Grandmother will draw a flower or a cat.Granddaughter will tell stories over video chat. They make a list of what to paint. On their weekly calls to reacquaint. This e-bonding time is their current normGiving them unique ways to brainstorm And connect over hobbies that they adoreKeeping each other company is never a bore. When …

Who else is experiencing a tornado of emotions? Happy and content one minute before turning into an angry, multi-headed beast the next? Then crying uncontrollably later on that same day? For a change, this hasn’t been me recently. I felt more like this in May, June and early July of this year, but I’ve been …

A few days ago my oldest daughter Vivian and I went for a ride around our neighborhood. She was on her push scooter and I rode my bike. It was required physical education for her and just enjoyment for me. She brought up the subject of playlists. She was in the middle of reading a …

I found this aggressive letter from the tooth fairy on my desk this morning. I’m very scared for the next tooth that goes loose or missing in our house. Here’s what the letter said: Dear Mrs. Fernandez, I made it to your house again last night after a long, humid and stormy flight. This has …

View life’s interruptions as interruptions, not ending points. This is one of “Patty’s Points” in Patricia Heaton’s latest book Your Second Act. I consumed this book over the weekend in two days. I loved it. I needed it, and now I want to gift it to my closest friends and female relatives. These interruptions we …

Ever have a memorable, interesting and funny kind of week? That’s how this week has felt for me. I wanted to capture the top ten moments so here it goes – 10 reasons this week has been memorable: 1. I dropped a balsamic vinegar bottle all over the kitchen floor! Here’s the proof. I took …

I have not worn makeup since mid-March, since this pandemic began. But I put on mascara and lipstick and curled my hair to see Judy Blume. By “see” I mean through my computer screen for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Summer Spectacular happening now through August 4. This conference normally occurs in …

Summertime is usually such a carefree, fun time. But this summer feels quite different. Many of us have felt very isolated and been physically distant from others since the COVID-19 pandemic began (mid-March 2020). In June I found myself slipping into an incredibly sad state of mind, possibly the beginning of depression. I was withdrawn, …

I just finished reading a dark, painfully but beautifully written book. The topic was heavy – about a ninth-grade girl who was raped and didn’t speak up about it. She fell into a depression and shut everyone out. At the end, she finally began to use her voice and was on the verge of telling …

Drowning in homework, a poem by Mandy Fernandez  I’m drowning in homework Treading through Science and Math When I want a glass of wine Or simply a long, hot bath.   I’m checking spelling words I’m checking them twice I’m correcting sentences Feeling tired, and not nice. Over this word problem I’m scratching my head …