First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript Sep. 17, 2014 It’s time to face reality. The Giant Sparkle, which Regular Readers know is our giant silver mini-van, (may it shine and twinkle forever) is a Giant Failure in the snow. And, as they say here south of the wall, winter’s coming. I’m not sure if the…
Author: Esther Baird
No Time for Back to School
First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript Sep. 3, 2014 Parents of the Tri-Towns, this time of year weighs me down. It burdens me with high expectations for either maternal inventive fabulousness, or witty ironic rebuttals of the same. It’s ‘back to school’ season and the national obsession leaves no argyle, printed snack pack, no double…
Zipping Into My Fears
First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript August 15, 2014 Over the years, Regular Readers may have picked up on the fact that occasionally I freak out in height-related situations. One of my very earliest columns detailed my trip up the Sydney Harbor Bridge (spoiler alert: I survived). On the ground, in my head, I know I’m…
Playing by summer camp rules
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript July 27, 2014 Regular Readers may recall that last summer we sent our older daughter to an overnight camp for a week and that I handled it with grace and ease by stalking her on the live webcams. It was a great experience…
School’s out, game on!
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript June 27, 2014 I’m typing this wearing a light jacket, but whatever, it’s summer. We kicked it off by walking out of school, on the last day with Red Sox tickets for that night. Our school had a half day, which meant our…
My Love is Like a Summer Vacation
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript June 13, 2014 Dear school year, it’s time to end. I’m over the folders and tests and memory work. If I have to call out one more spelling list, I will lie down in the flooded trails around Crooked Pond and allow myself…
A Peace of Spring
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript May 30, 2014 Well, it’s spring in the Tri-Towns. I thought for a while that our spring had broken, but there are blossoms on the trees, flip-flops on feet, and ticks on Blue Ears. Whew! We made it. With all this springtime sparkle,…
The Best Laid Plan
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript May 14, 2014 This past April break was mostly a stay-cation for Casa Baird. We attended birthday parties and play dates, and we visited North Conway for a few days mid-week. But, because I am nothing if not a mother who knows how…
A Piercing Moment in Time
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript April 23, 2014 BOXFORD There are many milestones that we celebrate in our culture. At age 16 you can drive, 18 you can vote, 21 you can drink, 25 you can rent a car (an underrated milestone in my road-tripping opinion), at 40…
The Family Calendar
By Esther C. Baird/Tri-Town Transcript columnist First Published in the Tri-Town Transcript April 14, 2014 I don’t mean to alarm you, but our family is going to not exist for a few days here in early April. We’ll still be in Boxford. The girls will still go to school (except when one or the other…