I realized after I posted last Saturday that it was the 2nd anniversary of when I met my log home for the first time. I do have to thank Facebook Memories for the reminder that on that very day, August 2nd, I embarked on a two hour drive with only my blind dog, Quint, by […]
Happy “Dog-ust”, The Dog Daze Endure
Happy “Dog”ust. The heat here in The South has been extreme, even for Florida standards. I went to touch the metal pull on my porch’s screen door and it nearly burned my fingers. That’s extreme. Despite the heat, the paver crew returned to finish a job started a few weeks ago. Having excess material, and […]
Happy Half Birth “Daze”
This post was meant for the Saturday before the 14th, the midway point between that date and my next birthday. I take this time of year to reflect on what the first half of my personal “New Year” has presented and contemplate what the next six months might bring. It’s been an active half-year, one […]
Forging New Paths Forward
This week, I had a new paver path installed in the front of the log home here in Central Florida. Each time there is a torrential downpour, a river of water washes down into the home’s foundation and we were looking for a method to divert the flow of water while adding curb appeal and […]
A “Tail of Two Dog Worlds”
Last Tuesday I found myself immersed in meetings that revolved around the world of dogs; a lunch gathering with the owner of the local animal rescue (I serve on their board) and her colleagues and later, a Zoom meeting with the board of the Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA). Two distinct worlds, both united […]
Coping with “Ruff Moments”
I hope everyone is enjoying a safe and sound holiday weekend during the Fourth of July celebrations that are inevitably ocurring in all corners of the United States. I like to think of the First of July as a good time to declare Happy Half Year and take a moment to process the first portion […]
Keeping Their Memories Alive
Last Monday, CAMP WIDOW a Documentary, aired via PBS/Independent Lens. It’s a short form documentary that packs a depth of emotion, a glimpse into the heart of an event that unites the widowed in a way like no other. I attended, and had the honor to present at, Camp Widow San Diego in 2023, […]
CAMP WIDOW the Documentary: “A love letter to resilience.”
This Monday presents the Awareness Observance of International Widow’s Day and also most fittingly the national debut of the documentary, CAMP WIDOW. I reached out to Michele Neff Hernandez, the CEO of Soaring Spirits International and the creator of the Camp Widow program to learn more about this groundbreaking project that followed a long and […]
Memories Well-Coached
Tomorrow is Father’s Day and I’ll take this opportunity to write first a little about the special bond my late dad, Jack, had with my late husband Rich. There were some commonalities. My father’s middle name was Richard and they’d both served in the United States Navy, my dad also a member of the US […]
Eternal Rest: Honoring my Mother
Last year at this time I was in New York State for my mother’s Memorial Service that was held at the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville, NY. It was a warm summer day, perfect for a gathering of friends and family. My father, a WWII Veteran, had been interred in this […]
It’s a “Win-Win” Situation
As I relayed in a previous post, at the tail-end of March I welcomed a tiny 5 lb. pup into our pack. Since then, she has quadrupled in weight and at four months she is just a about 20 lbs. It’s noted that if you double the weight of a 4 month-old puppy, you can […]
Memorial Day Musings. Corpsman Up!
Another holiday weekend looms and I know even two day ordinary weekends bring emotional struggles for the widowed population. These occasions are often hollow reminders of what is no longer. No matter where we stand on the timeline of grief, none of us can escape the memories of past holidays, for better or worse, each […]