This weekend marks what would’ve been my 29th Wedding Anniversary, not the 30th that I mentioned in my last post. It gave me a little laugh when I realized my widowed brain error. 29th, or 30th, no matter, it’s a bittersweet occasion, but one to always honor. So many who shared our special day, and […]
Blog
That is the roller coaster that is life.
Whoever first coined the phrase, “life is like a roller coaster”, really was spot on. It’s all there – anticipation, regret, excitement, anxiety, smooth sailing, times when you feel like you’ll fly off track, and of course, all the peaks and valleys. What goes up, must come down and what goes down goes up again. […]
Prayers in Honor of the Dead
This is the time of year when Jewish people celebrate the High Holy Days, which include Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Since at least the fourteenth century, they have followed a custom known in Hebrew as Kever Avot, meaning “grave of the fathers,” where they offer graveside prayers in […]
Pausing in the Badlands
A Day in the Life of a BadA** Widow Tiny pause in the series for a Badass widow story. Long story, but I found out I can leave two bags of refuse each day at the dump! I went! A kind soul at the landfill office window gave me the required orange vest to […]
Faded Marks
You know those restaurants that give you sharpies to write on the walls? So, you are encouraged to leave your mark on the establishment. We have one of those places close by. For awhile it was a staple breakfast spot for our family. It was a place that Tony loved. The food was over the […]
A Seven Day Celebration of the Dogs that Keep Us Moving On
I realized recently that in the next few weeks, I’m nearing my three year anniversary posting for Widow’s Voice, my not-to-be achieved 30th wedding anniversary date, and the 4th anniversary of Rich’s passing. I don’t have to dig too deep to find something to write about. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t inform that […]
Haunted Houses
Last Friday, a friend and I went down to a local restaurant that’s located inside a historic Victorian house originally built in 1891. It also happens to be 2 doors down from the 1895 Queen Anne style cottage Mario and I purchased and renovated (and that my friend still rents from me). We’d been there […]
School Daze
Tuesday marked the start of the tutoring year. Zoey and I had been scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Based on the last two years, I can say she is an eager student and a person who strives to excel academically. I’m happy to push her hard. In these respects, Zoey is different from the […]
The Premise of a Protected Sharing Space
The Container Part 2 of a series focusing on the benefits of a protected deep listening experience. It’s interesting which memories last the test of time in my brain. They are most often “stories” whose meanings remain current years later. This one lives in me from nearly 50 years ago. The concept of safe […]
September
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and the 10th, is World Suicide Prevention Day. Over the years my attitude towards these attempts to bring awareness has evolved. In a lot of ways, it has transformed with my grief. The first year, it made me angry. Prevention? Seriously? How could I have prevented something he kept hidden […]
The Gifts in the First Year of Widowhood that Shape the Grief Journey
I was contacted by a long time friend this week asking for resources for a widow client he was working with. I am sure many of us widows are asked similar questions, or asked if we would be willing to talk with someone who is recently widowed and may need to connect with another widow. […]
Planting Roots
Last week’s post centered on how a log cabin in rural Northern Florida became my primary home and haven nearly two years after the passing of my husband. I became an official Florida resident earlier this year and recently transferred my homestead exemption to my most recent residence. With four dogs now, and an acre […]