Magazine / Off the Beaten Path
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Gonna Take A Sentimental Journey…
I will ‘fess up right off the bat that I am a packrat, a hoarder and junk collector. I am also the sentimental keeper of family photos, trinkets, cards, and well… just about everything. We’re in the process of shuffling and moving around it... -
Talk “Birdy” To Me…
As I write this column, yesterday was Valentine’s Day. Some girls swoon over expensive jewelry, exotic vacations, designer clothes and handbags, and dining at swanky restaurants. And me? Well… the key to my heart is to talk “birdy” to m... -
Tell Me Why… (No, Seriously, Tell Me Why!)
It’s mid-January and while we have not had the horrible snowstorms that have hit the West and Midwest, we’re currently experiencing our first significant snow of the season. Coupled with windchills that have hit -9, people have been pretty cran... -
On Swan Lake…
Sometimes a girl, or in my case, a little old Grandma keeps secrets from her parents – and well, pretty much the rest of the world. And for some unknown compelling reason, I feel the need this morning to spill my guts and share this tale with all o... -
I’m Just Gonna Shake It Off…
Confession time – I’m kinda a “Swiftie”…. Not a full-fledged Swiftie, I don’t own ALL of Taylor Swift’s albums (but I do have a lot of them!), and I don’t know all of the lyrics to every song (but I can belt out a mean “Shake It Off... -
Adventure Begins In - Wait For It, Wait For It…
This Spring, Summer and Fall have been busy ones for the Movin’ Out staff. We’ve attended so many great truck shows, stretching across the USA. Some of the events required traveling by airplane and those trips were not without challenges and ... -
My Irish Eyes Were Smiling…
This Irish lass had the opportunity to celebrate the Magic of Ireland at the Pittsburgh Irish Festival, which was held on September 8th-10th at the national historic landmark, Carrie Blast Furnaces in Swissvale, Pennsylvania. Because of work, dang ... -
You Drive Me Crazy…
When I discussed the topic of this month’s column with my boss, aka my spouse, he told me to expect some backlash from some of my readers. I’m not a gamblin’ person by nature, but what the heck, I’m gonna roll the dice and take my chances. I�... -
I Oughta Be In Pictures…
There was a song composed in 1934 and recorded by Rudy Vallee by the above title. Lately I’ve been proclaiming very loudly to my friends and family that I really, really ‘OUGHTA BE IN THE PICTURE!” I am always the person toting the big, exp... -
Ramblin’ On…
The past two months have been busy for me, I’ve been traveling around to media events in Texas, South Dakota and the central part of Pennsylvania. I’m not a savvy traveler – and if I am driving, I tend to get lost very easily and very frequen... -
Look At Me Now!
Oh hey there – it’s me, still playing Laura Ingalls Wilder over here on the Homestead when I am not playing Editor and Photographer and about 4 other roles at Movin’ Out… I’ve been on a roll lately puttering around the Homestead. It all... -
The British Are Coming, The British Are Coming! No, Wait… Never Mind
My ancestry on both sides of my family is primarily Irish and I have the temper to back up that claim. Pollock, my married name, is not Polish, despite most people thinking it is and pronounce my surname, “Pole-lock”. (The correct pronuncia... -
The Book of Glad
In the 40 years of knowing my mother-in-law (who died last August), it is only after she died that I have discovered that we actually shared many of the same traits and tastes. (I am going to write in the present tense, it’s just easier.) We are ... -
Ricky Don’t Lose My Number…
This month’s column is dedicated to everyone who is tech savvy. Sadly, my spouse and I are not in that elite group. I’m not talking just about cellphones, either. We struggle on a daily (if not hourly) basis with just about every electronic... -
Don’t Touch My Decorative Towels, Man!
Back when I was a newlywed, 40 years ago, a family came to our house trying to sell us a vacuum cleaner. The wife was so happy explaining everything in detail. They left that night without a sale – my spouse and I could not even afford a TV at ... -
And We Were Fabulous, Fabulous…
It’s the week before Christmas as I write this column. I don’t have a single present wrapped and my spouse cringes every time he sees a mail, FedEx, UPS or Amazon Prime delivery truck pull into our driveway. The Homestead is bedecked in holid... -
A Dickens Of A Life…
This time of year always makes me nostalgic. There’s something about winter that tugs at my heart. I like the cold, crisp air and the fluffy white snow that envelops the ground. I get giddy at the sight of icicles hanging from trees and porch... -
The Luckiest Girl In The World
As I have mentioning in my 33.5 years of writing this column, family is EVERYTHING to me. It’s a thought shared by my husband and something that we instilled in our children and my daughter, and her husband are now teaching their children. Last... -
What Not To Wear…
I was a little indecisive about what I should title this month’s column as I had several options swirling about in my head: I Shipped My Pants was the strangest one and really didn’t fit the topic, but it gave me fits of giggles as I recalled tha... -
I Belong Among The Wildflowers
Tom Petty nailed it on the head – I DO belong among the wildflowers. I belong somewhere I am free. My heart is so joyful when I am meandering down paths in the woods or traipsing through meadows of wildflowers. I love to rise before the sun o...