Hello, my friends! It's been a little while, but I wanted to pop by and let you all know that our baby girl arrived safe and sound at 12:31am, February 23, 2016. She weighed 4 pounds, 11 ounces and measured 16.5" long. She's a tiny peanut, but absolutely perfect. We couldn't be more in love. It was a terrifying pregnancy, and delivery was more eventful than I would have preferred, but she is so very worth it.

I keep meaning to get a Flickr album up that I can share here, but have been adjusting to life with a preterm infant. You can see some pics on Instagram. I hope to get her birth story up at MeekManor.com soon. You can also see a sneak peek photo from our newborn photo shoot on our photographer's Facebook page. I'll share that one in the Buffista groups on Facebook.

Her online nickname continues to be Stitch. Since I'm so involved in the loss community, we've decided to keep her full name more private. Happy to share if you reach out.

I earnestly request your ~ma today.

The suggestion of a very serious illness is being floated my way.

I began the inquiry yesterday and was immediately given a follow up appointment for later today. Not super reassuring conceptually but good that there is something to do.

Please keep me in your good thoughts at 5ish eastern time. And a bit later as I face a barrage of blood tests which, you may recall, is particularly hard for me.

I want to walk strong, but right now, I'm just not feelin' it.

My dad's in the icu in critical condition with complications from his Parkinson's. I'm underway headed to Dallas now to join my mom and sister. The SO will be holding down the fort in Arizona until further notice. Unsure what kind of ~ma to ask for, but peaceful passing is certainly among the options.

It's official!

This morning the finalization hearing for the little guy's adoption was held. He's ours!

After a week in the hospital, my father did die, on Good Friday. I was able to be with him, holding his hand, at the end. We will be holding a private service on Monday, April 4th in Dallas, TX, where my mom now lives next door to my sister and her family. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Remember the Children, a charity that Bernie supported during his life.

My dad was an extraordinary man who influenced countless lives. Although we are sorry to have lost him here on earth, we know where he is now, and we celebrate a life well lived.

If you would like to leave thoughts, you may do so at [link] where the family will see your memories and condolences.

[link]

Could use some Buffista -ma. I'm on travel for work and my 88-year-old Dad has been admitted to the hospital with probable pneumonia. Good thoughts welcome.

It is that time of the year when I'm doing a lot of bike riding (when I'm not hacking up a lung, at least) and raising money to help Moveable Feast.

I have had the great opportunity in the last year to work at this organization and doing so has just strengthened my belief that the work they do here in Maryland makes lives so much better for our neighbors living with life-threatening illnesses. If you'd like to help, go here to donate: Support my Ride!

Thank you, Buffistas, for all of your support over the years! You all are a generous bunch of folks, as we all know. Plus, very pretty! XO

I'm stuck because my ride to my dental surgery fell through. Any Buffistas able to drive me to my oral surgeon's place at 9:30 and drive me home when done?

Tagline email oK.

Hi! I'm needing the power of Buffistas in order to get my quota of Facebook likes on a piece I wrote for a beer website, which pays me almost double if I'm able to get 400 Facebook shares (through the site) in 30 days. This one seems to be stalled out at 128 (sob!) so if you are so inclined, please share on your Facebook page, using the Facebook share icon just above the title of the piece, "Cask Ale's Journey into the Modern Beer World." [link]

This is the same piece that another publication eventually rejected after engaging me to write it (earning me my first "kill fee") so I have all sorts of insecurity feels about it. Thanks in advance!

Hey, y'all - I am actually in the same boat with a second article published on the same site as the cask article only one day after. (Makes it hard to pimp effectively!)

Anyway, this is about beer and food and science, and I got to talk to a kickass lady scientist and a chef and really nerd out during my research and writing of the piece. If you could go read and share on Facebook using the icons above the title of the piece on the page itself, that would be so awesome.

These low FB share numbers on both features are killing the shred of self-confidence I still had that I have anything interesting to contribute to the conversation.

3 Overlooked Beer Styles to Pair with Food.