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. […]
Miscellaneous
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 […]
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 […]
Thanks for “Logging” in
I sometimes wonder if I’m not boring everyone with my abundant log cabin photos and posts about my experience of running off to live in the woods not long after Rich’s passing. It’s a major part of my post-widowed experience, and my processing, however, so I write on. Next week marks the two year anniversary […]
Labor Daze
The other day, I felt a little off. Every hour seemed to bring a different emotional obstacle. Usually when this happens, I stop and think about the time of year and the subliminal moodiness it might bring. Weekends are often challenging for those who’ve experienced widowhood, no matter how long ago, and one’s current situation, […]
The Art of Living in the Moment
On a daily basis, most of us have a lot to do. There’s work, there’s taking care of other humans (kids, parents, etc.), there’s all the daily personal to-do’s. And there is only a limited amount of time to do it all. For the last three months, I’ve been “grinding”, as they say. No, I […]
When the Time is Right, So is the Dog
Recently, I found myself telling a good friend that dogs have often been an emotional life raft for me during challenging and lonely times, offering me a comforting space on which to rest and recover while needing to navigate the ever-changing currents of turbulent waters. First there was Hooper. In 2001, while sitting alone and […]
Changing Landscapes
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 […]
Tethered to Technology
The other day I left the house to run errands. I got about 5 miles down the road when I realized my cell phone was not in my pocket. For a moment, I seriously contemplated turning around and going back home to get it before I stopped and thought, what am I doing? I remember […]
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 […]