Tag Archives: family

Real Diversity

Posted on May 16, 2022 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week “Modern writers have suggested,” G.K. Chesterton argues (and it’s hard to believe he wrote this almost 120 years ago), that because of its lack of diversity, “the family is a bad institution.” And yet ironically, he … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments

My Final Summer with Grandpa

Posted on February 22, 2022 by mitchteemley

My Real Memoir While raindrops hang from bare branches outside my office window, reflecting grey winter skies, I’m thinking about summer. And not just any summer, but my final summer with Grandpa Frank. Pencil-mustached Frank McLaughlin, former air ace and … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , | 43 Comments

Don’t Love Your Family!

Posted on January 10, 2022 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week My title is a ruse. But it makes a point: There’s a widespread belief that loving your family and friends is the greatest virtue to which you can aspire. This is either true or false depending … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

A Personal Gallery of Holiday Images

Posted on December 24, 2021 by mitchteemley

Like most people, my wife and I snap pictures of holiday memories, fall getaways, Thanksgivings, winter daytrips and, of course, Christmas — Trudy magically Christmafies our home every year. Here’s a gallery of images (minus family-only photos) we’ve captured during … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

What I Really Want for Christmas

Posted on December 16, 2021 by mitchteemley

My wife and I have reached that stage where we have to “share” our kids with their significant others’ families at Christmas. OK, OK, technically I suppose “their” families have just as much right to them as we do. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , | 87 Comments

The Common Threads That Connect Us All

Posted on November 24, 2021 by mitchteemley

Originally posted on All The Shoes I Wear:
You never know what your going to get. Random, I know but….today, I’m a poetry rebel and challenge you to explore beyond the acceptable tends. There are a lot of poets out…

Posted in Poetry, Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Song of My Family

Posted on October 26, 2021 by mitchteemley

My wife and I recently travelled to the village of Westfield, New York, on the edge of Lake Erie, the heart of the America’s oldest wine-producing region. Here, I’d expected to learn more about my ancestors. Instead, after seeing the … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 52 Comments

Good-Bye, Sweet Boomer

Posted on July 28, 2021 by mitchteemley

Originally posted on Kit Troyer Blog:
I woke up around 4:30am today to the sight of an owl swooping into the branches above me and taking away a rat, which protested loudly as it departed from the branches and from…

Posted in Quips and Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

My First Big Fork in the Road

Posted on July 27, 2021 by mitchteemley

My Real Memoir Have you ever wondered who you’d be if at some point you’d taken a different fork in the road? Pursued a different career. Married a different person. Chosen not to pet that baby alligator. My first big … Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , | 68 Comments

Farewell to a Beloved Family Member

Posted on July 10, 2021 by mitchteemley

Minuet – recent photo by our daughter Beth Does the fact that she was a cat make this post seem less sincere? It’s not. Anyone who’s adopted an animal knows that pets are family members–and family means loving unconditionally. Minuet … Continue reading →

Posted in Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 118 Comments