–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: Oct 30, 2018 I have a framed poster in my home office that I have had since high school, which makes it a decade old. I’ll give you a moment to step back before the lightning strikes. I got it on a trip to Washington D.C. from a restaurant called Clyde’s. The pub has been around for over 50 … Continue reading Chill Out and VOTE!
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: Sept 04, 2018 If you have been keeping up, I got on the plane then hopped on the “damn boat” to experience Alaska. I also was on what felt like every form of transportation known to mankind including, a bike, seaplane, train, ferry, converted school bus and scary, non-registered mini-van shuttle with a driver in need of massive dental … Continue reading Travel Tidbits (you won’t read in the AAA manual)
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: Aug 14, 2018 I’m actually doing it. I’m getting on the damn boat and heading northwest to cross “see Alaska” off my bucket list. The only thing is, to get on the boat, I need to get on a plane first. I know, I shouldn’t complain. It is absolutely miraculous that it only takes hours to transport myself, an … Continue reading The Ups and Downs of Flying
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: June 17, 2018 My cherished friend is struggling and my heart hurts. Anne is “my person.” She is my constant variable, my “North Star” beyond the 45th parallel at my home in northern Ontario. She is a hiker, colostomy wound care nurse, quinzee camper (think igloo with industrial sleeping bags), mother, wife and hearty token female that keeps pace … Continue reading Get on the Damn Boat!
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: July 03, 2018 My daughter has been enjoying the company of a young man. He is kind, respectful, intelligent, gainfully employed, and even though he is what I refer to as an “extroverted introvert,” he has a wicked sense of humor that emerges on a regular basis, oh, and he’s black. You wouldn’t think that the pigmentation of his … Continue reading WHAT’S IMPORTANT
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: JULY 05, 2018 I recently returned from a destination event that included over 25 family members, a few type A+ personalities and thankfully tropical alcoholic beverages. I quickly came to the conclusion that you cannot know someone’s true character until you travel with them. This lead to an epiphany of sorts. Forget online dating. I think someone could make … Continue reading Tell him to pack his bags … literally
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2018 I come from a long line of churchgoers, but don’t let that fool you. None of my family’s halos are blinding. Like the majority of people in my life, we are works in progress. Thankfully, one fact holds true in most places of worship. If you appear at their doorstep as a disheveled mess, holding the … Continue reading EMPTY PEW, FULL HEART
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: May 15, 2018 Green is everywhere, blossoms are bountiful and I am once again filled with hope that this is the year that I am going to have a spectacular, enviable garden. I am a neophyte in the world of horticulture. I still blush when recalling my inappropriate response to a male who came up to me at a … Continue reading How does your garden grow?
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: MAY 01, 2018 My parents will be celebrating 60 years of marriage this June 7. Thanks to them, I truly believe that opposites attract. It has been yin cohabitating with yang from the very beginning. Not only have oil and vinegar mixed, but they have fused into a beautiful concoction that has had a shelf life of six decades. … Continue reading My parents will be celebrating 60 years of marriage …
–by Mary Helen Darah PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 17, 2018 It’s official. I am middle aged—even though I still don’t buy that it is the “middle” of my life. I wouldn’t put money on the odds of me living to be 106. I could go into the gory details but the fact that I am beachside and currently attired in a two-piece bathing suit with a … Continue reading Becoming Real
