by Marlene Bumgarner | Mar 14, 2018 | Aging, Child development, Family, Grandparenting
Getting the Baby to Sleep This time last year I was in San Diego, taking care of my youngest granddaughter while her mother finished her Internal Medicine residency and her father worked upstairs in his office. Since I have returned home, I have been thinking a lot...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Feb 6, 2018 | Aging, Australia, Child development, Cooking and Eating, Family, Grandparenting, Travel
The Grandparent Connection This post will be more along the line of the essays my regular readers are accustomed to: a discussion of a children’s book. It might also help to answer the obvious question: Why has the author of a grandparenting and family blog...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jan 29, 2018 | Aging, Australia, Community, Cooking and Eating, Family, Nature, Travel, Writing
Victoria The Greenhouse Backpacker’s Hostel is in a high rise building in the center of Melbourne. My first challenge, tired as I was, was hoisting my roller bag up ten steps to the elevator. A sign on the door told me that Reception was on the 6th floor. When...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jan 16, 2018 | Aging, Cooking and Eating, Family, Nature, Travel
Day Two Rawlinna I awaken at 6:00 am to pink, orange, and red light filtering through the curtains into my cabin. A magnificent sunrise is developing across an unending landscape. Sleepily pulling on a sweatshirt over my pj’s I make my way down the corridor to...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jan 7, 2018 | Aging, Cooking and Eating, Family, Grandparenting, Travel
Day One Leaving the Station We left Perth at 7:30 a.m. I sat in my cabin, as requested by our Hospitality Attendant, who had greeted us at the door and led us to our cabins. Examining the various brochures and other reading material that had been provided, I...
by Marlene Bumgarner | Jan 3, 2018 | Aging, Cooking and Eating, Family, Travel, Writing
Flying to Australia Most people I’ve spoken to about flying to Australia say something like “OMG it must be a 20 hour flight! How did you stand it?” Or even more specifically “No way could I sit on an airplane for all those hours. I’d...