The Hinsdalean - Community journalism the way it was meant to be

I have always encouraged my daughters to be independent, strong-willed women. Life is too short to ignore your dreams and squander all that this world has to offer. "Spread your... — Updated 10/5/2022

Several weeks ago, a friend was lamenting summer’s end as we drank margaritas on her deck. We chatted and watched the western sky glow. “Summer’s the best. Every year it’s... — Updated 9/28/2022

I stood in line at the grocery store behind a mother and her two young children. I watched her unload her cart and manage her kids with such serenity and patience that I confess,... — Updated 9/21/2022

I didn't know Craig Kruse. Craig passed away on Sept. 9 from brain cancer. He was 50 years old, six years younger than me. He left behind a wife and three children, many family memb... — Updated 9/14/2022

Picture a hammock: blue, suspended between two maples. From the end of the hammock protrude two feet. They are well-tanned and have not seen a shoe in days. Sunlight glistens... — Updated 8/31/2022

When my oldest child Brian was a baby, I befriended a Hinsdale woman of my mother's generation named Rose. She gave me loads of practical advice about baby care and even babysat... — Updated 8/17/2022

“Why are you being so weird?” my son asked me as we drove to the DMV to get his driver’s license. “I feel like it’s my last chance to teach you,” I said, as I hurriedly... — Updated 8/10/2022

Life is best lived with the confidence of a 6-year-old in a princess costume. Let me explain. My oldest daughter Gabriella has always been one for costumes, crowns and princesses. B... — Updated 8/3/2022

Three years ago, I was looking to attend a college that felt like a step into the real world. I wanted to go to a place far from home. I wanted to meet new people who came from... — Updated 7/20/2022

Sometimes I wonder whether Teri Goudie was a figment of my imagination. Surely, no one individual could embody so much love, energy and life. She was the stuff that tall tales are... — Updated 7/13/2022

Editor’s note: — Bill Lewis first wrote this column in November 2017. “Mary” is really Teri Goudie, who died Friday after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 64. If... — Updated 7/6/2022

I just can't stand the bitter cold Chicago winters. With each passing year, I am becoming less tolerant of the cold, the wind, the polar vortices, the bone-chilling wind chills and... — Updated 6/22/2022

LEGOS have been a part of my life as a mother for close to two decades. They have been barefoot torture instruments, irritating dust collectors and mostly sanity-saving... — Updated 6/15/2022

Thirteen years ago on a sunny June 4, we picked up our kindergartner (Colette) and first-grader from school. Our son, strapped in his stroller and turning 1 in two weeks, seemed... — Updated 6/1/2022

When you all read this, I will be on the verge of waltzing, pending cooperation from my heels and spotty coordination, across Dickinson Field for the last time. A freshly retired... — Updated 5/25/2022

First, in this age of full disclosure, I disclose that I am ... you guessed it ... a dad. But my preference for Dad's Day over Mom's Day goes well beyond self-aggrandizement. Dad's... — Updated 5/18/2022

I'm walking my dog by The Lane Elementary. As we approach, she eyes the bulky bulldogs guarding the front and goes down on her front paws, ready to play. But the dogs are made of... — Updated 5/11/2022

Time is on your side. Don't waste it. If you know anything about me, you know I absolutely despise waste. Wasted money, wasted energy and perhaps worst of all, wasted time. I have... — Updated 5/4/2022

To quote another Brett (but I spell mine with one 'T'), "Yes, we drank beer. My friends and I. Boys and girls. I liked beer. Still like beer." I've moved on from my '80s Old Style d... — Updated 4/13/2022

"Our flight is delayed," announced the pilot - to the audible delight of my fellow passengers. My mom and I used mother-daughter mind-reading powers to acknowledge that we had a... — Updated 4/6/2022

Golf got started in the Scottish Highlands. Men would walk for hours - up and down, round and round. But one day, someone had the bright idea of knocking a tiny white ball ahead of... — Updated 3/30/2022

I saw five robins in my front yard this morning. It’s almost time for baseball and the backstop at the Hinsdale Little League field in Peirce Park is being redone. Gabby AND Rache... — Updated 3/23/2022

Incredibly, we will be celebrating my youngest child's 21st birthday in a couple of weeks. Now I know you're probably expecting another "I can't believe I'm that old" column, but... — Updated 3/16/2022

“The birds are always chirping. At least there’s that. Every morning when I step outside to get the newspaper, the birds are chirping. I can’t see them, but knowing they’re... — Updated 3/9/2022