Maddie's Mom Writes

Category: This and That

  • Weird Words, Part 10

    Weird Words, Part 10

    Foofaraw This word is said to have originated in the American West where it has been spelled as “fofaraw” and “froufraw.” There are also other spellings. In writings of the Pioneer West, it was used to describe the frivolous trinkets, baubles, and gewgaws (there’s another weird word) used in trade. It is also considered to…

  • In Lieu of the Vet

    My hope was that I could make this amusing. I’m not sure it’s really possible. Maybe once we’ve done it there will be something funny to say about it. Although, upon reflection, that might be a stretch. The thing is, Maddie is showing all the signs that she needs to have her anal glands expressed.…

  • Adjusting to Being Home

    I’ve been a stay-at-home wife and humom to a dog (the eponymous Maddie) and cat (Bonfire) for a few years now. I’ve got the routine down. I know the rules of the house as dictated by the dog and the cat. My husband, Bernd, just this morning got the word that his place of employment…

  • Drive-thru Restaurants

    I’ve been thinking a lot about drive-thru restaurants lately. They are everywhere. Lots and lots of them. Right now that’s probably a good thing. But in the past, I’ve been known to remark that there are just too many of them. It makes eating poorly too easy. I’m old enough to remember carhops on roller…

  • If You Can

    If you can, then you should. If you should, then you must. If you must, then you can. I woke up in the middle of the night last night and had the above thought. It seemed absolutely brilliant at the time. Often such things do. I repeated it to myself several times so that I…

  • Murphy’s Law

    Over the years I’ve had a lot of experiences with machines of all kinds. Some have been pleasant and some have been decidedly not. The mimeograph machine that I had to use in high school comes to mind as a good example of the latter. It seems that my most frustrating experiences with machines have…

  • Was my Grandmother a Tart?

    With the arrival of spring, the weeds are popping up all over where I live. We have a lot of different kinds of grasses. Some of the blades are fairly wide. For some reason or other, I was reminded of how you can take a blade of grass, stretch it between your thumbs and then…

  • It’s so Frustrating

    Quite some time ago, Costco stopped carrying their huge cans of tomato puree. The can was so large that I only needed the one can in order to make five one-quart jars of spaghetti sauce. I have so many food allergies that I can’t buy ready-made spaghetti sauce. Well, actually, for the most part I…

  • Worry gets You Nowhere

    I try not to worry as a general rule. I consider outcomes and postulate responses. I prepare. I don’t deny that a problem might exist. It’s just that I don’t want to fret about it. Worry gets me nowhere good and often hurts me. But it’s hard not to worry right now. My sister says…

  • What a Mess

    I went out on Friday, yesterday, to do my regular weekly grocery shopping. People are crazy. I’d like to say that’s all I’m going to say about that, but it’s not. Warning. This is a rant. I usually have at least two stops to make on my Friday shopping run. Yesterday, I had five. I…