Here we are at yet another milestone, which I find myself doing alone. I have been in full-on preparation mode for the last two weeks as I get ready for the twins’ kindergarten open enrollment. Even though I had spent some time prepping and doing research last year, it didn’t hit me as hard as […]
Widowed Memories
Valentine Kindness
This was my fourth Valentine’s Day without a Valentine. It was never a huge holiday for us but that doesn’t mean it’s not a reminder of grief. Seeing the advertisements still remind you that your partner is gone, even if you would never buy them whatever it is they are selling. It’s another small way […]
On St. Valentine’s Day
A Valentine of the One Left Behind What does one do about Valentine’s day If you are the one left behind? It feels pretty wretched when February returns and Saint Valentine’s Day marks time. “Remember when we went to Running Springs?” I ask, recalling the cabin’s surprise. “When you mused about dead flowers in bowls […]
Haircuts and Control
The last few weeks I have been feeling anxious on a broad scale. We all know there is a limit to what we can control. The death of a loved one is a sharp reminder of that fact. To combat my anxiety, I have been taking steps to put my house in order. Doing what […]
4 Year Anniversary
As we’re coming up on the 4th anniversary of Mario’s grand exit from this life, I’m thinking back to Feb 10th, 2021 and where I was, mentally and emotionally. I’m just going to repurpose something I wrote back then. I’ve since expanded on some of the memories and adventures mentioned in other posts, but there […]
Sea of Serendipity
A repost! Whew! It has been a hectic few weeks. I feel like I’m always in survival go-go-go mode where I’m just going through the motions of doing things without really being fully present in what I’m doing. I guess it comes with the territory of being a solo parent. Lately, I’ve been trying to […]
Moving Matters
Happy February First, and “Rabbit Rabbit” Day. It’s believed by some that by saying those words upon waking the first day of a new month (or before noon) you will experience good fortune throughout the month. It is said to be an Old English custom and I will leave you to your research. Hop to […]
Just start writing …
Advice given to writers when they’re stuck and they don’t know what to write is, just start writing. And so, I am. Writing is something I’ve been doing for a very long time. When I was just a small child, my mom would buy me notebooks so I could write stories in them. I don’t […]
Lunar New Year Eve Reflections
As I sit here finishing my preparations for the Lunar New Year tomorrow I can’t help but look back on this past year. Lunar New Year has always been one of the most important holidays to our family next to Christmas and 4th of July. It was one that I welcomed Erik to be a […]
Simple Pleasures
Everyone is ready for January to be over. There are jokes online about how this month feels never ending. Record cold and snow for some of us, and devasting fires for others. It has not been a great month. However, I’m not ready to roll out the red carpet for February either. Halfway through that […]
Why we hold on to things.
Inanimate objects have been treasured by humans since time immemorial. Sure, there are all the inanimate objects that surround us on a daily basis–as part of our daily lives. Objects in our homes, tools we use, clothes we wear. Thousands and thousands of objects. And then, there are those ones that hold special meaning and […]
A Write-ous Birthweek
The other day during a Zoom meeting, a colleague noted that most people stop reading at the third paragraph of articles and blog posts. I think about that as we adjust to a new year. I find myself reimagining ways to improve my writing approach and practice to increase focus and clarity. With so much […]