At 43 years old, I’ve decided to run away from home. I’m leaving behind my two children, my aging dog, my cozy home and my job. I’m taking my updated resume, a one-year lease on a new house, my cat and my future husband.
Next week I’m moving from Indiana to South Carolina. It’s not as bad as it sounds, though. My children are full-time college students, and at the ages of 18 and 21, they really don’t need me on a daily basis any longer. My 15-year-old dog is going to stay with “grandma and grandpa” where she receives constant attention and home-cooked meals. I’m replacing my three-bedroom ranch-style home for a three-bedroom house with a sun room, and I’m confident I can find a new job in the South. And in a few months, I’ll become a “Mrs.” on the beach. Continue reading ‘Running away from home’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
A popular topic of conversation here in the Blue House is our pets. Not only do we talk about them, we blog about them. You’ve seen Conor’s and Mandy’s new puppies on this site, and Brittany’s dog, Buddy, taking over her new patio.
I have a dog, too, but she’s not very playful. At the age of 15, my beloved Cocker Spaniel mix Penny, rescued from the humane society as a puppy, spends her days eating and sleeping (that’s her picture, taken 13 years ago). The arthritis in her back legs prevents her from bounding up the deck steps these days, so she needs assistance when she goes out to do her business. She generally moves very slowly, but there’s still a strong wag in her tail and a shine in her eyes.
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but I now know an old dog remembers old tricks. Continue reading ‘Old dog remembers old tricks’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
As part of my duties as a reporter here at Angie’s List, I peruse news headlines daily. And today I read about Japan’s effort to pare down its population, in the most literal sense. Citizens are being summoned from the workplace to government buildings to have their waists measured. The new state-prescribed limit for male waistlines is a strict 33.5 inches and 35.4 inches for females. Those who don’t meet the goal must undergo three months of dietary guidance, plus another six months of re-education if necessary.
“The government will impose financial penalties on companies and local governments that fail to meet specific targets,” the article says. Now that’s harsh. Continue reading ‘Now that’s harsh!’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
The Indianapolis 500 is two days away, but it’s race day here at Angie’s List. Today is the second annual Angie’s List Soap Box Derby. I don’t have much time to write, as the festivities begin in just a few minutes.
The entire Angie’s List work force was divided into 30 teams earlier this week, each with about a dozen employees. Team names and captains have been chosen, and $75 gift cards to a home improvement store were used to purchase car parts. This morning we’ll put the cars together, and after lunch, race them downhill through a parking lot filled with wet, sticky hay bales. Continue reading ‘It’s race day’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
I’m leaving for vacation in less than 48 hours. I’ll be spending a week on the beach in South Carolina, with nothing but sunscreen and seafood on my mind. So you’d think I’d be giddy right now from the excitement, right? The thing is, I’m too busy to even think about putting my feet in the sand. Continue reading ‘Vacations are a lot of work’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
My daughter is getting married. I’ve had over 20 years to prepare for this, but I’m not ready. I know it sounds cliché, but I don’t feel old enough to have a daughter walking down the aisle.
It wasn’t that long ago that I thought I’d be washing bottles and changes diapers forever. And after that stage passed in a blur, she entered her toddler years with a fascination for “The Wizard of Oz.” I followed her around in the driveway, pigtails flying as she skipped with a basket and pulled her Fisher-Price dog toy, pretending she was Dorothy.
Katie’s school years went by quickly, too. She was an excellent student and a responsible girl. I never had to worry about her finishing her homework or forgetting her tennis racquet for practice after school. She also took it upon herself to apply for many different scholarships, earning thousands of dollars towards her college tuition. Continue reading ‘Mother of the bride’
Amy is a staff writer for
Angie's List magazine. She has a dog named Penny, a cat named Twinkie, and she loves to go boating with her boyfriend.
