heading back to the car.

War Memorial

Another feature on the top of the mountain is the 93' War Memorial. It's shape is often used in local advertising. I've never been up the many steps to the top of the memorial - I believe it's been under construction any time I've gone up there.

A favorite memory of mine is taking my daughter up to the summit one summer evening. We sat on the stone wall near the base of the Memorial, and listened to the Berkshire Highlanders bagpipe band play "Amazing Grace" as the sun set slowly behind them.

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Alphabet of Daily Life - F

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F is for the Fresh Air Fund.

For anyone not familiar with the Fresh Air Fund program, it's a way for inner city kids from lower-income families to enjoy a summer vacation in the country.

I'd heard about the FAF for several years, especially through news articles in our local paper, but had never done anything about it. Finally, one year I decided to just go for it and become a host family.

Hosting a Fresh Air child is an easy and low-cost way to help someone in need. There are no costs to apply or to host...the only money we spend are gifts we buy or events and activities we take part in. To get started, I just visited the Fresh Air Fund website, and submitted an online inquiry. Immediately, a local volunteer got back to me to help me learn more. In order to host, we went through a thorough screening, which included:

• Criminal background check
• Community references (as I recall, a personal friend, work supervisor, and school official or clergy person)
• In-home visit, interview, and inspection

Once we made it through those steps, we were then asked about the child we'd like to have as a visitor. We could choose age and gender, and could also opt for a 2-week visit in July or a 1-week visit in August. Since my daughter is an only child, she thought it would be fun to have a "little sister" experience, so we chose a female in the 5 to 7 year range. And, our spunky, funny Fresh Air child came to visit!

Our first summer, we chose the 2-week visit, which we decided afterward was not the right option for us - it used up all of my summer vacation, and the kids tended to get on each other's nerves after the newness wore off. Our second summer, we chose the 1-week visit, which works well for us - I still get to take more time off for our "other" vacation, and everyone is still getting along by the time we say goodbye.

Our Fresh Air child will be coming again this summer, and we'll probably do many of the activities we've done before, including:

• Lots of swimming at Plunkett Lake in Hinsdale - beautifully clean and quiet.
• Lolling around at the luxurious Sand Springs Pool & Spa in Williamstown (they donate free admission to host families and children).
• Picnics anywhere and everywhere.
• Wading and exploring at Mount Hope Farm in Williamstown.
• Going to the Hollywood Drive-in.
• Hiking (nothing too strenuous!) nearby nature trails.
• Cooking! She loves to cook and usually helps with anything going on in the kitchen. She especially likes banana pancakes (as she says..."it's not like; it's LOVE") and Beach Bunny Cake from my Retro Beach Bash cookbook.

Photo Info:

#1: The girls explore the pond near where the Fresh Air bus arrives in Bennington, VT. We have a picnic here (fried chicken, potato salad, deviled eggs, cake, and lemonade) before we get onto the road back to our house. This is also the place where we share the Welcome Bag - full of funny and playful things. Popular items are the fart putty, feather boa, and squishy gel things.

#2: Getting the bacon ready to go under the broiler, while the banana pancakes are cooking on the griddle.

#3: The local Fresh Air kids got to march in the Williamstown 4th of July parade!

#4: The girls sitting on the Eyes on the lawn of the Williams College Museum of Art. (These eyes light up with purple lights at night - very cool!)
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Alphabet of Daily Life - E

E is for Electronics...

As you might guess from the recent e-Addictions post, we looooooove our electronic gadgets. Here's a little ditty that could be considered our theme song:


The things we find we just can't go without are:

• computer (mine)
• laptop (my daughter's, although I wish it were mine)
• digital cameras
• cell phones
• iPods
• flash drives (we use our flash drives constantly and usually have them with us wherever we go).

Then, of course, there are all the individual chargers, car chargers, universal charger, adapters and transmitters (that's the basket full of tangled wires) that are part and parcel of keeping all of these things alive. And, the battery charger and rechargeable batteries (because digital cameras seem to eat batteries for breakfast).

Last but not least is access to the Internet. I know this may cause fainting, but we only switched from dial-up to cable wireless a few months ago! And, we only did that because my computer was out of commission and the laptop needed wireless. So, I bit the bullet and had wireless cable access set up. We're so glad we did...we feel like we came into this century and have such fast Internet speed, which makes blogging a possibility. Not to mention that we can also answer our land line now when we're online. Soooo 21st C.

Now, to make a decision about the TV (we only get one channel - abc - because we don't have cable). It has rabbit ears, and if it's raining or snowing or the neighbor is revving his engine, forget it - no TV for a while. But we'll save that decision for another post.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - D

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D is for...DDR

For those who are as yet uninitiated into the wonder that is DDR, this acronym stands for Dance Dance Revolution. It's an active video game that we run on Playstation. And, it's FUN!

This game first entered my consciousness a few years ago when a friend and I passed by an arcade in the mall and saw people playing DDR inside. It just looked like such an interactive and exciting game. As arrows move by on the display screen, players move their feet about the dancepad, and try to hit the arrows. Hitting the arrows scores points. We bravely tried it ourselves, but didn't do so well (extreme understatement). Still, I had the DDR bug after that.

Seeking to know more, my Internet research revealed many articles about using DDR as an exercise tool. In fact, it seems that some of the more forward-thinking school systems in various parts of the US are actually using DDR in gym class, to the great delight of students.

Based on what I was reading online, I learned that a usable setup would include:

• Playstation or XBox to run the game (shockingly enough, we didn't already own one of these!)
• A TV for video display (we were able to use an old one we had lying around)
• The DDR game disc (there are quite a few game versions to choose from, though not always readily available in local stores)
• At least one dancepad

It took some budgeting, but we eventually got all of these items and set them up in my daughter's area of the basement. We started with one dancepad, but quickly upped it to two. This allows us to do synchronized dancing and have a little friendly competition. One of the pads is thick, which my daughter likes because it cushions her legs during the movements, and one is the flat and uncushioned version which I like, because I can feel the floor beneath my feet and feel more capable on it. For games, we chose DDR Extreme II and SuperNova (our favorite of the two).

When we first got everything set up, and learned how to play, we used it almost daily. Now that I have a Planet Fitness membership, I don't use it as often, but still like it quite a bit. And, when my daughter has a group of friends over, they invariably end up doing a little DDR together.

To push myself to improve, I usually try a dance on Level II a few times until I get a "rainbow bar" and AA* score, then up it to Level III. (We don't even bother with Level 1/Beginner because the slower the song, the harder it is to get it right; faster is actually easier.) By learning the moves at a Level II, I can usually stumble my way through the next higher level. This seems to be the only way to learn how to manage the blur of arrows coming at you as you progress in difficulty.

My daughter is very good at DDR, but I can definitely beat her on several of the games (which I consider to be one of my major accomplishments). Our favorite thing to do though, is the synchronized dance...it's just so cool to be doing all of the steps together.
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Alphabet of Daily Life - C

C is for...the Cats, Calvin & Chloe.

Calvin is our handsome tiger dude. He came to us a couple of years ago from the local animal shelter. When we went to the shelter to see the cats, this cute tiger kitten was playing in his cubicle, and he came over to the window to see us when we walked by. The name on his window was "Pokey" and his brother was named "Gumby." We had a chance to play with him in the visiting room, and decided that we wanted to take him home.

He was an absolute joy from the start - charming, affectionate, well-behaved. We renamed him Calvin Pelle (Calvin after the clever little boy in the comic strip and Pelle after the brave boy in the movie "Pelle the Conqueror"). We all enjoyed each other's company tremendously.

After a while, we thought Calvin might like a playmate so he wasn't lonely while we were gone during the day or when we went off on vacation. We contemplated going to the shelter again, but then we heard about a family that had one cat too many.

This family had just moved to the Berkshires from Louisiana. When they opened their moving van here, they discovered a hungry little kitten. They kept her and tried to integrate her with their other pets, but they had many pets already, and this kitten was just a bit ferocious. They had finally decided they couldn't keep her and were planning to take her to the shelter, when we heard about her and said we'd give her a home. My daughter promptly changed her name from L.T. (Lil' Trucker / Lil' Terror) to Chloe.

That's the point when Calvin's life changed dramatically! He is now chased about the house all the time, we have to put him in an area away from Chloe at mealtime so he can eat, and he's extremely skittish from being pounced on unexpectedly and repeatedly. Chloe is adorable and loving with us, but fierce with anyone she doesn't know. She is sometimes pleasant and playful with Calvin, and sometimes beastly. And, yes, she does like to lounge in the bathroom sink.

Are all cats from Louisiana like this?

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Alphabet of Daily Life - B

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B is for...Berkshire County.

We live in a beautiful little corner of the U.S. called Berkshire County. Besides being lovely to look at, it's also considered a cultural mecca of sorts, and we get visitors from all over the world. Here are some of the local attractions we've enjoyed:

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail: we're one of the lucky communities with a Rail Trail, which is an old railroad bed that is paved over for recreational use. These types of trails, which are great for walking, biking, roller blading, are wonderfully smooth and flat, and this one is so scenic. It's our tradition to hike the Trail and stop for a picnic along the way on Mother's Day. I'm determined to learn to roller blade on the trail!

The Colonial Theatre: this is a restored theatre originally built in 1903. It was closed down and hidden for quite some time, boarded up behind an art store (where I used to buy my art supplies for school). It's since been beautifully restored. We went not long ago when my daughter entered a 24-hour film festival, and won 3rd place (on her very FIRST film ever)! The film showing and awards were presented in the Colonial.

Jacob's Pillow: this is a secluded summertime dance festival, featuring dance troupes from all over the world. As a single mom, I've always paid special attention to listings of free events, and the Pillow offers free weekly outdoor performances at their Inside/Out stage - it's really spectacular to watch top dancers on an outdoor stage, with a large blue sky as backdrop, surrounded by beautiful New England woods, while we sit on our picnic blanket enjoying delectable goodies. Sometimes my daughter isn't into the whole "culture" thing; one evening as we were watching an avant-garde dance troupe from Russia, I glanced over and she and her friend were playing a game of cards!

Mass MoCA: this is an old (and large!) electrical factory turned modern art museum that has really gained international acclaim. It's fun to go and just allow the wild modern art to change your perspective. Their really cool gift shop, Hardware, is pretty funky; I've found some of the best gifts there.

Tanglewood: this is a wonderful outdoor concert venue that is also the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Shed is an outdoor pavilion, and Shed seats are coveted but a little costly. I splurge every now and then, and a few years ago, a friend and I were thrilled to sit in on a live broadcast of "Prairie Home Companion," which takes place at Tanglewood once each summer. Lawn tickets are much more affordable, and that's also where the action is. Many people bring elaborate picnics, some even resorting to white linen tablecloths and silver candelabra! My daughter is not a huge fan, but she and her friends did like running around the manicured lawn and grounds when she was younger.

Williamstown Theatre Festival: for several years, we attended WTF's free outdoor performances at Buxton Field, in the woods near the Clark Art Institute. There's a stage in the middle of a grassy area, everyone brings lawn chairs and blankets, and, of course, a picnic. And, while we sit outside in the dusk on a warm summer night (wearing lots of bug spray!), actors put on a lovely performance under the stars. (I haven't been able to find the outdoor performance info for the last couple of years - I hope they're still doing it?)

These are some of our (my) favorites...maybe you'll get to visit some for yourself. If you've already visited some of these, I'd love to hear about your adventures!
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Alphabet of Daily Life - A

I've seen other bloggers use the alphabet as an outline for themed posts, such as favorite movies or local images. One blog that especially inspired me was Katie Bella. I liked it so much that I thought I'd give it a try, with one alphabet letter per post. So, here goes...

A is for...my Airstream Dream:

For several years, I've had aluminum fever. I think Airstreams are THE coolest travelmobiles out there, and long to have one of my own. I have a book called "Airstream Living" which features themed decor Airstream trailers - the wild west, aloha, 50s chic - which I love to drool over. And, last year I joyfully subscribed to "Airstream Life" magazine.

My Airstream Dream is to own a small-ish airstream, like the Sport, and have a high-tech mobile office inside. I'd travel the US part of the week and then stop somewhere to get a feel for the local color. Then, I'd write my syndicated newspaper column/blog/iReport about A Day in the Life of America, where I'd feature stories about the ordinary people I'd met and what was going on in their lives and locale.

I'm not sure if I'd keep my snug little house in the Berkshires or not? Maybe I could rent it out while I traveled but keep it so I'd have a summer house? I don't have that detail worked out yet, but I do have the details of the layout for the inside of my Airstream worked out!

PS - the image in this post is my absolutely adorable airstream Hallmark ornament, complete with a striped pull-out awning (the backdrop is a gorgeous photo in "Airstream Life"). It's far too cute to pack up with the Christmas ornaments; I leave it out so I can remember my Airstream Dream on a daily basis.

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