Most of the time we can avoid those people in our families who stress us out and unhinge our most aggressive tendencies. Thanksgiving is the exception. As the late Johnny Carson said, “Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover Continue reading
Author: Iris Ruth Pastor
The Preserving Your Bloom Manifesto
Today I want to share a little gift with you, something very personal to me. Thirty years ago, I began putting pen to paper and now fingers to keyboard. I began writing my slice-of-life column, “Incidentally, Iris” and in that time, have shared more than seven hundred columns. In them I touched on accidents, guilt, Continue reading
My Halloween message: Who says the dead can’t speak?
When you have young kids, you plan their birthday parties, organize grill-outs with neighbors, throw baby showers and surprise thirtieth birthday parties for your best friends and ten year anniversary parties for your favorite couples. And the streamers fly and the laughter rings out and the time goes by. And then the children grow up Continue reading
Are You Lucky?
My father was actually a member of the “Lucky Bastard Club” for surviving as a crew member of a B-17 bomber in World War 2. This is him: Which makes me the daughter of a “Lucky Bastard.” Which makes me a “Lucky Bastard” too. Not because I survived bombing missions over Germany. Nope. I’m a Continue reading
At 70, Am I Too Old To Do Cartwheels?
When I was about three years old, my mom enrolled me in dance class. At ballet, I was graceless. At tap, I was rhythm challenged. But at acrobatics, I excelled. It wasn’t long until I was doing handstands, somersaults, back bends and cartwheels all over the place. By age eight, I had a routine down Continue reading
Four Lessons from Irma
Iris, I live in Tampa, Florida two blocks from Tampa Bay in a house surrounded by century old oak trees. On Friday night, September 8, things were looking very ominous for Tampa. Hurricane Irma was fast approaching with a vengeance — the one hundred year perfect storm. The Hillsborough River, which empties into the bay Continue reading
Filling the Void When You are No Longer the Hub
I remember very vividly the day this family picture was taken: Lou was gassy and cranky and wiggling like crazy on my lap. Harry (top left) was annoyed at being interrupted from watching The Jeffersons. Frank (top middle) was irritated at missing baseball practice. Max (bottom left) had to cut short a play date with Continue reading
I hadn’t ridden a bike in fifty-five years…
THE BUY Riding a bike. “No big deal, right?” After all, how much more was there to learn after giving up training wheels at the tender age of six? “No big deal, right?” I surmised, when curled up on the couch one stormy night, eagerly searching the Internet for bikes appropriate for those of us Continue reading
Think It’s Hard Sending Your Kid off to College? Think Again.
Who doesn’t send off children anywhere without a pit in their stomachs? Whether it’s college, summer camp, or kindergarten? Is it really going to happen? Have we done all we could to prepare them for leaving the nest? Are they well equipped and knowledgeable about the challenges they will encounter? These concerns are legit. Now Continue reading
Magical Power in the Bahamas? Yep.
My initial look at Freeport, Bahamas was of a concrete lot filled with overflowing stalls of island crafts as I peered out of my cabin window that first morning. Just minutes later my feet hit the pavement and I am swept up in the excitement of haggling for the goods scattered about. Spotting a woman Continue reading