Life with a Westie in tow
One of the things I love most about the holiday time of year is the baking! I don’t normally eat sweets that contain a boatload of sugar or dairy, but I do enjoy making them for others. Peppermint bark is an exception. While I like to make the bark with only dark chocolate just for... Continue Reading →
Do you remember where you were the morning of September 11, 2011? I’ll never forget. I was with my mom. It was the perfect late summer morning, blue skies and pleasant temps. We had just arrived at work (we actually worked in the same office that year) and one of the girls was shouting that... Continue Reading →
Last week when I got run over by the grief bus, thinking about my mom’s last days, I did what I’ve been doing every day since her passing—begging her to give me a sign that she’s still here, still with me. Since last week was an especially low point (hello, grief and major depression!), I... Continue Reading →
Nothing says summer quite like an 1100-mile road trip with your dog. The drive down took us 19 hours—and this includes the Goethals Bridge being shut down at 4:30 am without notice (even though I had two GPSs running and the traffic radio on), the entrance to I-95 closed due to a construction crew ‘repaving’... Continue Reading →
Watching the funeral service for Senator John McCain this week was like getting run over by the grief bus all over again. Not only has it left me bawling like there’s no tomorrow, knowing his family will now have to deal with the “aftermath” that I went through (and still going through), but it has... Continue Reading →
I’ve always loved the taste of lemons—lemon ice, lemonade, lemon tart, lemon cookies. You get the idea. Maybe that’s why I enjoy limoncello. It’s light, sweet and very refreshing, and especially welcome at the end of a hot summer day. The lemon liqueur originated in southern Italy nearly a hundred years ago. Then, it was customary... Continue Reading →
For the last few weeks, the weather here on Long Island has fluctuated from being comfortable to extremely humid. On very humid days, Emma refuses to walk anywhere, and I don’t blame her. I’m not a fan of the humidity or higher temps either, unless of course I’m doing hot yoga. So, whenever the weather... Continue Reading →
I was going to wait until closer to July 4th to write about this, since most pets run away around that time of year more than any other. But with Memorial Day weekend upon us—not to mention my crazy neighbors that look for any excuse to set off fireworks—I figured there was no better time... Continue Reading →
Old Westbury Gardens has always been my absolute favorite escape on Long Island. It is the perfect place to unwind, relax and enjoy nature. As a child, I would go off exploring all that the Gardens has to offer—the thatched cottage, East Lake, the Walled Garden, nature paths and everything else in between—pretending that I... Continue Reading →
Even though Long Island was hit with a few snow storms since the official beginning of “spring,” I took advantage of a nice day last weekend to take Emma on a day trip. (Thankfully, all the snow melted quickly.) When the weather is nice, we both love being outdoors. One of our favorite places to visit... Continue Reading →
Before New York’s fourth Nor’easter hit this week (and here I thought spring arrived), I took Emma over to North Hempstead Beach Park, formerly Bar Beach. It has a special meaning for me—it’s the place where my parents met a bazillion years ago—but has become a place that I love to go with Emma since... Continue Reading →
I was on the phone recently with a friend who mentioned that, although she’d just given her dog a bath, his paws smelled like Fritos! I knew all too well what she was talking about. From time to time, Emma gets that same smell. The corn chips (or Fritos) smell has to do with yeast... Continue Reading →
Last year was a tough year for me personally, and unfortunately, I went off track a bit when it came to exercising. I really didn’t take care of myself. While I hadn’t packed on too many pounds, I just didn’t feel right. I felt achy and lethargic, and somehow my muscles disappeared! It was time... Continue Reading →
In the winter, I love making a variety of soups. Not only are they filling, they are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that your body needs to get you through the cold winter. Over the years, I’ve experimented with different ingredients in my soups, along with the different types of split peas. I used to... Continue Reading →
When Emma first came into the family, she was a tiny four-pound bundle of white fluff. I wanted to be a good pet-parent and feed her a healthy diet, so she would live longer. But I didn't want this to be limited to just her meals; I wanted her to have healthy snacks, as well.... Continue Reading →
Me, Myself & Westie 