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 – […]
Widowed Milestones
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
“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 […]
Of Moms and Dogs (Happy Dog Moms Day)!
“If you can’t have a child, have a dog. If you can, have both of them.” William Lewis Judy, 1949 (Founder of National Dog Week, 1928) Today is a difficult milestone. With my Mom’s passing in February, I knew this Mother’s Day weekend would be an emotional time. Last week, while in Winn-Dixie, I […]
Favorites Saved
I let go of something this week. I removed Tony from my ‘Favorites’ list in my contacts. For three years, every time I opened my phone to make a call he sat at the top of that list. A reminder that no matter the news, I could not share it with him. It was time […]
An Eye Opener:
Worldwide Widowed Communities What took me to stories about widowed folk around the world? Just returned from a mini-vacay where I had no responsibilities other than showing up for the fun. Arriving home to my regular routine, settling into the normal challenges of my post-Dan-life, I found myself wondering about the lives of […]
Sea of Serendipity
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 remind myself […]
A Heart for a Smile
My parents received an extended family photo session for Christmas. The plan was to have the pictures taken this spring. The session would include my parents, my brother and his family, and my boys and me. However, finding a spring date that aligned with all five grandkids extra-curricular activities was not easy. Admittedly, my kids’ […]
Recalling My Dad
Monday, April 29, marks the one year passing of my father. At times it seems like it was just last week that he passed in his Assisted Living Facility in Georgia. I’d been an advocate for my father since he’d moved south from New Jersey to live with my late husband, Rich and I, in […]