You never forget your first car. — The ’64 Ford Falcon was Sky Mist Blue. I didn’t know that was the name of the color when I was a seventeen-year-old girl. I knew to check the oil, and I knew to pack gas money, cigarettes and strawberry-flavored lip-gloss in my fringed leather purse. Back in the 70s…

The Camino de Santiago melted my fat and built my muscles — Your body fat melts like butter. Your feet widen and flatten. Your skin browns, whether or not you use sunscreen. Your body will respond to the demands, and serve you well. It can break down, however. Be cautious. In Pamplona, I met an extremely athletic twenty-something who twisted his ankle…

Ditch your woes and dust off your backpack! — So you’re thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago, right? Here are some stories you can read through. I’ve done rough travel, and the Camino isn’t rough travel If you want rough travel, get a little backpack and head to Southeast Asia. Don’t take too much money, and take tuk tuks, trains, buses, and ferries. Get sick! Have fun with…

Swimming in the pond one hot summer night under the stars — Jay was well over six feet tall at fourteen. He had sapphire blue eyes and stared at me as we joked around. He had thick dark eyebrows. Full, red lips. He was growing by the day. He had massive thighs. He filled out his jeans well. I was demure and…

He was my dad, but I became his mom, and it was exhausting — As a thinking woman without children to raise, I’ve spent decades engaged in gloriously selfish behavior. Three university degrees. Shopping for what I want, whenever. Working full-time all my life, and typically rising to management. I’ve been a dancer, a speaker, a grant writer, a traveler, and a cat lady…

Getting healthy, staying healthy, and reflecting on post-COVID years — I got out of bed and thought, “Get your ass on the scale, and today’s going to be a great day.” I stepped on the scale, as I do most mornings. Since I stopped using my pre-packaged weight loss shakes and bars, I’m up a gasping seven pounds. That’s in…

He sure as hell wasn’t supposed to be there — Getting hotel rooms in Phnom Penh, Cambodia seemed like a luxury after my husband and I traveled with backpacks throughout Southeast Asia. Instead of the sweaty, grubby experience of carrying our packs on our backs, with long-sleeved shirts and long pants in tropical heat, we had a large room with…

I nearly died with a circle of kids around me — Spending the night in the barn was one of the most exciting experiences of my childhood. My brother and sister and I invited all the neighborhood kids, and we dragged old pillows and sleeping bags out to the red barn. There, we jumped around bales of hay, scared each other…

You’ve got talent! And my eyes are burning, but it’s so worth it — Oh, September! You came in hot, and now you’re closing up shop, leaving us with reading to catch up on. If you’re like me, some back-to-school event or holiday kept you busy. The yellow school bus! A new dog! A trip to Spain! Okay, are you back now? Sally Prag offers an…