Recently we visited the assisted-living facility where my mother spent the last 15 months of her life. We went for an Alzheimer’s fundraiser in the form of a car show, and as we walked around for two hours, those 15 months reappeared as if by slight of hand, memory after memory leaning against vintage vehicles... Continue Reading →
Visit in My Mind
In my mind, I can see and feel it as clearly as my present reality of cursor blinking, coffee brewing, head pounding. We have driven for an hour and a half to get here. Bill makes the right turn onto their driveway and as we drive down the steep gravel, the garage door is already... Continue Reading →
Comparatively Sick
Thirteen days ago, Bill and I were on our way home from a 19-day adventure in Maine. We had stayed in three different spots along the coast of Maine, made a pilgrimage to L.L. Bean, and traveled up into the rugged wilderness of Moosehead Lake. The trip was beautiful as only Maine can be, and... Continue Reading →
Love Can Never Disappoint
The day I truly became an adult I was 51 years old, walking with crutches as a bulky, heavily Velcoed boot covered my left foot. I was sitting with my father in Room 206 of a nursing facility in Liberty, New York on an icy-cold January day. One generally thinks of adulthood as arriving with... Continue Reading →
My First Graveside Chat
I stride toward the stone with purpose. I have not been here in a while--fifteen months, to be exact--but now I'm on a mission. My husband and I both admire the stone--a simple monument that would have been met with approval by both parties. We wipe away some lawn clippings, then he leaves and I... Continue Reading →
On the Edge
I have been running through this wooded area for years. Ten years to be precise. It’s dark and frightening and the pain I feel is relentless. Yet I run. There is no one in front of me, no one behind me, no one beside me. No one. So I continue to run alone. Occasionally there... Continue Reading →
Me, Myself, and Matryoshka
When we visited Russia several years ago, we bought an amazing set of matryoshka dolls. You know the ones, right? They’re the nesting dolls that are as representative of Russia as St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow, Red Square, and alleged election interference. You can buy them in any souvenir shop in Russia, not to mention... Continue Reading →
180 and Done
Today is day 180. The last day of school in the regular school year. One would think this day would come with celebration and satisfaction and just, I don’t know, overall over-the-moon joy. But because this is me, all it comes with is a headache. A bad one. Yesterday as the headache quickly grew more and... Continue Reading →
Notes From a Weekend at Omega
Travel, whether it’s just a weekend away or a 4,100-mile road trip, is one of my great loves. And whether I am alone or with my beloved husband, travel brings with it a multitude of adventure, new experiences, and sometimes craziness. As I mentioned in my last post, I went to a weekend writing workshop... Continue Reading →
Writing Away the Weekend
Today I’ll be making my yearly pilgrimage to the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York. Officially known as the Omega Institite for Holistic Studies, Omega is a gathering place for curious-minded people to take all manner of incredible workshops. More than 22,000 people come to Omega annually, which is amazing considering they are only open... Continue Reading →
Ever Onward 