Other than the possibility of broccoli stuck in the teeth, a condition which many of us broccoli lovers suffer from, I think her broccoli craving is charming....and an added bonus.
Thanks for your two cents and the rhythm. BTW - just for the record, I do like broccoli, but it would never one-up my wife's oatmeal cookies which she makes once or twice a year.
If she loves broccoli, she may be destined for something big. You never know where a miracle begins. This story had a lot of love in it, Mark. What's the broccoli-eater's name?
Awww! You’re such a sweetheart! I’m just harried lately in between living in Marshall, VA, and needing to go back and forth to Cincinnati where my best friend of 40 years is having a really hard time. She’s in a nursing home and may be having surgery soon. And then I invited a filmmaker to come give a talk in this area, on glyphosate (Roundup) - which is killing our planet. 🌎 😢 Alicia & I are trying to get that all set up, with representatives of environmental organizations invited to lead a panel discussion afterwards. (If you’re anywhere near D.C. on April 11 by any chance, come to Busboys and Poets bookstore at 7 pm for the screening! 😍)
Well, it sure sounds like you are busy - certainly sorry to hear about your long-time friend. Life sure doesn't get easier as we get older.
My understanding is that the main ingredient of "Agent Orange" is glyphosate which was used in Vietnam to kill off everything. It has been the center of countless lawsuits because of its toxicity and yet the stuff is still sold as if it were a bottle of milk. Good for you and Alicia for doing your part. I'm pretty much marooned out here in Wisconsin but thanks for the invite.
Busy but somewhat lonely, actually! We thought we’d try this past year living out in this rural area of Virginia. We’re trying to decide where to settle in these retired years, and trying out different places. But I think we’ll just end up settling back where we’ve always lived, Washington D.C..😅 Great metaphor, glyphosate sold like it is as safe as a bottle of milk! I just read that Wisconsin and Virginia are two of the states which have approved glyphosate for aquatic use. 😩
As Dorothy used to say, "There's no place like home."
Regarding the glyphosate comment I can't help but thinking again - When will we ever learn? And, when does ground water NOT mix with groundwater, not to mention the unknown effects on wildlife. Insanity!
Exactly!! Such insanity. Gosh I love your Wizard of Oz reference! 🤗 I was just thinking, I haven’t met even the cowardly lion or the tin man out here.😅 Our neighbors are not close by, and they’ve never come by to meet us. But I’m going to ask Alicia or Ken today just to walk up the hill with me and finally knock on their doors and just meet them. I don’t even know if they work or are retired or are country gentry or big glyphosate users 😱 I’ve only seen in the distance one man outdoors just one time. And cars driving their long driveway through the trees. You seem to be a motivating force for me in this conversation, thank you! You probably have that effect on people in your life in general. A patient listener and careful observer and astute writer and kind person. Thank you!! I’ll text back after Alicia and I walk up the hill - or get carried away on winds to Oz 😊🌪️🌈
If you're getting nostalgic for the cowardly lions, congressional leadership is filled with them, speaking of "agent" orange. I think meeting your neighbors with an open mind is a wonderful venture for today!
Now that I’ve been bolstered by at least a cow liking us😅, back to your post!😍. It’s so creative and imaginative, funny and loving, and etc etc etc! May I ask you the same question I asked Sharon Bassano, are you a published author? I want to buy your books!!!
I love the word “yet”! 😍 (And until “yet” comes, if you’re a therapist, I want to be your client 😅🤗) It’s nice to find so many kind, understanding, and amazing writers here!
Sorry, link doesn’t work! We’re driving around on roads we haven’t explored before! So far no one’s home 🏡 and it’s raining. Will try again tomorrow. We did meet some new cows 😅🤗
Regarding the temptation to start your own Substack - what's holding you back? Your comments have always been well thought out and tell me that you have a worthwhile voice to add to this greater community.
I checked out the video and loved the story and the telling of it. Especially the part about where Alicia said - "He too had missed a delivery notice. She also did offer a very fitting metaphor as well to the effect - "It was like we had found the last piece to a puzzle that we didn't know was missing. BTW you definitely weren't hijacking, YOU WERE ENHANSING.
Awww that’s so beautiful! And yours are honorably inherited grandchildren!😍, versus my husband’s initially rather shocking surprise 😂 Lutz’s family came here from Germany to visit us, and we all fit together like a glove which had been missing one of the fingers 😍🤗 (I’m sure there’s a better metaphor 🤗)
Awww!!! So charming! 😍 I identify in some ways, I was gifted with a wonderful bonus grandchild too! (My husband Ken had 3 grown kids when we married, then a few years ago a man who looks just like Ken contacted us, saying he was Ken’s son, from the years Ken was stationed in Vietnam and Germany. He (Lutz), his wife, and their beautiful teen daughter (our only grandchild) are the most amazing addition to our lives!
Thanks Karen for sharing the wonderful story and built in surprise sequel. That must have been a shocker.
We inherited three new grandkids with my daughter's remarriage, and it's all good. I've never seen the two bonus grandsons eat broccoli so I'm not too worried. I think it's a recessive gene.
Other than the possibility of broccoli stuck in the teeth, a condition which many of us broccoli lovers suffer from, I think her broccoli craving is charming....and an added bonus.
While you may want to throw it away
Broccoli is in her DNA 🤣
Thanks for your two cents and the rhythm. BTW - just for the record, I do like broccoli, but it would never one-up my wife's oatmeal cookies which she makes once or twice a year.
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies....right up there with Krispy Kreme donuts.😁 you are a lucky man!
If she loves broccoli, she may be destined for something big. You never know where a miracle begins. This story had a lot of love in it, Mark. What's the broccoli-eater's name?
Thanks Sharron. I know there's lots of potential here, along with each of my other four grand-kids . . . in spite of the broccoli thing.
I had considered using her name but keeping her anonymous keeps my 2024 mindset from worrying about her or what her four parents might think.
You are right. Understood.
Awww! You’re such a sweetheart! I’m just harried lately in between living in Marshall, VA, and needing to go back and forth to Cincinnati where my best friend of 40 years is having a really hard time. She’s in a nursing home and may be having surgery soon. And then I invited a filmmaker to come give a talk in this area, on glyphosate (Roundup) - which is killing our planet. 🌎 😢 Alicia & I are trying to get that all set up, with representatives of environmental organizations invited to lead a panel discussion afterwards. (If you’re anywhere near D.C. on April 11 by any chance, come to Busboys and Poets bookstore at 7 pm for the screening! 😍)
Well, it sure sounds like you are busy - certainly sorry to hear about your long-time friend. Life sure doesn't get easier as we get older.
My understanding is that the main ingredient of "Agent Orange" is glyphosate which was used in Vietnam to kill off everything. It has been the center of countless lawsuits because of its toxicity and yet the stuff is still sold as if it were a bottle of milk. Good for you and Alicia for doing your part. I'm pretty much marooned out here in Wisconsin but thanks for the invite.
Busy but somewhat lonely, actually! We thought we’d try this past year living out in this rural area of Virginia. We’re trying to decide where to settle in these retired years, and trying out different places. But I think we’ll just end up settling back where we’ve always lived, Washington D.C..😅 Great metaphor, glyphosate sold like it is as safe as a bottle of milk! I just read that Wisconsin and Virginia are two of the states which have approved glyphosate for aquatic use. 😩
As Dorothy used to say, "There's no place like home."
Regarding the glyphosate comment I can't help but thinking again - When will we ever learn? And, when does ground water NOT mix with groundwater, not to mention the unknown effects on wildlife. Insanity!
Exactly!! Such insanity. Gosh I love your Wizard of Oz reference! 🤗 I was just thinking, I haven’t met even the cowardly lion or the tin man out here.😅 Our neighbors are not close by, and they’ve never come by to meet us. But I’m going to ask Alicia or Ken today just to walk up the hill with me and finally knock on their doors and just meet them. I don’t even know if they work or are retired or are country gentry or big glyphosate users 😱 I’ve only seen in the distance one man outdoors just one time. And cars driving their long driveway through the trees. You seem to be a motivating force for me in this conversation, thank you! You probably have that effect on people in your life in general. A patient listener and careful observer and astute writer and kind person. Thank you!! I’ll text back after Alicia and I walk up the hill - or get carried away on winds to Oz 😊🌪️🌈
If you're getting nostalgic for the cowardly lions, congressional leadership is filled with them, speaking of "agent" orange. I think meeting your neighbors with an open mind is a wonderful venture for today!
Now that I’ve been bolstered by at least a cow liking us😅, back to your post!😍. It’s so creative and imaginative, funny and loving, and etc etc etc! May I ask you the same question I asked Sharon Bassano, are you a published author? I want to buy your books!!!
Thanks so much for the Kudus Karen, but no book's on the horizon - yet.
I love the word “yet”! 😍 (And until “yet” comes, if you’re a therapist, I want to be your client 😅🤗) It’s nice to find so many kind, understanding, and amazing writers here!
Thanks Karen, I'm a retired physician assistant, though I've been forced to take the role of therapist more than once.
I could not agree more about encountering so many thoughtful, kind people here on Substack - and great writers as well.
Sorry, link doesn’t work! We’re driving around on roads we haven’t explored before! So far no one’s home 🏡 and it’s raining. Will try again tomorrow. We did meet some new cows 😅🤗
You do get at least an "E" for effort. I was wondering how it worked out. For all we know, you might have made the cow's day.
Trying to find our neighbors 😅🤦♀️😂
file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/78/08/0E8A3E0B-8C76-4660-81EB-85447A84693E/IMG_2251.MOV
(Sorry! I didn’t mean to hijack your Substack with extraneous stuff. I keep meaning to start my own Substack 🤗)
Regarding the temptation to start your own Substack - what's holding you back? Your comments have always been well thought out and tell me that you have a worthwhile voice to add to this greater community.
Please see other half of my reply above. You weren't hijacking at all. I appreciate you being here.
Awww thank you Mark! ♥️😍
Just if of interest, this is our daughter Alicia telling the story at The Moth🤗:
https://youtu.be/QPHNyA6K2Vk?si=AMcrr6xdsBPxxzxu
I checked out the video and loved the story and the telling of it. Especially the part about where Alicia said - "He too had missed a delivery notice. She also did offer a very fitting metaphor as well to the effect - "It was like we had found the last piece to a puzzle that we didn't know was missing. BTW you definitely weren't hijacking, YOU WERE ENHANSING.
Awwwwww!!! Alicia and I are smiling 😀🤗😀
Awww that’s so beautiful! And yours are honorably inherited grandchildren!😍, versus my husband’s initially rather shocking surprise 😂 Lutz’s family came here from Germany to visit us, and we all fit together like a glove which had been missing one of the fingers 😍🤗 (I’m sure there’s a better metaphor 🤗)
Awww!!! So charming! 😍 I identify in some ways, I was gifted with a wonderful bonus grandchild too! (My husband Ken had 3 grown kids when we married, then a few years ago a man who looks just like Ken contacted us, saying he was Ken’s son, from the years Ken was stationed in Vietnam and Germany. He (Lutz), his wife, and their beautiful teen daughter (our only grandchild) are the most amazing addition to our lives!
Thanks Karen for sharing the wonderful story and built in surprise sequel. That must have been a shocker.
We inherited three new grandkids with my daughter's remarriage, and it's all good. I've never seen the two bonus grandsons eat broccoli so I'm not too worried. I think it's a recessive gene.
Awww that’s so cute!!! 🤗😍