Magazine / Off the Beaten Path
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Grateful For The Small Things, The Big Things And Everything In Between…
I don’t mince words – let’s face it, 2020 pretty much stinks, stank and stunk. At the end of each day, I pretty much give thanks for making it through another 24 hours and lay my head on the pillow and pray that I can do the same thing tomo... -
Battle of the Sexes
My spouse has been recently diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and it’s pretty much thrown both of us for a loop. We’re learning all kinds of new medical jargon and how to pronounce prescription drugs. We’re treading new territory – and we’... -
Who Is That Masked Lady?
I’m just going to come right out and say it, I HATE wearing a mask. When our state first mandated the wearing of masks inside businesses, etc. in mid-April, I really struggled to adapt and adhere to the requirement. I am asthmatic and I have ... -
These Are The Days My Friends… Don’t Think They’ll Ever End
I think we are stuck in the movie, Groundhog Day. You go to sleep, hoping the next day will find the Pandemic over, life can get back to the REAL NORMAL and all of the BS garbage will disappear from the mainstream and social media. And then, when... -
Soul Soothers…
Three months of living in a world turned upside down, with something new occurring almost daily has my heart sinking to the pits of despair. I get flustered and yes, angry very easily. I bottle my emotions inside of me until they finally bubble... -
Hello – Is Anyone Out There?
My intentions were to write a full blown rant this month about the COVID-19 Pandemic and the rules, the many, many rules of Quarantine and an economy that is resting in the bowels of despair. I remark to my spouse several times a day, “I don’... -
The World Turned Upside Down…
Last month I was in the midst of building the April edition of Movin’ Out. It was a frenetic time for me, as all deadline weeks are, and it was during this mad rush of trying to reach the finish line that the world turned upside down for all us. ... -
The Things You Do For Your Grandkids…
Karma. Oh, karma, you really came back hard and bite me in the butt… It all started last summer, when I saw on the internet that the You Tube kiddie personality/sensation Blippi would be embarking on a national tour in 2020. My grandkids watch ... -
There’s No Business Like Snow Business…
That rascally little rodent, Punxsutawney Phil, made a bold prediction a couple of weeks ago that Spring was just around the corner. I found that slightly hilarious, because at the time, Winter had never really arrived here in Western Pennsylvania. ... -
Let Your Light Shine…
Over the years I have been late to the game in getting my Christmas tree up and decorated. My husband always gets the outdoors lights up before I am finally motivated to march up into the attic and haul down the tree and boxes of decorations.I also ... -
Spread A Little Love…
It’s December 14th as I write this column. It’s early morning and the skies are still dark, and I can hear drumming sounds up on my rooftop. I will confess to peeking out the window to see if Santa and his reindeer decided to swing by my house... -
Forever Young…
I must confess that, until I had children myself and my parents became grandparents, I didn’t really fully grasp and get the concept of what a grandparent’s role is. My grandparents and great-grandmother were not the type to play or joke around w... -
Thank You For Being My Friend
Ian CampbellJuly 23, 1989 – June 22, 2019The month of November has become a time of reflection and thankfulness for many people, including myself. Sometimes it’s hard to be thankful when it seems that you can’t focus on anything but the blindi... -
Understanding Oil Contaminants
I received a few interesting questions that may be of interest for our readers:“I brought my truck in for an overhead and the technician told me I needed a new camshaft. Why didn’t the oil sample results let me know my cam shaft was bad? “The f... -
Another Piece Of My Heart…
In all of our piles of “stuff” at our house (and trust me, there are piles and piles) is a huge assortment of sports jerseys. These jerseys pay homage to our Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers and Penguins.We aren’t true devoted fans as we don’t h... -
She Has The Soul Of A Mermaid…
Our family recently returned from a last-minute planned vacation to Ocean City, Maryland. We had no vacation scheduled for this year but back in June, our oldest granddaughter Mackenna expressed extreme sadness - her kindergarten class had drawn a ph... -
Grandkids Say the Darndest Things…
It’s no secret that I am “gaga” (see what I did there – wink, wink) about my grandkids. I admit it, my life revolves around these four adorable little munchkins. I would do just about anything for them and they know it.Summer is rolling by... -
Tiny Dancers…
I was sitting in a crowded (and hot) auditorium last night along with hundreds of other proud parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and aunts and uncles. We were anxiously waiting for the stars of the show to come onto the stage. Yes, it was da... -
I’m As Free As A Bird…
It’s hard to believe but in a few short weeks, I will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of my graduation from high school. And trust me, I have been celebrating that graduation every day for the past 40 years. Our senior class “theme” song ... -
Winter Is Here…
*Minor GOT spoilers ahead* Now, let me explain…. I know that what felt like an endless winter and its Polar Vortex is (hopefully) finally over for this year. But, for Game of Thrones fans, winter has just arrived after a very long 17 months of wait...