My love Patrick goes through beverage kicks. When we were new to the wedded world, tall slushy margaritas were our drink; we'd sit on the deck sipping our drinks and watching the western sky change …
May 26, 2005
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Stories by Eve Kelly
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Potato Chips
'I can hear you getting fatter." The line is from Tommy Boy; David Spade says it to Chris Farley as Farley pounds away at his junk food in the passenger seat. Husband Patrick and I …
May 12, 2005
Sunglasses
Husband Patrick's eyes are beginning to have that squinty Clint Eastwood look that his father's eyes have. Crow's-feet are starting to appear on my sugar lump's face. He needs sunglasses to slow down their onset, …
April 28, 2005
House Painting Tips
The Kelly household has had its share of painting disasters. There was the time we didn't mix all the cans of paint together and, after hours of painting, ended up with a mauve wall next …
April 21, 2005
Picnic Baskets
"Rain, rain, go away; come again some other day," I said, staring at the puddles in my saturated front yard. This was maybe the third time this year I'd planned a picnic, a proper outdoor …
April 7, 2005
Window Boxes for Plants
Mom's birthday is on the horizon, and I'm thinking window boxes. For as long as I can remember, she's always kept a vibrant perennial garden full of snapdragons, salvia, and alyssum at the foot of …
Irish Soda Bread
Nanna Kelly came from County Mayo, Ireland. She loved a plate of ham and cabbage with some good potatoes, followed by a fine cup of tea and her own homemade Irish soda bread. Nanna -- …
March 17, 2005
Ramen Noodles
'C'mon, Eve. Spend a few more pennies and enjoy your ramen," chided my old college buddy Canisius. "There are some really good ramens out there, and they don't take any longer to prepare." Canisius is …
March 10, 2005
Housecleaning Services
When my husband Patrick sneezes, the house rattles. And it's rarely just one sneeze; three seems to be the minimum. His attempts at sneeze control are all in vain, and his schnozz is getting more …
February 24, 2005
Valentine's Day Ideas
Valentine's Day chez Kelly has always been a quiet, at-home affair. Patrick brings me flowers and dessert. I cook him dinner after the kids are in bed, and we break out the crystal candlesticks we …
February 10, 2005
Winter Gardening
My friend Bernice reigns as gardener-queen of our neighborhood. Her rose plants grow like big bushes; her citrus trees hang heavy with fruit, and her vegetable garden produces more than her family can eat. We …
Coffee Ice Cream
I've crash-landed into the post-holiday wasteland. The parties and planning are over. Where needed, gifts have been returned or exchanged. The Christmas tree has kept its date with the wood chipper, and the holiday decorations …
January 13, 2005
Cold Weather Beverages
Margaritas are the signature cocktail of the Kelly household. As hot days turn to warm evenings from April until Halloween or so, we often sit with friends on the deck, slurping down the slushy, limey …
January 6, 2005
Holiday Punch
My family likes to get into its cups at holiday time. Some of them have deeper cups than others. A few of them stay in them all year round. For those soggy few, the holidays …
Gift Wrapping
I'm a lefty. Among other things, that means I'm not too deft with a standard pair of scissors. In grammar school, I was never the one picked to help the teacher cut stuff out for …
December 16, 2004
Christmas cheer to soldiers
Every year at Christmas my kids are bombarded with store advertisements and commercials. Though I can't do much about the marketing machine, I can counterbalance the marketing monster by encouraging my children to do charitable …
December 9, 2004
Tree Toppers
It's the most wonderful time of the year...," sings hubby Patrick. He has been belting that holiday tune out since before Halloween, his way of poking fun at his Christmas-loving wife. "Halloween is right around …
December 2, 2004
Ironing Fragrances
My mother was a crack ironer. My mother-in-law could have a man's dress shirt pressed in four minutes. She ironed sheets, undershirts, even underwear, watching cooking shows as she pressed away. My friend Shawn, always …
November 24, 2004
Sanitary Bathroom 101
Call me strange, but the holidays make me think of germs. Every year, we have our Thanksgiving feast with husband Patrick's side of the family. The patriarch's home, where the dinner is usually held, crawls …
November 18, 2004
Getting help with errands.
've been thinking about buying time. Between the kids, the house, the bills, the cooking, the cleaning, and all the rest of it, I seem to arrive at bedtime well short of checking off everything …
November 11, 2004
All that a mother needs.
Baby Peter has made his appearance into the family. He's my niece Maria's first baby, and the family is in a baby blue twitter. For a baby gift, I want to put together a basket …
November 4, 2004
How to Choose an Explosive Cereal
In my house, growing up, if the kiddies weren’t feeling well it was either the weather or they needed to go No. 2, or, as mom put it, “hmm- hmm’s.” Raisin bran has always had …
July 20, 2000
In Search of the Supreme Tortilla
A college friend of mine who hailed from England harbored both disgust and distrust toward burritos. He thought of them as seeping, seething sacks of food, secretive and primitive in an unappetizing way. I, however, …
April 27, 2000