By any other name
It's invariably the first question when I drop the big news. "What do you want the baby to call you?" Let's see. She/he will not be born until April and even though he/she comes from a long line of loquaciousness ... I have to believe it will be another 10 months before she/he starts saying much of anything. There is plenty of time to think about it and not much to think about. This isn't about me. My baby is having a baby!!Jessica and Michael are ready to be parents in a way I was not. They are secure in each other, in their lives and the roles they want to share in their child's life. That's the part I'm excited about.But nobody wants to

Coming clean
In a few minutes I'll be cleaning the house for the cleaning lady -- and I'm o.k. with that. A good cleaning lady is worth her weight in platinum. Once you find one, it's like dating the high school quarterback -- you know there will be a constant stream of better offers. So you dress-up for the date and try your best to keep them interested and amused. Our referral was a gift from our neighbors. This is a sacred pact that bonds us for as long as Merka works for us both. This is the ultimate generosity. We can not betray that trust. Did I mention she doesn't like the dog?During the summer, the dog was at the cottage for cleaning day. Now we

Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
In one weekend, I :1) found out I'll be a grandmother this spring2) turned 503) drove across the state with my dad and spouse to see an old friend4) sweated out a ravaging 100-year flood on the quiet creek that runs by our cottage5) discovered Bruce Springsteen "at 60" on the cover of AARP magazine.That last one really shook me up. The man is still doing back bends from the microphone stand and sliding across the stage on his knees. Talk about pressure on those lagging a decade behind. I don't want to drink from the fountain of youth -- I much prefer a crisp Sauvignon Blanc.Yeah, I know the last baby boomers on Madison Ave. are proclaim