Merlin’s favorite times of the year are the fall and spring, simply because that’s when windows can be open and he can watch (and smell) the birds and squirrels that he’d like to be outside chasing. Here, he peers intently at the back yard through the open window right next to my desk earlier this week. Merlin is the one who disappeared for a couple of days after an escape through a screen about two years ago. He doesn’t seem to eager to leave the comforts of home behind after that adventure.

How do we start over and give ourselves parenting we needed?
‘Let’s Make a Deal’: Democracy is like a dumb old TV game show
Hey, you! If you’re in New Jersey, you help pay for ‘Jersey Shore’
Why do we put off changes that might give meaning to our lives?
I wasn’t allowed to express need, so I’ve spent life traveling alone
Love & Hope — Episode 14:
What’s at the root of objections to real freedom? Paternalism
Modern weddings seem designed to conceal reality of relationships