On Thursday, my family and I paid a loving tribute to my mother when her ashes were interred with my father’s at Saratoga National Cemetery in New York. One year earlier to the day, my father’s Military Service took place at the same location on a day that was just as beautiful and warm. My […]
Widowed and Healing
Anatomy of a Problem.
I am raccoon-less, feeling grateful, and wondering about problems and solutions. Picture this. The Indian Ocean is splashing fiercely at the edge of a home during a storm. It quickly fills the bottom floor with sea water. Clearly a problem, right? Or not. Today, I googled “what are the problems people have?” with this […]
Writing On
This past week my plans took me to another rural community about an hour from here. There, I happened to have a conversation with a young man who was just trying to get by. As he spoke I sat in my car and listened to his story. Sometimes that is all someone needs – […]
Watching and Waiting
The Raccoon Saga Continues I think they’re gone. As I examine the clues of how they arrived, it seems they are gone. The urgency I felt (fear?) and signs of their presence brought a low level panic in my psyche. Why? Because I love animals and even though I know their presence could be […]
My LA Ambush
A group of widows is called an Ambush. I learned that at one of the three Camp Widow events I’ve attended. Greater than that fun fact, are the friendships I’ve built from those Camps. My home base Camp Widow has been San Diego. My first year in attendance, I almost instantly connected with three other […]
Plant and Grow Forth
Happy June First. The beginning of Finally Feels Like Summer in the North and Hurricane Season and High Heat in the South. For some, The First of any month also finds us saying, “Rabbit, Rabbit”, a custom that possibly originated in England in the early 1900s and is said to bring good fortune throughout the […]
The Dance of Life in the Garden
. . . and sometimes, under the house. It is in the garden that life and death arrive on the regular. I witness living and dying primarily in the plants, grasses and weeds that come and go. I’m ever aware that when I pay attention, the garden is a valuable teacher. As a small […]
Brewing Intuition
Last Sunday I woke up in California ready to head home after spending an incredible weekend with a group of widow friends. Being a travel day, the first thing I did was check my flights. Both flights were delayed by 15 minutes. I tried to go back to sleep but something told me to keep […]
Memorial Day Weekend: A Time For Reflection
The Memorial Day Weekend sort of crept up on me this year. Back in my former locale at the Jersey Shore, this weekend ushers in the official start of a short, yet very active, summer season of beaching, barbecue gatherings, boating, fishing and so many other outdoor activities. My late husband Rich, who served militarily […]
A Personal Eclipse
On April 4th, I ordered my eclipse glasses in preparation for the 2024 Solar Eclipse. Although I knew that the best places to observe were Texas, Mexico, and Canada, I would be settling for my patio in Riverside, CA. I donned my funky glasses and looked toward the sun which showed up as a fat, […]
My Bad
Welp, it finally happened. After writing a Monday post for this blog 112 times, I forgot. I’m not even that mad at myself for it. In fact, I am patting myself in the back for remembering to write or have my week covered consistently for that long. Widow brain or not, I have made this […]
“Ruff” Challenges and Big Dreams: A “Tail” of Two Dogs
Last Monday night, the world gained its 148th “Top Dog” when a sleek ebony hued miniature poodle named Sage took the title of Best-in-Show at the Westminster Dog Show in New York. I loved how handler Kaz Hosaka carried Sage down the hall before placing her on the ground at the entrance of the ring […]