The Christmas décor has already been packed away. Another Christmas passed and further away from when Tony was here. I’ve convinced the kids we don’t need to put up the tree anymore. It’s so heavy and a lot of work put up and tear down. There are no believers in my house anymore and it […]
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And once again, we are sooo close to another New Year. And, Lynn’s Angelversary (Death Anniversary) is December 3. So for these two reasons, the month of December feels like a big ol’ transitional, reflective, “purgatory” type of mini-chapter. Last year in December, I also helped sell my childhood / my parent’s home, which they […]
Every Day is a Holiday
There are literally 45 minutes remaining in Christmas Day 2025 as I begin to write this post. Having just spent time on a variety of sites for the widowed on Social Media, many commenters were counting down the minutes and hours for the day to be over. Many more relayed how they’d dreaded the days […]
A Quiet Christmas
When I was growing up, we never had huge family gatherings for holidays. I can remember maybe a handful of Christmas days where my grandparents on my dad’s side stopped by for like an hour (and they only lived like 15 minutes away). I think a couple times my uncle, also on my dad’s side, […]
A Brief Family Reunion
This week, I am hosting Cousin Judy, who settled in California (by way of Montreal) many, many years ago, after moving away from here as a young married person. She and her husband had two children. Judy has been a widow for at least the past fifteen years. One day, she came home from work […]
Approaching Year’s End
Closing Down 2025 Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. My feeling? Pretty chill, actually. I’m saving my present wrapping for tomorrow after church. We draw names, so only one special person’s presents require wrap. No party happening here, so no busy prep. I plan to sit by my brightly lit tree to wrap my gifts and then […]
My First Christmas …
… without Jim. And there won’t be any decorations or a tree or any cards and gifts sent. I just can’t do any of that this year. It’s hard to get into the holiday spirit when you’re missing your husband. The Christmas tree is such a big undertaking, full of memories, and the other things […]
Pages of Grief
Last night I finished the book Maame by Jessica George. (Warning: Spoilers ahead if it’s on your To Be Read list.) The book follows Maddie, who is trying to find herself at 25 when her father dies from complications related to Parkinsons. She is at an age where she is working through finding a career […]
Visiting Cemeteries
I am currently in the Philippines, visiting with family for the holidays. We are from a small mountain town, where both my parents’ families have lived for generations. My Mom, who passed away 2.5 years ago, is here in our family mausoleum. Even when I was a child visiting “home,” going to the cemetery was […]
Holiday Adaptations
This week I spent some time in my former residence in St. Marys, Georgia. With its recent tenants moved out, I haven’t spent much time in that house for the last two years. With a new development currently being constructed literally in my own backyard, the woods that once lined that property have been replaced […]
The Joys of Home Ownership
Mario and I purchased our house (I’ll probably always call it “our” house) back in 2007. After looking at many different houses, this one stood out and we made an offer as soon as we saw it. Through a series of “perfect timing” type of events, we closed on the house within 30 days. I […]
It is Truly Better to Give
Around this time each year, I make numerous charitable contributions to causes that were near and dear to Lee’s kind heart. It’s a way for me to honor her that makes me feel like we are still sharing. *** For example, even before Lola the pup came into my life, Lee and I were stalwarts […]