Category Archives: Family life

The Jew and the Christmas Tree

Posted on December 24, 2014 by Susan H. Greenberg

As a Jew growing up in suburban Connecticut, I always wanted a Christmas tree. My  parents, raised blocks apart in the Bronx while the Holocaust raged overseas, refused to yield. We celebrated Hanukkah, proudly displaying our menorah in the living … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Holidays, Marriage | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

Where the Lunch Meets the Road

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Susan H. Greenberg

I’m not much of a do-gooder. I don’t readily trust organizations that ask me for money. (Thanks, Father Ritter and Greg Mortenson.) I am as resistant to fad charities as I am to fad books and diets, which is why … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Food, Grandparents, Holidays, Neighbors, Small-town life | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

MWF, Looking for a Date

Posted on February 14, 2014 by Susan H. Greenberg

I’ve started applying eyeliner when I go out. And earrings. If I notice dirt on my jeans, I might even change them. Suddenly, I’m putting a lot more effort into making a good impression. Why? I’m on the market again. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Friendship, Kids, Marriage | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

The Trouble With Vermont

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Susan H. Greenberg

I have spent the past five months trying to figure out Vermont, without much success. It’s not as easy as you might think, given its reputation for simple, wholesome, back-to-the-land living. Which isn’t to say, exactly, that I don’t like … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Food, Neighbors, Parenting, Small-town life, Sports | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Home is Where the Mess Is

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Susan H. Greenberg

The move to Vermont is behind us, if not the unpacking. It’s a slow process. Every day I tackle approximately one box, then collapse, exhausted, on a giant pile of mismatched socks. Among the things we haven’t yet been able … Continue reading →

Posted in Division of Labor, Family life, Kids, Marriage, Parenting | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

The Last Walk

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Susan H. Greenberg

I slipped the leash around his neck for the last time. He wagged his tail, hopeful even through his labored breaths that we might be going for a walk. Just 24 hours earlier, Max, our 12-year-old Lab, had been diagnosed … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Parenting, Pets | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

The Packing Wars

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Susan H. Greenberg

If you really want to test your marriage, just pack up your house. You don’t even have to move; simply spend time together determining who has more useless crap. In our case, I think even Mr. 70 Percent would agree … Continue reading →

Posted in Division of Labor, Family life, Marriage, Parenting | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

In Which Mr. 70 Percent Moves Me

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I’ve had a lot to process. Mr. 70 Percent has gone all out and gotten himself a new job. In Vermont. And so our gradual withdrawal from civilization continues. We left the New York area in 2005, beaten down by … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Marriage, Neighbors, Parenting, Pets, Reality check, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , , , | 22 Comments

The Lousy Weekend

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

It was nearing five o’clock on a Friday, and I was looking forward to the weekend: soccer, errands, dinner with friends, the season premiere of Homeland. Then the phone rang. “Mommy?” my daughter said. Her voice sounded shaky. “What happened?” … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Parenting, Reality check, Siblings, Teenagers | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

A Vacation from the Kids

Posted on July 25, 2012 by Susan H. Greenberg

I am now three days into the highlight of my summer, the holiday I’ve been eagerly anticipating for months. No, I am not wine-tasting in Napa, beach-combing in the Caribbean, or sight-seeing in Paris. In fact, I’ve never worked harder. … Continue reading →

Posted in Family life, Kids, Marriage, Parenting, Pets, Reality check | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Comments