Oct. 18, 2015 at 12:01 AM While texting may be the new form of communication, when it comes to couples’ texting, it can be damaging. Texting tantrums are becoming the new way for couples to argue. Have you even been in a room in which a young man keeps answering text after text? Then he…
Making a Trail for Gratitude, Projo
By Rita Watson Special to The Journal Posted Sep. 20, 2015 @ 12:01 am Every once in a while my Pollyanna disposition takes a dive and I just cannot find my smile. When that happened a few weeks ago, I thought of all those who had come to me wishing for a magic word to uplift…
The mystery of friends who fade away, Projo
RELATED CONTENT • Rita Watson: Making a trail for gratitude Rita Watson / Posted Aug. 23, 2015 at 12:01 AM In this world of fluid friendships, the term “ghosting” has come into our vocabulary. It defines people in our lives who basically fade from us until they are gone — with no explanation. During our grandparents’…
Grandpa's Garden Brought Him Joy, Projo
Grandpa with a bunch of his finocchio (fennel) plants. Courtesy of Rita Watson By Rita Watson Special to The JournalPosted Sep. 6, 2015 @ 12:01 am As the harvest moon implies, September marked the time when Grandpa would be bringing in the last of the vegetables from the garden. And for Grandma, her…
Creating "A Time" for Grandma, ProJo
By Rita Watson Special to The JournalPosted Oct. 4, 2015 @ 12:01 am Today we have get-togethers and parties, but when Grandma would reminisce about a large gathering of food and family, she called the event “a time.” My younger sister, Lois, gathered old family photos into a pictorial family history. Looking through it again the…
Restoring a Sense of Gratitude
By Rita Watson Special to The Journal Posted May. 31, 2015 at 12:01 AM Compassion is more than just a feeling; it compels us to reach out and help others. We see outpourings of compassion when a tragic event occurs. Yet ironically, many of us have difficulty when those within our intimate circle anger, betray,…
Grandma's Blessing: Lost and Found, Projo
Grandma always had a house full of food ready to be turned into a scrumptious meal. The family house was on the water and she cooked enough to feed the Navy should sailors drop anchor at their dock. She liked to be prepared. When she knew that she was going to visit someone on the…
When your heart is broken, you need human contact, ProJo
Rita Watson Special to the Journal/ Posted Jul. 26, 2015 @ 12:01 am In today’s texting society, loving and leaving have become depersonalized. We send little yellow heads that throw kisses instead of looking someone in the eyes and saying, “I love you.” When the infatuation ends, the dreaded break-up text arrives. Whether walking on…
When the Wandi Family Story Changed
Grandma took great pride in her cooking. Even though Grandpa worked at the pastry shop with his family, Grandma created delicacies that were just for her children and grandchildren. One of her prize creations consisted of paper-thin fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar, wandi, traditionally shaped like wands. However, Grandma fashioned hers into angels’…
Grandma's Olive Oil Secret, Projo
Published/ Providence Journal/ June 14, 2015 Grandma called olive oil the secret to life Our mother loved visiting new physicians so she could entertain them with stories of why she looked so young at 90 years of age. “I live like my mother and father did by eating fresh vegetables, beans, and cooking with pure…