Category Archives: Uncategorized

From Perri, a new piece in the Wall Street Journal about Shakespeare and Sheila: But the person who should have been there with me to stand and cheer was gone. If my mother had been there, she would have insisted … Continue reading →

From Sheila’s granddaughter: I wanted to alert blogginggrandma readers to a piece by my mother, Sheila’s daughter, on the New York Times New Old Age blog today about taking care of Sheila, a reflection of sorts on the piece that Sheila … Continue reading →

**Note from Josephine (Sheila’s granddaughter): It’s very strange and very sad and, on occasion, even a little bit joyful to go back through my grandmother’s digital archives. Her computer leaves no doubt that Sheila was busy writing and making and editing new documents … Continue reading →

I remember. This is exactly what I heard.  “She is pale, so very pale, Madam. She look to me just like a cute little white mouse!” These were not the words of admiration I was expecting to hear then in … Continue reading →

Of course, Shakespeare was writing of Cleopatra, and Cleopatra was who, in the 1940’s in my youthful fantasies, I wanted to grow up to be. Alas, I was overweight, Orthodox Jewish, myopic, a teacher with thick eyeglasses, so I never … Continue reading →

Since I’d already passed my 86th birthday and no supernatural marvel had ever occurred to me personally, I did not, of course, anticipate or expect one. In fact, I absolutely and resolutely could not believe what happened and I was … Continue reading →

Sometimes I walk blocks to save pennies and nickels. Walking is healthful, so why is my frugality eccentric? What makes a  scheduled marathon better than a brisk walk that saves a quarter – or even a dime?  Money? One grade … Continue reading →

One of the delights of teaching undergraduate literature in the community college English Department is that the course combines British authors and Americans.  It’s an absolute natural, right?  Same language?  Same origins?  Well, similar – of course,  all that was … Continue reading →