It’s time to tell the truth about the reason the forecast was botched.
In my first blog on Patch, I present my view on the "chasm" separating government and the people when it comes to how their money is spent.
Mercer Island offers the perfect locale for a wide range of buyers—from the young commuter to the expanding family.
Dozens of 20th century novels about the British aristocracy are being rushed to print in hopes of cashing in on what one New York editor describes as the Downton Abbey wave.
Sometimes, we just need to force ourselves to take breaks during the most hectic times. Read how I slipped out to a matinee before hosting close to 30 family members last weekend.
'The best books' of 2011 lists are out. Find out what booksellers and insiders are liking for book clubs.
Do you think that playing violent video games will make your kids smarter? Do you struggle with how much "screen time" to allow? Is your child fully armed with the latest Wii, Xbox or PSs?
The models — yes the computer models that giveth and taketh away with no regard to our feelings are showing a major shift in the weather pattern starting on Sunday.
A reluctant dog owner realizes that puppies and young people have much and common, and similar strategies are effective in dealing with both.
Several studies say multi-tasking is not possible. I don't buy in. None of these studies were performed on a test group of moms.
During our stay in Arizona we almost forgot about the junk yard next door.
Ovens all over the Island are working overtime to get all those Holiday Cookies done in time. Today is my baking day and I'm making Peppermint Chocolate Chip Biscotti.
Most of us are waiting for a real snowmance, but why is it so hard to even get a date in Western Washington?
As Hanukkah and Christmas have arrived, overwhelmed parents of all religions could learn about serenity and faith from a mom who decided that laundry on Saturdays was "against her religion."
It's a lot of fun to decorate your house at Christmastime. Even us natives feel the weight of these wet, gray days and heed the need to brighten things up inside & outside. JG-
If you're tired of hearing only the superlatives of friends' lives through holiday letters, read this irreverent response to the mom- and pop-petition.
Today's World of eBooks and paperBooks offers opportunities as well as quandaries. Here's where I've come out.
The property next door had been for sale for a few months and up to June it hadn’t sold. It was a little cold in the early spring, and that might have kept people away.
Strong correlation between high-performing schools and surrounding neighborhood home values.
Now that the “We are the 99%” movements are still heating up this cold weather season I thought it would be a good time to apply some science, not politics, to the problem.
Nooks are sometimes TechBooks- and sometimes architectural features.
Nostalgic find at the Mercer Island Thrift Store
This is a strange chapter for me to be writing. Alice and I didn’t have children so I never had to get into conversations concerning the “birds and the bees.”
How a Mercer Island mom survives holiday hype, Christmas carols and the gimmies and want'ums.
High pressure too far west over the Pacific in wintertime means a good possibility of freezing nights and — maybe — snow.
Tackling kitchen cabinet painting, one cabinet at a time. Lacquer, anyone?
Celebrating Thanksgiving in the Ownership Society.
Here's an example of a highly visible but unfortunate builder "spec" home on W. Mercer Way as you exit I-90.
Remember when I said that the atmosphere likes to jump into a weather pattern and keep that pattern for a time? Say hello to high pressure for a while.
Does anyone else think that Thanksgiving has slipped from "togetherness and turkey" to "buy and binge" Black Friday?
What could a dog and a cat teach a parent about sibling rivalry? Apparently, quite a lot.
The sixth installment of my fictional account of how the state was split in two. This chapter focuses on "Starting Out in the Ownership Society”.
Here's 25 "Mid-Century Modern" rules to live by
A shoe-box full of a grandparent's photos give an impression of what the "Mid-Century" was really like.
Recent reports of a countrywide dip in home values doesn't mean that every town (or Island) is affected equally.
Meet The Bookends — and don’t let their laid-back style fool you; this group knows how to have some serious fun with books.
Snow lovers will have to settle for a "first-date" Friday through Sunday.
Here's 20 tips on how to keep your home truly mid-century modern (or keep its original charm — no matter the period).
A pillow from Finnish design house Marimekko proves that detail matters. Don't you think?
On picking another bold color in the quest to update and renovate our Mid-Century Modern-style home on Mercer Island.