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April 14, 2021
lisakunk

4 comments

We’re Stuck Like Goo

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman Looking at the yellowed pages of our wedding album, I knew it had to go. The album, not the photos. Trying to slip the eight-by-ten photos from each sleeve didn’t work. In frustration, I tried separating the yellowed and crinkly plastic from the white edging and found that it was a […]

March 2, 2019
lisakunk

10 comments

Finish the Book Already: Ignore Distractions

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman Have mercy! Between my husband chopping wood outside my office window, my cat lounging all over my messy desk, my dogs underneath my feet begging to go in and out, this book is on the slow track to completion.   My thought is, those who can’t do, watch. And be distracted. […]

July 30, 2018
lisakunk

13 comments

Long Live Mr. Treehouse: Only Now He’s Mr. Bridge Patio Thingy Over the Stream

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman After seeing our empty-nester treehouse come down last week, many people from all around shared how they felt the pull of childhood fun coming to an end. End? Never! Transform, yes. We live by rules such as Waste not, want not and all kinds of cliches like that. As we will one […]

July 27, 2018
lisakunk

26 comments

Empty Nest Flutterings: Come on Down, Mr. Treehouse

  By Lisa Batten Kunkleman There comes a time, when the nest is empty, we push back the tears and make room for other things; like hammocks and memories. Today’s the day. Once a sturdy sight for kid’s eyes. Barn red siding, climbing pegs, and a yellow slide, you were a group project and a […]

June 26, 2018
lisakunk

22 comments

Distractibility at Its Finest: If You Give a Writer An Idea

  By Lisa Batten Kunkleman Distracted as usual from my to do list, I spend far too much time on line reading other people’s blogs and enjoying chats with some of those bloggers. Those conversations, often spur me on to write more blog posts, which is a good thing. I figure I should do so […]

June 18, 2018
lisakunk

22 comments

Hershey Nuggets: A surprising Memory Aid

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman My mother’s memory technique would never work in our house. She uses a kitchen table candy dish filled with dark chocolate Hershey Nuggets for more than maintaining healthy cholesterol levels. If she wants to remind herself to take the trash out to the street, she sets one nugget on the table. […]

March 26, 2018
lisakunk

13 comments

The Puppy Chewed up What?

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman You’re kidding me. That’s my new gazillion dollars heartburn medicine scattered all over the entry hall rug! So this is a slight cost exaggeration but those Dexilant pills cost about ten dollars apiece until our deductible is met and are my last resort in my relentless reflux battle.   So what […]

9 comments

Clutter, Collectibles, and Critical Keepsakes: Barriers to Clearing and Controlling the Chaos Even With an Empty Nest

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman Today, while clearing some space on a bookshelf over-stuffed like me in Spanx, with photo albums, baby books, and home movies, I discovered an unlabeled, black three-ringed binder. Opening the notebook, I was pleasantly surprised and reminded of how organized I have always tried to be. Especially when paperwork is involved. […]

17 comments

Oh, Christmas Flu

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman Just kidding about the cat. He was not hugging the commode but was drinking in this picture and actually, he’s been drinking heavenly toilet water for several years now. However, with our triplets home from college and lots of family around, the two legged critters in our house or some of […]

15 comments

The Best Christmas Guest: Guess Who

By Lisa Batten Kunkleman My favorite guest is visiting for the holidays. Each year, our friend hangs out from Thanksgiving until after New Years. There’s a saying that fish and company smell after three days. Not this fellow.  This guy is welcome to stay until he absolutely must leave and he smells great too, by […]