It was another extremely hot week here in Northeast Florida with heat indexes up to 114 “feels like” degrees. And of course the humidity makes it almost pointless to shower if you plan to spend any time outdoors, even early in the morning. You do get used to it, and to move more slowly as […]
Widowed Emotions
Radical Acceptance 🏳️
“Radical acceptance of our story is the only way to move forward. All that matters is what is actually in your story. And part of radically accepting it is letting your own story break your heart.” I came across this quote by Katherine Wolf, while searching for more grief and healing podcasts, and […]
Hello August … Hello Melancholy
For the past 16 years I’ve been visited by a melancholy that begins mid-August and lasts through September. Some years it has spoken quite loudly; other years just a quiet whisper. This year feels especially heavy. I’ve mentioned previously that my two wedding anniversaries and two death dates are very closely connected: I married Vern […]
CONGRATULATIONS
Tonight I was texting with my original Camp Widow crew of four. We haven’t all been together, in person, in a few years. But our connection is still strong and even if some time passes, we are always just a text away. As we were texting, I was reminded of where one of our inside […]
WARNING ⚠️ Super Long & Vulnerable Post Ahead ➡️
It finally happened! It was in the ice cream aisle at the grocery store. My very own first scene of the next rom-com Hallmark blockbuster 🤣 Last week I went to the grocery store to buy a few things because we had nothing. We had just gotten back from our trip, exhausted but, lo bailado nadie […]
Navigating Unpaved Roads
The other day, an archived Facebook post, and accompanying photo, caught me by surprise. It was the first photo I’d taken of the log home I’ve since come to call home for the past three years. August 2nd, 2023. It was the day I’d actually toured the home in person after staring at it […]
I (YOU) Will Survive ❤️🩹
“At first I was afraid, I was petrifiedThinking I could live without you by my side” Meet my girlfriends Lizzie, widowed for six years, has three amazing teenage and young adult boys. Evelyn has been divorced for more than ten years and has one amazing teenage daughter and one spunky, super-cool tween son 😎. The […]
I’m Becoming ….
I’ve been posting a lot about aging, I know. That number – 75 – just seemed to consume me and became my identity for all sorts of reasons. Losing Jim. His family. Still missing Vern. Feeling sick. Being alone. But I’m grateful to share that there’s been a much needed change. It’s been subtle, gradual. […]
Home Repairs Not Repaired
In May, I made a post about a hole in my house. A Hole in the House – Widow’s Voice Birds had found a soft spot in a soffit, and they managed to squeeze in and make a nest there. Unfortunately, the hole still isn’t fixed. At every turn, I have been disappointed by the […]
Better Understanding My Emotions
I was sitting at Robyn’s kitchen table. We were talking with one of her granddaughters, Sarah, who was regaling us with the highlights of a just-completed trip with her long-time boyfriend, Paul. She mentioned in passing that while they were gone, Paul’s mother, having experienced a pain in her back during the prior month, had […]
Light Summer Reading 📚
The Wild Edge of Sorrow This book has been sitting on my nightstand for months. I love reading, yet that’s another thing that took a back seat to trauma and grief. I finally started reading the book today. As I lay on the sand and opened the book, I laughed to myself. “Wow, girl… you’re […]
Happy Birthday, Jim
Jim’s 80th birthday was Thursday. We had talked about doing something extra special in 2026 when I hit 75 and he hit 80 … a trip to Hawaii, perhaps … or maybe even Italy! It was fun thinking about what we might decide to do … until he got so sick and we just took […]