Mother’s Day

Back in summer 2015, the year Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I blogged just about every day. Sometimes, I go back to those posts to see where we were then, both for general life events and in the diagnosis process. I’m struck by the clinical nature of some of my posts and the raw emotion…

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A Grapefruit-Sized Pause

My life is busy. That four-word sentence doesn’t even cut the surface of that busyness, but as I always say, I am quite fortunate: my busyness is not bad, just tiring (I don’t get nearly enough sleep in my quest to get everything on my to-do list accomplished). But you know how it goes. The…

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April Challenges (April Love 2021)

April, with its robust arrival of spring, is a good time to challenge myself. A few years ago, I took on a fitness challenge and added in an extra mile of walking each day in April. That lasted throughout the year, and it’s carried over to today—I still try to walk an extra mile when…

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With or Without You

My youngest, who is twelve, has always clung to words. She likes how coffin and soft sound, and she repeats words like creamy often. Her new favorite word: rude. As in, “That’s rude,” in response to someone’s off-color behavior. But it’s not the word that stands out, it’s how she says it. A bit of…

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Cat-astrophe

“When you’re ready to put Arnold on a diet,” the vet says, “call me. It can be a process, but it can work.” Arnold is the second of our cats to need some help in terms of dietary needs. The first, Ferdinand, ended up with diabetes, something we couldn’t control. I still remember the toil…

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Even More Words for the New Year 6

I’m more than willing to call myself out when I make a mistake. And friends, oooh, did I make a mistake last year! I chose to focus on these words (these words!): What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. —Anne Frank Um, really.…

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Rainbows and Roses

Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote about my expectations for then President-elect Trump. While I didn’t vote for him in 2016 and actually had very low expectations of what he could do and what he would do, I wanted to be the better person and see him strive for something better. I wanted to…

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Dear Diary

Dear Diary, People told me to start writing to you earlier. “You’ll want to remember these times,” they said. “You can keep track of all that happens, capturing a you that’s never been seen before.” One historian made a great case for journaling during a pandemic, and my son’s history teacher sent emails saying, “You…

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Thank You for Your Service

My sister works for the VA, so I’ve become accustomed to thanking members of the military for their service when I see them. Just a quick word or two at the grocery store or bank usually does the trick. My reward? A return “thank you” or a small smile. Telling these folks thank you is…

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Even More Words for the New Year 5

Last year, I chose these words to focus on: You owe yourself the love that you so freely give others. ~Unknown My intent to live a bit more selfishly didn’t completely pan out. While I did find more time for writing and quit my less-than-fulfilling job, by the end of the year, I’d taken on…

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