Sidetracked Stories

Stress. It can really shut me down. Over the years, I've discovered that the best strategy to conquer this feeling is to talk. That, together with the thought of "What's the worst that can happen?" has helped me get perspective on many overwhelming situations--one being when I went to take the road test for my driver's license. In this episode, Judy and I discuss "Learning to Drive". We talk about...

Have you ever noticed that anyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac? --George Carlin I think the only time we are accurately SELF-conscious when we are driving...is when we are just learning! In today's episode, I talk with Sandy about "Learning to Drive". She tells me about how glass packs were used to make a car sound "cool". She remembers the tr...

Did you pass your driving test on the first try? According to the Division of Vehicle Safety Administration in 2018/2019, there is only a 45.8% pass rate for those taking the test the first time. The two most common reasons for failure are cutting the corner when making a right-hand turn and "failure to control the vehicle"--whatever that means?! Today, I talk with Michelle about "Learning to Driv...

According to Google, a 2020 study found that most people learn to drive when they are 17 or 18--it's really an important step in "growing up". However, 18% of people wait until later in life (in their 30s and 40s) to learn to drive. This week, the Sidetracked Sisters are exploring "Learning to Drive". Judy and I talk about how driver's education has changed over the years and about how our view of...

"We dream of having a clean house, but who dreams of actually doing the cleaning? --Marcus Buckingham Well, I think my mom, Sandy, may actually dream of cleaning!!! All is well with the world if her house is picked up and CLEAN...and her "bookwork" is done! (But the whole bookworm thing is another story.) We are talking about "Cleaning Mishaps". In today's episode, Sandy and I talk about her obses...

"Housework can't kill you, but why take the chance?" -Phyllis Diller (comedian) I think Judy would totally agree! she picks up, organizes, and straightens things, but cleaning, well... In today's episode, we are talking about cleaning Mishaps. Judy recalls how her sister was a good cleaner who didn't want or need Judy's help. We discuss having help cleaning our houses and our need for a cleaning c...

I love consistency! Although I can be spontaneous, I prefer to live with predictable procedures, patterns, and expectations. As you will see today, when I fall short in one of my routines, I almost experienced a catastrophic consequence. In this episode, Judy and I talk about the events of the early morning when I left the kitchen without taking care of the dinner mess and went to bed instead--thi...

"It is amazing how quickly kids learn to drive a car yet are unable to understand the lawnmower, snow blower or vacuum cleaner. -Ben Bergor In this episode, Michelle and I talk about "Cleaning Mishaps". We reminisce about our childhood cleaning responsibilities and how we have tried as adults to stay on top of housekeeping obligations using the "Fly Lady" system . Unfortunately, whether or not thi...

Did you know that the average American moves 11 times in a lifetime? Mom is NEVER going to EVER get close to this number. My mom, at the age of 77, has only lived in 4 places and she feels a deep connection to each and every place. Today, Sandy and I are talking about "Places I've Lived". We discuss the new house she and dad moved into when I was just a baby and the move to where she lives now. We...

I always knew that when I started having kids I would want to be close to family. We began looking at houses in my hometown while we were actively doing infertility work. The search quickly led us to our dream house--unfortunately, it wasn't ain a dream location. But the house..was wonderful! In this episode, we are talking about "Places I've Lived". We discuss memories about a majestic downtown h...

Judy is like a moving expert. She has lived in 17 different places throughout her life. I don't know about you, but that seems like a LOT to me! Today we are reading and talking about "Places I've Lived".  We talk about how each place she's lived is defined by the memories that were made there. In California, it was making a home with her husband and baby. Then when she moved back to Wisconsi...

Have you heard of the tiny house movement? Well, if you haven't it is people who live in a home that is less than 400 square feet and try to simplify their lives by living with less.  My sister Michelle was at the forefront of this idea--or maybe on the opposite side???--while in college in the late 80s. She and her roommate tried to see just how much comfort and hominess they could pack into...

My Grandma Doris was recovering in a nursing home for a few weeks after falling in her yard and breaking her hip. We were planning a pizza party on Friday when she was going to be moving into my house for the summer. I got the call on Tuesday morning that she had passed.  In this episode, Judy and I talk about "A Most Interesting Person" and I read my legacy writing titled "My Feisty Grandma"...

"A girl's father is the first man in her life and probably the most influential." --David Jerimiah I don't know that Judy would say MOST influential, but VERY influential...yes! In today's episode, Judy and I talk about a "Most Interesting Person". She reads her legacy writing about her father and we talk about the last time he visited when she lived in Waterloo Iowa and the good memories they mad...

Do you have any family members that you remember with awe? Do you have a relative who lived life to the fullest? In this episode, Sandy talks about a "Most Interesting Family Member"...her Aunt Joan. This lady was striking, sophisticated, and fun. Sandy talks about how her aunt taught her about collecting butterflies and about perennial gardening. We also discuss the summer adventures that she had...

Do you have a relative that everyone hates to love? Well, in Michelle's family it was Uncle Lloyd. He was an eccentric, grumpy, old, fart of a man. In today's episode, Michelle and I talk about a "Most Interesting Family Member". We reminisce about summer memories she made when visiting him during several childhood summers. Michelle lets us in on how she used Uncle Lloyd's passion for clowning to...

You've heard of tall, dark, and handsome, well, my first REAL kiss was with someone tall, blond, and skinny--but I was looking so forward to that first smooch!!! (We were just kids.) In today's episode, Judy and I talk about kissing. I share my legacy writing and we discuss what happens when the wrong boy catches me in "Boys Chase Girls". I recount the details of my first REAL kiss and how we foun...

Lots of us have memories of playing chase games between the boys and girls during recess in Elementary school. In Michelle's memory, it was a sweet memory due to a slow running boy! Today, I talk with my sister about kissing. She shares her legacy writing, and we reminisce about recess. She also shares a memory of how a first kiss can affect your mood...maybe even your personality. Finally, we dis...

As a kid, I knew of the game called "Spin the Bottle" but never played it myself. My mom, however, played and was BUSTED playing an even more intense childhood kissing game. In this episode, I talk with my mom about girl parties! (It gets interesting when boys are invited in through a basement window.) Somehow, we transition into the controversy of dating someone from a different Christian denomin...

Have you ever heard someone relate the story of a perfect first kiss? Or, have you perhaps experienced the perfect first kiss yourself? In this episode, Judy and Lisa talk about kissing. She shares her legacy writing and tells about (arguably) the most movie-worthy first kiss I have ever heard. She also shares a disgusting story about chewing gum and about how her mom and dad were so sweetly roman...

Have you heard the phrase, "If your dog is fat, YOU aren't getting enough exercise"? Well, in this episode, Sandy and I talk about how her dog motivates her to exercise. We learn why Sandy hates to make resolutions and then we discuss a bit of the history behind the "Sidetracked" part of our name.

In this conversation between Lisa and Judy, we talk about committing to going back to work after 2 years of retirement, how resolutions sometimes seem to backfire, and the idea of using the New Year to celebrate the previous year's successes. Judy references two books, The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and The Fred Factor by Mark Sandborn , that have shaped her thinking about resolutions.

Judy and Lisa talk about New Year's Resolutions. We discuss what it takes to commit to a course of action and then follow through...step by step...even when that process feels like a herd of turtles stampeding through peanut butter. I share my word for 2022 based on some of the work I did after reading  Danielle LaPorte's book The Desire Map . Then, at the end, I give a sneak peek into a few...

Every week the Sidetracked Sisters get together to write. We are always amazed at how different our opinions are on any given topic. And our opinions about "New Year's Resolutions" are certainly diverse! In this episode, Michelle reads her writing and then we talk about her annual resolution to get healthy, drink more water, and lose weight.

This is the fourth and final installment in our writings on the topic "Who am I?" Each of the Sidetracked Sisters has taken a different spin on the theme and hope we've inspired you to get going on your own Legacy writing journey. In this episode, we talk about the impact that a short cartoon video called " Inside the Killer Whale Matriarchy " had on our sense of purpose. We discuss how a matriarc...