My Daily Travels

At 1:30 am this morning, John's mom passed away quietly in her sleep. We will all miss her silliness, smile, and kind heart. In loving memory of Ruth Ann Austin Granato. No more suffering for my sweet mother-in-law. You may now rest in peace in the calm serenity of Heaven. Sign in to see full entry.

John is working a double shift today to make up for the day he took off while waiting for news on his mother's deteriorating condition. It is wet and chilly outside, so I have the heater cranked up, a fire roaring in the fireplace, and the Holiday Baking Championship on pause. Once I'm done watching... Sign in to see full entry.

I am an avid bird watcher. I try to learn as much as possible about each species that visit my yard. This guy with the ultra-wide wingspan was watching for easy prey from the roof of a neighboring house. Turkey vultures are not the prettiest birds, they stink, possibly because they urinate on their... Sign in to see full entry.

John's mom remains in a state of unconsciousness. We were told that even if she woke up she would be in a vegetative state. After her MRI yesterday showed no chance of an operation being helpful, the doctor ordered her food source removed after John's three older siblings approved it. Now all we can... Sign in to see full entry.

John's eighty-two-year-old mother suffered a massive stroke yesterday morning that has left her in a coma. We spent the majority of the day at the hospital waiting for news on her condition to which the doctor informed us that if she remains in the same condition today, he and his five siblings will... Sign in to see full entry.

Tonight is the Christmas tree light-up night in my borough, and fittingly for the winter occasion, the temperature has dropped to the 50s, making the air feel a bit wintry, which is officially still more than a month away. It will definitely be a heavy sweater and bundle-up kind of evening. The... Sign in to see full entry.

In my opinion, there are plenty of ways to express yourself without leaving a permanent mark, and getting inked is pretty permanent even though tattoos are a wearable form of art that tells a story. John and I are tattoo-free, and until a few days ago, our three daughters were tattoo-free. Our... Sign in to see full entry.

Although the first part of November is usually pretty mild weather-wise in Pittsburgh, it is still warmer than normal. This weekend, our immediate family plans to take advantage of the weather by grilling Italian sausage, peppers, and onions for an early Veteran's Day barbecue to celebrate our... Sign in to see full entry.

This morning, Pittsburgh's temperature is 67 degrees with a zero percent chance of rain. I have nothing more planned for today than doing laundry, preparing a Chef's salad for dinner, and tuning into an uplifting Hallmark holiday story. I am avoiding the political rhetoric and instead focusing on... Sign in to see full entry.

Starting from scratch is not easy after exiting a fifteen-year marriage. Walking out on a cheating husband with little more than her clothes and a few dishes, our youngest daughter just moved into a new house of her own with our grandson, and is currently existing from day to day on the bare... Sign in to see full entry.