This Life...
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Monday Gratitude
This list is easy–it’s been a lovely day and I am feeling particularly blessed. The car did great as we traveled today and I figured out why Gigi–the GPS–wanted to take us down all the country roads. It was actually a treat. Liz and I are very companionable and travel well together. Gorgeous hotel in Muskegon–amazing staff and a beautiful big room. Son is doing well and seems happy. That’s always a blessing. Lake Michigan is so comforting–it is home.
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Sunday Gratitude
This will be a quick post, but today has been so lovely, I truly need to acknowledge all the things that I’m grateful for, so here goes. My dear Husband, who got my car all ready to travel, made sure I understood how to get out the tire changing gear and how to jump the battery and most especially how to get a hold of OnStar if I need help on the road. Then he filled my tank and washed the car. What a great guy! Tonight, we got to Skype with our little guy, who is full of energy and so excited to be talking to Nanny and Poppy. …
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Still Here…Still Working…
…still grateful! I’m into 12-to-14-hour days now as I work hard to get this project done and back to the author for review and then back to the publisher. I love this client–they’ve been good to work with for at least ten years and the Project Editors are always so terrific. I never turn down work from them if I can help it and I’m ever so happy to be working for them now. This book is very well written, so even though it’s very technical, I’m handling it. But (you knew there was a “but” coming, right?) their work is often technical and arduous. I think I’m feeling it…
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Providing the Normal
Sunday at the lake–it’s kind of a cloudy cool morning and Husband and I are on our laptops, just doing our respective stuff, sipping coffee, and chatting. It’s comfortable, easy–a nice life. And it’s made me start thinking about how blessed I am to have this life. A couple of years ago, I blogged gratitude every evening and I’m thinking I should probably reinstate that practice because when life gets harried, I lose sight of what a great life I have and how so many others don’t have such a great life. Last night, I talked to my dear friend, Lucy, who’s on her way home from spending a few…
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Don’t Be Skeered…It’s Just Me
Not long ago, I had Son update my website and put my blog back on the Home page, so it’s the first thing anyone who visits sees. I did this on purpose because I need writing motivation and I’m hope that knowing how tacky an out-of-date blog is will make me write at least something each day. My thirty days of blogging in April was good for me, but as soon as that challenge ended, I slid back into letting life take precedence over writing—any kind of writing. Here’s the thing. I want to write. I want to finish novels 4 and 5 of the Women of Willow Bay and…
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Happy Birthday, Mom
May 13 is my mother’s birthday. If she’d lived, she’d be 88 years old today, but she died when she was only 60. I can’t even imagine Mom at 88 years old, although I can promise you, she’d be a totally unique 88-year-old. Picture dangly earrings, a long gypsy skirt, and a full-sleeved, colorful gauzy top. You see, Mom was born about 25 years too early. She should have been a hippie–she would’ve been great at it. I can so imagine her in Haight-Ashbury in the late ’60s, weaving daisies into her hair, dancing with bracelets and anklets jingling, and wishing peace and love to tourists and passersby–the ultimate flower…
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It’s Real…
So many times since December 19, I’ve thought, okay, now it’s real. Kate is dead. Seeing her just moments after she passed—my precious sister so peaceful and beautiful—was one of those moments obviously. Talking to my brother that same day and feeling the pain of his grief over losing our sister—that surely made it real. Not spending Christmas Eve with her was another. Her memorial service was a real big one—yeah, that was “it’s real” time, absolutely. But in between those kinds of moments are the ones where I can pretend that none of this ever happened. Kate never got sick, cancer didn’t destroy her. She’s at work, keeping Dr.…
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Mother’s Day
I’m not a giant fan of Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or really, anyone day–only because I’m not convinced we need a special day to celebrate Moms or Dads or Grandparents. We should be celebrating family everyday. and with our actions and words, not with gifts/cards that seem to benefit only big business. But, I’m also not curmudgeonly about people who do celebrate these days. I’m very happy to wish all my friends who are moms a wonderful day. So, Happy Mother’s Day! In fact, to honor my own mom, here’s a post from a couple of years ago–entitled “Mom’s Way.” It’s about my mom… and me… and how often…
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Thursday at the Lake
Yeah, we’re at the lake–and you know, it’s amazing how much more relaxed I am here, how much more relaxed we both are here. I woke up early and we had a leisurely breakfast and then I went to the grocery since we got in too late last night to hit the store. I took my time and wandered some, mostly to get in steps, but also because I felt no urgency. And that’s the beauty of the lake–no urgency. Seriously. we are so laid back here. We did some yard work and Husband painted the deck, which really needed to be done, but he took it slow and easy.…
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Still Here…
…and I think what I learned from the 30 Days of Blogging is that I’m not really in search of clarity at all–I’m looking for relief from the sorrow, respite from the often-overwhelming sad of losing Kate. I’m wishing that writing might make the tears less imminent and the lump in my throat easier to swallow. I guess that has happened to some small extent, but I’m still teary when I speak of her or when I see something that makes me think of her or when people ask me how I’m coping. The good news is I am coping. Life is going on. I’m working, I’m writing, I’m lunching…