Category Archives: Memories

The Kirby

Posted on June 23, 2016 by vanbytheriver

I have a love/hate relationship with a household appliance. I blame it on a 1960’s salesman who might have caused the demise of my parents’ marriage. The Kirby vacuum cleaner has been produced since 1934, and even today, can only … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Family, Home, Memories, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , | 89 Comments

Chimes

Posted on May 25, 2016 by vanbytheriver

It’s a simple chime heard around the world. They say that memory is most easily invoked by the sense of smell. Sometimes, it’s about a sound. It’s the reason I like to walk around a local university campus. A few … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Inspiration, Memories, Random Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , | 62 Comments

St Joseph’s

Posted on April 29, 2016 by vanbytheriver

Like so many, I take a low dose aspirin daily. It has spiked interest in the orange chewable tablet once found in every family medicine cabinet. St Joseph’s Aspirin for Children. We didn’t have sweets in our home. It was a … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Family, Humor, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Adventures with Lye

Posted on March 12, 2016 by vanbytheriver

It started with handmade soaps. I received amazing samples from my friend, Linda.  http://nutsrok.wordpress.com/ Just out of curiosity, I looked for information about how they are made. I found a video that showed the process that turns the very basic ingredients into … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Humor, Memories, Random Thoughts, Work and Career | Tagged , , , , , , | 52 Comments

The Kitchen Table

Posted on March 2, 2016 by vanbytheriver

A few years back, I made a New Year’s resolution to organize every paper in our home. It’s when I realized we had far too many desks for a family of four. There were office-sized wooden desks for 4 desktop computers, … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Family, home, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , , | 56 Comments

Pie

Posted on February 19, 2016 by vanbytheriver

It is a foolproof pie crust. It came from a farmer’s wife, and maybe the saddest woman I’d ever met. Barbara was the manager of a small office where I took a temp job. It was customary to bring in … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, Inspiration, Memories, Work and Career | Tagged , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

O.J.

Posted on February 4, 2016 by vanbytheriver

Record-breaking NFL star, Hertz Rental Car spokesman, Naked Gun actor. That’s about all I knew of O.J. Simpson when the infamous 1994 low speed Bronco chase broke into the nightly tv broadcast. He was about to be arrested for the brutal murder of … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Memories, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 61 Comments

Her Closet

Posted on September 9, 2015 by vanbytheriver

A new school year. It always brings the memory. Letting her go. I knew the day was coming. She was my firstborn. She changed my life in so many beautiful ways. She was born on this day in 1983. There … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Family, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , , | 88 Comments

Losing a Wallet. Twice.

Posted on July 26, 2015 by vanbytheriver

Anyone with pre-travel anxiety will understand. I was traveling late in the day with my 8 month old daughter to attend a family wedding. As I ran those frantic last minute errands, I put my clutch purse on the top … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Memories, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , | 49 Comments

Lingerie

Posted on June 30, 2015 by vanbytheriver

I was almost 14 when I managed to get my first real bra. It was not a purchase. It was a hand-me-down from a friend of my older sister. It was a pity donation. I had told her of issues … Continue reading →

Posted in Childhood, Education, Memories | Tagged , , , , , , | 73 Comments