by Marlene Bumgarner | Sep 16, 2022 | Aging, Australia, Child development, England, Family
God Save the Queen Standing by the railway tracks in 1954, waving an Australian flag, I began a fascination with the Queen that would last my entire life. My schoolmates and I had been let off school to greet Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip as they embarked on a...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Aug 22, 2022 | Books, Child development, Good Reads, Writing
Why Should We Read Classic Books? I have recently learned why I love great literature, and why we should read more classic books. Classics are timeless. Classic fiction contains thought-provoking situations that present its characters with sociological and...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jun 25, 2022 | Aging, Child development, Family, Grandparenting
Saying Goodbye to my Granddaughter One might ask – what is there to grieve about? No one has died. No one is even sick – this week – thank heavens. No one has abandoned me. But I’m grieving just the same. My daily care of baby Brighton, my...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Mar 27, 2022 | Aging, Child development, Community, Family, Grandparenting
A New Grandchild My first thought when my oldest daughter told me she was expecting my first grandchild was “at last!” I was sixty-four years old, with four adult children more focused on their careers than on starting families. Most of my friends were already...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jan 1, 2022 | Child development, Family, Grandparenting
New Year’s Day I left lots of space in my New Year’s weekend. No agenda, no schedule, no plans. The New Year is all about making a new start. I began by clearing away all the Christmas clutter, writing thank you cards, and taking a long walk in the crisp...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Sep 13, 2021 | Aging, Child development, Family, Gardening
Hi, everyone, It’s been many weeks since I last put up a status report, and I apologize. My attention has been divided in several directions this past few months, so this will be kind of a catch-up blog. Nana Camp After a few weeks of opening boxes and settling into...