Lola and I are invited to dinner one evening next week at the home of Michael and Hannan, who live in the neighborhood but are not, strictly speaking, our neighbors, as we live several short blocks apart. Lola introduced us. It’s been more than one year. As best I can tell, Michael and Hannan would […]
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The Satisfaction of Being a Tutor
It’s fast approaching the conclusion of the tutoring year. This past Tuesday, the tutoring organization directed tutors to conduct the first half of the “post-assessment.” The assessment consists of two sections, reading comprehension and math. On Tuesday, I administered the reading portion of the test to Zoey, who in the next month or so is […]
Do I Even Love to Kayak?!
Lynn and I fell in love while kayaking and hiking. Our first outings together as “just friends” included me taking her on my favorite trails, and Lynn taking me out kayaking for the first time. For 10 years, we would go out to the river or the lake several times a month. She had a […]
You are “So Strong”
Winn-ie, the tiny puppy I “acquired” during a shopping trip to Winn Dixie has proven to be a smart, sweet and rough and tumble little cutie. She and my big dog, Jackson, continue to forge an adorable bond and our other two older dogs have learned to tolerate the antics of this energetic pup. Recently, […]
8 Ways My Perimenopause Journey Reminds Me of My Grief Journey
Experiencing the Sacred Journey of Perimenopause is reminding me of when I began the Sacred Journey of Grief… 1) The FATIGUE… I’m a runner, used to do several half marathons a year. Since I began the Perimenopause, I suddenly get sooo tired – mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. In the middle of a […]
A Puppy and Springtime Renewal
What could be more uplifting than an adorable puppy, especially when welcomed during the first week of the lovely month of April? I will add, however, April in Northeast Florida is the equivalent of mid-July in most northern states and can bring sweltering temps in the 90s. I often write about how I believe […]
Two Old Shoes
I met Eric in early Fall during our senior year of high school, shortly after my folks uprooted me from the heart of the City where I had spent my entire life to that point for the greener pastures of Suburbia. This sudden upheaval disoriented me. Virtually overnight, I was displaced, alone and friendless, living […]
Becoming a Better Partner… to My Home
Yesterday was the 13th anniversary of Lynn and I buying our super sweet, super small, 1950’s “Wonder Years” home. It is in the same neighborhood I grew up in, and a few blocks from my parent’s home, and my elementary and high schools. We bought our home […]
Mourning a Forest
In 2020, my late husband Rich and I purchased a lovely home in a gated community in Southeast Georgia in the quaint and historic city of St. Marys. We weren’t seeking the gated HOA lifestyle, in fact Rich disliked the idea, but we’d found a home with amenities that we’d never be able afford in […]
The flame that burns twice as bright…
I think about this from time to time. “The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.” ― Lao Tzu, Te-Tao Ching In a number of ways, Mario’s flame really did burn twice as bright, and he certainly fulfilled the half as long part by only making it to age 47. One of […]
Croci in the Sun
On Thursday, The First Day of spring arrived and after a harrowing winter season for much of the nation, it presented a much-anticipated seasonal milestone, if only on a calendar page. I reside in Northeast Florida now, however, over much of my lifetime, I lived in New Jersey and spent a great deal of time […]
It is time
Well, my widowed friends, the time has come. Today will be my last day writing for “Widow’s Voice.” No big dramatic lead up to the announcement. No big fan-fare. Much like my husband Don Shepherd’s death 13 years ago, things will change instantly as of today. But nobody has died suddenly, so this instant shift […]