Author Archives: Kathy

Idiotic Idioms

Posted on April 26, 2023 by Kathy

Idioms are not really idiotic, but they don’t make a lot of sense when taken literally. The two words have a common etymology. Idios in Greek means “one’s own, private, unique.” A Greek idiotes was a private person, that is, … Continue reading →

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Getting at the Heart of Blood Pressure

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Kathy

Fortunately, when nurses take my husband’s or my blood pressure, they simply say it’s good. When the occasional nurse quotes the actual numbers at us instead, we don’t pay much attention. High blood pressure is not among our health concerns. … Continue reading →

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Next Time Won’t You Sing with Me

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Kathy

An abecedarium is an alphabet book, which we more commonly call an ABC book. The origin of the word, dating from the 17th century, is obvious from its spelling. It’s pronounced like the first three letters of the alphabet–ay, bee, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized, Wednesday Word, Weekend Editions | 14 Comments

Sea Monsters on the Brain

Posted on March 30, 2023 by Kathy

Everybody knows that medical terms, including names for parts of the body, are frequently borrowed from ancient Greek and Latin. Often, the terms derive from what the body part looks like. The tibia, or shin bone, comes from the Latin … Continue reading →

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Embarrassment of Riches

Posted on March 26, 2023 by Kathy

As I’ve said before, sometimes people ask me how I choose what I’m reading. The easiest answer is to mention my book groups, which choose about eighteen titles a year for me. (One group meets every month, and one every … Continue reading →

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What’s Your Bailiwick?

Posted on March 23, 2023 by Kathy

We took a couple of weeks hiatus because our website was down. My friend Pete resuscitated us by updating some things (and I played hooky for a couple of extra days), and now we’re back and pretending it’s Wednesday, the … Continue reading →

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Viva la Etymology

Posted on March 8, 2023 by Kathy

I just learned about a restaurant whose mission includes “conviviality,” in addition to good food and service. Naturally, the Latin root word came to mind. Vivere is Latin for “to live.” Think of some other -viv- words, and chances are … Continue reading →

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Happy Birthday Cake

Posted on March 6, 2023 by Kathy

My twin grandchildren turn two today, and I got to make the cake for their party yesterday. They don’t eat sweets often, so they were pretty excited. The recipe seems like a good fit for a Monday Meals blog post … Continue reading →

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Imagining a Father

Posted on March 5, 2023 by Kathy

(Readers–I revised this post a little, not realizing that it would have to re-post and re-publish. Sorry you’re receiving this slightly changed version of this in your email.) Imagination is the beginning of creation. George Bernard Shaw As I continue … Continue reading →

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March 1, 2023

Posted on March 1, 2023 by Kathy

March, or Martius, was the Romans’ first month of the year for a long time. Mars received this honor because he was the father of Rome’s founders, Romulus and Remus. (Their mother was Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin raped by … Continue reading →

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