There must be quite a few things a hot bath won’t cure, but I don’t know many of them.~Sylvia Plath The tub in our new house beckoned to me. It wasn’t just any tub, though. It was the likes of which I’d never owned before. Never even dreamed of owning. It was a marvelously decadent Jacuzzi tub big enough for two, with jets and all. And it existed in our new house for me to use whenever I want...

I had been told that the training procedure with cats was difficult. It’s not. Mine had me trained in two days.~Bill Dana It’s inevitable whenever cat lovers get together that the topic of litter boxes comes up — the merits and drawbacks of various brands of kitty litter, the best locations for the boxes, the problems certain cats have using the litter box and of course the debate over whethe...

Mothers and daughters are closest when daughters become mothers.~Author Unknown First, I must prepare. At the farmer’s market, I select what seem to me the best tomatoes — red and plump and promising. Next, I look over the peppers, choosing eight sweet red ones and a dozen hot red ones. Their shiny skins feel smooth to the touch. Finally, I buy onions, their flavor wrapped loosely in thin brow...

Life doesn’t come with a manual; it comes with a mother.~Author Unknown When a teacher called with her concerns about my daughter’s pallor and lack of energy, her comments failed to set off alarm bells. Like her two older siblings, Jill didn’t always eat right or get enough rest. When she came home from school, I asked, “Have you been feeling okay? Your teacher thinks you need to see a doctor....

Dogs are miracles with paws.~Attributed to Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy The clouds were as murky and gray as my thoughts. Brooding about life and deeply preoccupied, I collected some things and pointed my car toward the ocean. I trusted the beach to make everything clearer for me, and I wanted a dramatic, solitary view. On a dismal weekday like this I hoped to find everything I needed at the j...