Do you remember that one car you owned in your life that took on memorable status? The one that not only revives horrible flop-sweats, but also brings back memories that make you smile? I have one of those. It’s a 1999 Toyota Camry. A white, four-door. The car that if you gave its description to a police officer, they’d say “well that narrows it down to about two million possible matches.” They made a ton of these back in the…
As an adult, I’m a big kitchen person. I love to cook. I find it relaxing. I like trying new recipes, tweaking ingredients, and all of the prep that goes with cooking (I also clean as I go, which my wife is a big fan of). If there would be a camera on me while I work in the kitchen, you’d see that it’s almost like watching a TV show on the Food Network. I carefully prep all of my…
Well, Halloween has come and gone, so now we can all get amped up for the Christmas holiday season, right? Christmas songs have already started playing on the radio, Walt Disney World has their holiday decorations up, Mariah Carey announced that she is ready for the Christmas season (as if anyone cared), and retailers are touting their holiday deals. Hang on – how about we pump the brakes on all the “holly-jolly” there for a minute. Aren’t we forgetting something? …
Did you ever feel you have a “million dollar” idea? Not that you’d literally make a million dollars, but an idea you feel just “can’t miss”? My wife and I get these all the time. For example, years ago, we thought that if a pet food company came out with cans of gravy – just gravy – they’d make a fortune. We even named our idea – “Auntie Leigh’s Happy Lappin’ Cat Gravy”. Sure fire winner right there, and apparently…
Attention procrastinators! Mother’s Day is just around the corner (Sunday, May 8th), and you may be scrambling to think of that perfect gift for Mom on her special day. Should you take her to lunch, brunch, or dinner? Well, restaurant statistics point out that Mother’s Day is the busiest restaurant day of the year (Sorry, Dads, you come in at a distant 3rd place). If you haven’t made a reservation somewhere by now, chances are you aren’t going to, and…
Another major milestone in the Snyder household this week. My oldest daughter just turned twenty-one years old. I know – it’s hard to believe – and a little shocking to say. Not to wax nostalgic, but it really doesn’t seem like all that long ago when the hospital in Florida let us go home with her – a tiny infant that would totally rely on us for her future existence. My wife and I looked at each other with fear…
Ahhhh, the happy dreams of a young (or older) couple that decides to have children. At first – as infants – they require round-the-clock care. Mom and Dad look forward to the day when diapers and formula will no longer need to be purchased (it’s like getting a raise to one’s weekly paycheck each time one of these necessities is eliminated from the weekly grocery bill). Someday, this wiggling, crying human will sleep through the night. What a day that…
The saying goes – “when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade”. Yeah – well sometimes, it’s just a big ‘ol bag of damn lemons (that nobody asked for or wanted). That pretty much describes my past week. Here’s a sample of the fun and frolic I’ve been experiencing over the past few days. I was in a project meeting this past Thursday at work when my cell phone rings. It’s my youngest daughter, and there are lots of heated…
Nothing beats being able to combine two good things and turning them into one great thing. Chocolate and peanut butter, Crown Apple and ginger ale, or Steve Martin and Martin Short are fine examples. For me, that means cool, autumn evenings and watching classic movies. Since movie theaters are still mostly closed due to the pandemic (or just starting to reopen at limited capacity) and drive-ins are all but extinct (but making a comeback in some areas), the next best…
As I watch my own daughters grow up, I’m reminded of the differences that seem inherent between an older and a younger sibling. Through observations of my own family, my own experiences, and my very unscientific conclusions, my theory consists of a few hypothesis statements: The first-born takes on the mantle of being the responsible, serious family member. The second-born is a wildcard. Sibling rivalry is real (Sorry, this theory doesn’t factor in any “middle” children. The only thing I…