Last night, I attended a reading by Michael Perry, author of Visiting Tom: A Man, A Highway and the Road to Roughneck Grace at The Valley Bookseller in Stillwater. The event was the 12th author reading I’ve attended in my lifetime. Ten of those dozen readings have been in the past 12 months. I’m a reader, yes. I plow though books like a giddy suburbanite with a new snow blower after a blizzard. I collect books. Loan books. Rave about books. Keep lists of books on Goodreads and Amazon. But I’d never learned to appreciate the full experience of hearing directly from authors of my favorite books…

Something unexpected happened over the summer. Something I knew would happen one day. But, I’ll admit, I was unprepared for it to happen this soon. Call me naïve. Girls have been calling our house. They want to speak to our son, to have a little chat about nothing in particular. He watches me watching him while he speaks simple yes and no responses into the phone. He hangs up and smiles at me. I’m not amused. I’m not amused because our son is 10 years old. My husband and I have talked to our kids about relationships, values and respecting women. But when we said those things, we thought we …

As of this month, I’ve been a dog owner for three years. That may not sound impressive to many Woodbury pet lovers. But, it’s huge for me. I swore I’d never own a dog. They smell. They slobber. They shed. They’re expensive. I’d see my good friend walk her dog through all kinds of weather, steaming bag of poop swinging from her leash-free hand. Better her than me, came to my mind. Then my son began requesting a pet. I felt guilty. Like I was robbing my kids of a childhood rite of passage. But, if I were going to cave, it would be for a dog, no other pet variety. I didn’t want cat hair or …

I will never retire. Not because our 401(K) took a beating in the recession, which it did. Not because I don’t have a pension, which I don’t. Not because I love working more than lounging on my porch reading novels and sipping sangria. (Because that depends on the day.) I hope to never retire because I have come to associate retirement with less physical activity, less social contact and less exposure to ever-changing technology. Typically, when I have a job to do, I hurry to get it done. Whether it’s doing a load of laundry, planting flowers or writing this column, my mindset is often dread…

Not long ago, my 12-year-old son asked in which sport he should try to get a college scholarship. I paused, considered my reply and then crushed his dream: “Why wouldn’t you choose to pursue an academic scholarship?” His eyebrows lifted and his cheeks sunk into a wounded expression. “Are you saying that you don’t think I’m a good athlete?” he asked. That’s when I doused him with another bucket of reality. “I think you’re a fine athlete. But I think you’re an even better student. Sports are something that we do for fun and fitness. Not something most people should aspire to for their future.” …

My first Minnesota grocery-shopping trip was in 1998. We had just moved to town from Washington. I made a list, located a local store and headed out. I was able to navigate the aisles of a west metro grocery chain easily enough and felt pretty good about the whole experience until I checked out. I patiently waited for my items to be scanned. Watched them roll down the conveyor to the bagging area. Paid my bill. Then looked at the cashier. Awkward silence. “What, do I have to bag my own groceries or something?” I asked the cashier. She smacked her gum and nodded her head. A blank look of …

My mother is now on Facebook. I’ve considered changing my privacy settings to compensate for this new reality. But I’m going to hold out for evidence that such a bold move is necessary. More concerning in this age of social media interconnectedness is that I’m on Facebook and that I have young children who have no privacy controls of their own! Luckily for my kids, I didn’t join Facebook until they were well beyond babyhood… Because I surely would have posted every precious photo of my more than mildly impressive offspring. And possibly TMI about their every burble, burp and diaper rash. My …

It’s not too late! There are eight weeks of summer left. Still enough time to squeeze in some summer reading. Get those kiddos to flex their reading muscles too. If you haven’t already, grab some fun reads for yourself and the youngsters for the dog days ahead. For kids to develop good reading habits, adults first need to incorporate a bit of reading into their own daily lives. Read the newspaper, Patch, a magazine, a novel. According to a recent story in The Atlantic, American adults spend, on average, 2.7 hours per day watching television and only 18 minutes reading. That means it would …

“You’re gonna shoot your eye out!” So says Ralphie’s mom in the beloved movie, A Christmas Story. It’s also a line used by adversaries to this year’s fireworks bill, including Gov. Mark Dayton, who ultimately vetoed the bill back in April. The bill Dayton vetoed would have legalized some aerial fireworks and other novelty, loud, go-boom type devices that many Woodbury folks just jaunt over the river into Wisconsin to purchase anyway. It’s my understanding that any fireworks that leave the ground are illegal for non-professional pyrotechnicians to purchase or use in Minnesota. That would make …

When the air conditioning crapped out on a local mom’s 8-year-old Honda Odyssey, to the tune of $1,500 for repair, she decided it’s time to shed that mini van like so much baby weight and slip into something more sophisticated. But what? With three children ages 4-10, Jennifer Reinhard’s family still needs three rows of seats, enough storage for groceries and sports equipment, manageable gas mileage and a sticker price that says, “Affordable for people who still buy juice boxes by the case.” Carpooling kiddos through Minnesota winters makes all-wheel drive a plus. But big suburbans can be …

The summer solstice will soon arrive. Sol for sun. Sistere, to stand still. That moment when the sun reaches its farthest northern point above the celestial equator, when we tundra dwellers experience the longest duration of daylight all year. And yet, we do not officially celebrate! There is a winter carnival in Minnesota and all sorts of cold-weather merrymaking. But what of summer? That brief season of porch sitting and barbeque grilling, when the longjohns come off and the boats get launched. The solstice is the pinnacle. From here on out, the days get shorter. We march toward the …

Father’s Day is this Sunday. What cha gonna do? It seems dear old dad doesn’t get near the attention as mom when it comes to these types of Hallmark holidays. Restaurants aren’t as crowded. Flower shops, jewelry stores and that silly PajamaGram commercial don’t get as much attention from desperate shoppers hoping to please a parent with just the right gift. We flip dad a tie or a tool and call it good. “Unfair!” I say. Especially in light of last year’s Time magazine report that indicates men are feeling more pressure than ever to be breadwinners as well as involved fathers. This year, my …

Thrill seekers who travel great distances to climb tall mountains or jump out of airplanes could save time and money… by staying in Woodbury and trying to cross the street! I recall my adrenaline pumping while trying to push a stroller, hold a preschooler’s hand and drag said preschooler’s training-wheeled bicycle across Lake Road, all while cars barreled down on us with drivers seemingly unconcerned over our plight. Minnesota statute says no pedestrian shall suddenly leave a curb into the path of a vehicle that is so close that it is impossible for a driver to yield. I didn’t! The road was …

A memorial keeps remembrance alive. To memorialize something or someone is to record, to remember, to recite to the world, to every generation, that which should never be forgotten: our heritage, our history, the human cost of war. Monuments are especially helpful memorials. An art form that captures the imagination, invokes sentiment and connects us to specific events, time periods and people. Being in the presence of art is to experience with all of our senses what otherwise seems only conceptual. Like when a person touches the name of a fallen or missing hero on the Vietnam Veterans …

The rhythmic schedule of school days will soon burst into bedlam. Summer vacation! On June 6, kiddos will leap from those big yellow buses with glorious abandon and glee. And, according to my calculations, their unbridled enthusiasm will last approximately four hours before the first summer refrain of, “I’m bored” rattles in your brain. You have three weeks, 15 school days, left to do whatever you must before they descend upon you—those pinging pods of attention deficit with their frequent interruptions, food requests, messes and merrymaking. Use your time wisely. Our son’s elementary school …

Don’t wait until the last minute to settle on a Mother’s Day plan. Because this Sunday, mothers across America will receive lame gifts and be served unsavory food by their well-meaning, but poor planning, progeny. Don’t let this happen to your mother. If you haven’t already, get out in front on this one. Mother’s Day may be a commercialized Hallmark holiday. But it’s for your mom! The woman who made your lunch, washed your clothes, and went to all of your recitals and sporting events when she could have been home eating Funyuns and watching JAG. Begin by asking yourself, what does mom like to…

Is your son or daughter getting married? Maybe you’re a blushing bride-to-be, furiously practicing calligraphy and pinning dreamy decorations on Pinterest. As wedding season blossoms with trendy bridal bouquets, remember to be conscientious to family. That’s right. Contrary to occasional bridezilla behavior depicted on Say Yes to the Dress, a wedding should accommodate more than personal desires—unless you’re eloping to Las Vegas. Remember the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding? That movie illustrated a wedding being about more than two people. It’s about family. When you marry, you create a new …

Last year, the Minnesota Twins decided to broadcast most of their games with Fox Sports North, a cable channel, instead of on a free local network. This saddened me since we love Twins baseball but don’t have cable television. That’s right. We’re weirdos who choose not to spend hundreds of dollars per year to turn ourselves into Jimmy Jet and His TV Set. Besides Twins games (and Mad Men, of course) I don’t consider abstaining from cable TV too much of a sacrifice. In my opinion, Modern Family is probably the only other “must-see” television show, and it’s free on ABC. (Also available on the …

Prom is this Saturday for students of Woodbury and East Ridge high schools. I don’t attend high school or have kids in high school. But I love prom. Well, other people’s proms. Mine was marred by unmet expectations inspired by 1980s coming-of-age movies. Think Pretty in Pink or Footloose. But that was then. During college I waited tables and enjoyed seeing high school kids arrive at the restaurant gussied up in their formal attire. They were like local celebrities. Other servers weren’t as excited and sometimes groaned because young people aren’t famous for leaving good tips. (Ahem, parents, …

Black is my favorite color. My go-to fashion staple. If I’m feeling adventurous, I might wear gray slacks or maybe something tan. So last season, I was instinctively drawn to the fashion palette of muted mauves, silvery gray-blues and flesh-toned patent-leather shoes. But spring has sprung my friends, and Woodbury fashionistas are throwing off fall’s Depression-era frump in favor of bold color! Gen X-ers and their elders may collectively roll their eyes at these familiar and seemingly recycled 1980s-era trends. The boxy shapes of Flashdance tops and leggings. The Wayfarer sunglasses and …