Women, wives, mothers, daughters, friends. Hear us roar. Or laugh. Or sigh. Then watch in amazement as we chauffer kids from piano to soccer, pick up the dry cleaning, handle the banking for our husbands, grocery shop, procure nine (or is it eight, now?) Styrofoam balls of varying sizes for a fourth grade science project, recover six awol pairs of dance shoes, sneakers and cleats, wash and deliver a basketball uniform, call our mothers, commiserate with our girlfriends and prepare dinner for a meat eater, vegetarian and a kid who only eats things that are white or brown. Did I mention that we do all of this at the same time?
In her Everyday Adventures, Mary Fran Bontempo steers us through the wild ride of modern day womanhood, not always avoiding the pitfalls, but never losing a sense of humor along the way.
If you are a woman, you'll find yourself in these pages. Better yet, you'll find reason to laugh once you discover that you've got plenty of company on your own Everyday Adventures!
Introduction—or—Why I wrote All of This Stuff
I suppose it all comes down to joy. The joy of being a woman. The joy of being a wife. The joy of being a mother. And yes, here I am using the word “joy” in its broadest interpretation—pointed sarcasm firmly included. Hardly the glamorous stuff of which dreams are made, my daily life (most likely because of its decidedly unglamorous nature) unites me in an unbreakable bond with my sisters in womanhood/wifehood/motherhood. For most of us, getting through the day requires a sense of humor, unwavering positive thinking, and occasionally, removal of all sharp objects from the kitchen. We are one, and we must laugh, or we will undoubtedly flood the planet with our collective wailing, so essentially, I write to amuse. Also, I find that public venting, much to the dismay of my husband, three kids and digestively challenged dog, is a lot cheaper than therapy. I hope you see the humor in this collection of newspaper columns, should you find yourself somewhere between these pages. If not, I hope you find comfort in the fact that your life is so much better than mine. Either way, enjoy!
About Mary Fran Bontempo
Mary Fran Bontempo resides in Bucks County, PA with her husband, three children and their mixed-breed mutt, Casey. Traveling with her family from skinned knees, broken toys and tears to body piercings, broken hearts and more tears, Mary Fran finds that recording her wanderings in her weekly "Everyday Adventures" column joins her with her sisters in womanhood everywhere, giving them all strength in numbers and much shared laughter. Her readers, from all walks of life, respond knowingly to her observations on the perils of modern day family living, frequently contacting her to ask, "Can you see into my house?"
Ultimately aspiring to the lofty goal of being her generation's Erma Bombeck, Mary Fran enjoys uniting readers through the common bonds of universal experience and laughter. She recognizes the simple truth that as spouses, parents, daughters, and friends, we are truly all in this together and we might as well have a laugh or two along the way.
Women, wives, mothers, daughters, friends. Hear us roar. Or laugh. Or sigh. Then watch in amazement as we chauffer kids from piano to soccer, pick up the dry cleaning, handle the banking for our husbands, grocery shop, procure nine (or is it eight, now?) Styrofoam balls of varying sizes for a fourth grade science project, recover six awol pairs of dance shoes, sneakers and cleats, wash and deliver a basketball uniform, call our mothers, commiserate with our girlfriends and prepare dinner for a meat eater, vegetarian and a kid who only eats things that are white or brown. Did I mention that we do all of this at the same time?
Mary Fran Bontempo resides in Bucks County, PA with her husband, three children and their mixed-breed mutt, Casey. Traveling with her family from skinned knees, broken toys and tears to body piercings, broken hearts and more tears, Mary Fran finds that recording her wanderings in her weekly "Everyday Adventures" column joins her with her sisters in womanhood everywhere, giving them all strength in numbers and much shared laughter. Her readers, from all walks of life, respond knowingly to her observations on the perils of modern day family living, frequently contacting her to ask, "Can you see into my house?"