July 23, 2018

National #GorgeousGrandma Day! Plus, GRAND Social No. 312 link party

July 23, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

National #GorgeousGrandma Day!

Of all the offbeat holidays, celebrations, and recognitions out there, today’s is THE perfect one for Grandma's Briefs readers: National #GorgeousGrandma Day, celebrated every July 23.

I'm unable to find details on its beginnings, but there seems to be plenty of information on suggestions for celebrating this special day, including some especially grand ones listed on the National Today website.

Considering National Today's graphic…

January 22, 2018

National Handwriting Day

January 22, 2018/ Lisa Carpenter

Tomorrow is the day we celebrate all things cursive... and hand printed. Yes, my friends, January 23 is National Handwriting Day!

National Handwriting Day, a day created to honor all things related to penmanship, was designated in 1977 and is sponsored by the Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association. January 23 was chosen for the annual occasion as it's the birthday of John Hancock, whom we all know had quite the flair with signatures and such.

November 30, 2017

Stars and Cars: Week Two

November 30, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

When it comes to week two of my film-going, Toyota test-driving gig the first part of November, I'm hard-pressed to say which I was more enthusiastic about: the movies or the mode of transportation.

Both the festival films and the 2018 Toyota Camry XSE provided numerous delightful experiences on their own. If pushed to narrow my faves of each down to a list of five, though, I'd have to go with the following five for each.

August 21, 2017

Watching the solar eclipse?

August 21, 2017/ Lisa Carpenter

Watching the solar eclipse?

1921 solar eclipse in Paris
Three Parisian women watching the solar eclipse of 8 April 1921 on the Cour du Havre, next to the gare Saint-Lazare. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Are you watching today's solar eclipse? How are you watching? From where and with whom? Depending on when you read this it may all be past tense, but either way, I'd love to hear your view on the phenomenon.

I will be watching... from my backyard with only my dog, Mickey, as my companion to ooh and aah over the event. And I'll be sporting my mandatory eclipse spectacles for a direct view of the show.

My eclipse glasses became nearly a no-go for me (and mine) at the last minute, despite my having ordered several pair for my entire family a month or so ago. The glasses...

February 10, 2016

Introducing my Disney Grand Adventure co-adventurers

February 10, 2016/ Lisa Carpenter

My Disney Grand Adventure wasn't only about experiencing the sights and sounds, thrills, chills, and spills of Walt Disney World with my daughter and grandsons. No, it was about work. My work as a member of the media.

I was joined on the work portion of the adventure — if you can call touring Walt Disney World resorts work — by a great group of gals. I spent nearly as much time with my media co-adventurers as I did my family, and I couldn't have been included with a better bunch of bloggers, writers, media mavens. They were funny, generous, interesting, inspiring, supportive, worth getting to know, worth following.

I'd like to introduce them to you.

Disney Grand Adventure media

From left to right in our one and only group photo, taken on the grand stairs of...

June 11, 2014

Sweets, meats and lots of wine

June 11, 2014/ Lisa Carpenter

World Food Festival

Jim and I attended the inaugural World Food Festival in Colorado Springs on June 1, and the array of ethnic delights were so beautifully presented I can't resist...