Mirror mirror on the wall . . . what the hell happened to us all?

My friend Margaret had already purchased the 10X magnifying mirror—before I could warn her about the consequences. As we progress along the aging continuum (how's that for euphemizing 'getting old'?) we often need help chasing down those errant eyebrow or chin hairs. Over time, we move from 5X to 7X and we're now at the 10X stage which can be truly traumatizing when we go exploring. If you want to restart your sluggish heart or enact your own version of Edvard Munch's The Scream, then checking out your face in…

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Old Victorian house is major character in Barbara Kingsolver novel

When I read Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible (which I absolutely loved) several years ago, it was the first time I'd heard of the author and immediately became a fan. Her newest book, Unsheltered is not quite as engrossing but it's still a wonderful read. It's the story of life's plan not working out quite the way the characters hoped it would but coping and adapting along the way. Normal life. Willa Knox is a middle-aged science writer married to a university professor who never quite makes the tenure track.…

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Dear Santa: It’s me again . . . Lynda

I rather liked my letter to Santa last year, so I've decided to repost it in case he didn't get it in time to fulfill my wishes: Dear Santa: All I want for Christmas this year is . . . Enough already! For the most part I’ve been a very good girl this year, more nice than naughty and I’ve generally tried to be a better person throughout the year. By Santa standards that should qualify me for plenty of loot under the Christmas tree but the truth is I don’t…

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Step right up and behold the wonders of the season

When I walk into a department store at this time of year I feel like a mouse standing in front of a trap loaded with lovely fresh Gruyère, wagging my cute little tail with a sense of anticipation and a teensy bit of caution. My nose and my credit card are twitching, my ears are perked up taking in the cuddly Christmas music and my belly is calling out for gratification. I want all the cheese and I want it now. The cosmetics department is strategically positioned at the entrance…

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Princess Margaret comes alive once again in detailed tell-all

If you're someone who enjoys reading salacious gossip about royalty, then you'll love Ninety-nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret written by British author and journalist Craig Brown. To be honest, when I downloaded the book, I thought it was a picture book—a photographic retrospective of the life of the Queen's younger sister. The title was a bit misleading. As it turns out, there were relatively few pictures and hundreds of pages of stories, observations, first-hand accounts and general information about Princess Margaret, her lifestyle, her friends, enemies and her vices. And…

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