Monthly Archives: June 2020

I didn’t know life after death would have so much dessert. My dad became the sweet tooth in the Calcari family, starting after his open heart surgery and continuing through his decade-long journey with cancer. We tried, begged, bargained to … Continue reading →

The story about Dad is a little story about hope.  It’s about knowing the odds are against you but tying up your shoelaces and getting into the game. It’s about taking on life with zest and curiosity. It’s about making … Continue reading →

Last summer, my mom made the decision – on behalf of the entire house – to not put the hanging ferns up on the wraparound porch, home to generations of red finches. She said, “The birds, they’re noisy and poop … Continue reading →

Love is savoring one M&M for minutes. Reaching into the porcelain bowl by his bed and choosing which color matches the mood. Today is blue. Love is the pleasing impact when the hard shell crunches and shatters, with slight pressure, … Continue reading →

It was a way out. Out of myself. Out of the brokenness and business suits of K street, the asshole lawyer in the elevator who asked me what kind of a cheap place I would work at to be able … Continue reading →

It’s golden, creamy when warm, hard when soft. It melts in my mouth, or on a slab of freshly-baked sourdough bread. Transporting itself into an unforgettable liquid gold. The Illinois state fair’s dairy barn fashions a statue of Abraham Lincoln … Continue reading →