Friday, October 16, 2026

It’s Friday afternoon on a gorgeous fall day.

It’s sunny but we need rain with none in the forecast.

A drought in the Pacific Northwest, who knew?

The midterms are looming. Some fear another January 6th.

At coffee this morning my friend and I sidestepped, for the most part, around politics so we could enjoy our time together.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop in this country that I call home.

We say it can’t get any worse and then it does.

Sigh.

~~Thanks to everyone who sent warm and supportive responses to my last post. I felt heard, less alone.~~

I’m still here

In spite of the angst and exhaustion I feel daily, I am still here.

I was buoyed by a casual get together outside with my neighbors on Sunday night. It was so cold but still we sat outside in a semicircle talking and sharing.

I walked with a friend today who shared that she has been buying books to stock the Little Free Libraries in our neighborhoods.

Being with family, friends, and neighbors reassures me that our country will survive.

Imperfect, yet we are still here, doing what we can as good people caught in tough times.

~~~I hope that you are well my dear friends out in the world.~~~

Friday June 10, 2026

(Note: I forgot to send this on June 10)

It has been quite a week, and I am completely exhausted.

There is a cumulative weariness that has settled in, born from a constant hum of anxiety, shock, and worry.

Every day, I find myself simply going through the motions to cope and maintain some semblance of health.

I focus on a healthy diet and prioritize time outdoors for both exercise and relaxation. In the quiet of the early morning and late at night, I sit wrapped in a blanket—often with my dog on my lap—just trying to breathe. In those moments, I am enchanted by the simple chirruping of birds and the distant, babbling laughter of the toddlers living a few doors down.

Hello from Portland

Portland is peaceful and safe.

Just this morning at my gym, an older woman told me about being downtown for a concert and later walking several blocks to the parking garage for her car around 10:00 P.M.

There are many wonderful things to do downtown – the art museum, the historical society, the riverfront, and fantastic restaurants. Our downtown is beautiful with tree-lined streets, art installations, beautiful buildings and parks. As a grandmother, I take public transportation, I walk around downtown, visit restaurants, bakeries and shops.

I love and appreciate our downtown and bristle at untrue “news” reports that chaos and violence are running rampant.

Besides a peaceful city, the troops that arrive will enjoy a beautiful city, fantastic food and friendly people.

Sounds like a vacation for them.

The rest of us, the people of Portland will stay calm and carry on!

A broken pane

I was in my bedroom at my son’s house when I heard a crash followed by loud sobbing.

I ran to the living room to learn that my exuberant granddaughter had crashed into the glass front door while doing a backflip.

Backflips, round-offs, headstands…all par for the course for this enthusiastic gymnast. 

There was plenty of space for her to practice in the front room as long as she left herself enough clearance for landing.  

She was lucky that she wasn’t hurt. 

Thank goodness that my son can handle household repairs.

He sighed, brought out his tools and got on with it.

While replacing the glass pane, they discussed the incident.

He was kind and understanding while underscoring the importance of being careful. 

She learned a lot that day to include how to remove and replace a door pane.  

Thinking things over, I wondered if my son recalled breaking one of my good plates when he was little. I hope that I showed him the same grace.

Tall Tales

I am spending Thanksgiving with my son and his 8-year old daughter.

It is lovely.  My son takes care of everything.

I still find lots to keep busy but at a slower pace. 

Leisurely coffee in the morning, a peaceful walk.

Listening to my 8-year old granddaughter relate stories that are on the edge. 

She tells them with such conviction that it is hard to remember that they are fiction.

For example, while visiting me this summer she insisted that her Dad and she were flying from Alabama to go trick or treating in New York City.   Believe it or not, her boyfriend and his family were going to meet them in New York City!

I did not believe it but she was so insistent that I thought, “Well, maybe.”   

I mean, who can argue with a verbal and insistent 8-year old?

When her Dad arrived to take her home, he chuckled that I would even consider that the story was true. 

Silly Oma, believing this tall tale!

Home Alone When Girls Are Prey

She knew better but felt she had no choice.

Her mother was at work.

She was home with her two brothers, one older at nine, one younger at five.

The man at the door kept knocking. 

Continue reading “Home Alone When Girls Are Prey” →

November 9, 2024

I must calm down.

I am not sleeping well.

I am stress eating.

I am on edge waiting for the next shoe to drop.

I am walking, working, exercising, talking with family and friends.

Playing with my sweet dog.

All of these help to pass the time and keep me centered.

But nothing gives me a sense of well-being and optimism.

November 6, 2024

“Each morning comes along and you assume it will be similar enough to the previous one – that you will be safe, that your family will be alive, that you will be together, but life will remain mostly as it was. Then a moment arrives and everything changes.”
Cloud Cuckoo Land, pg 64, a novel by Anthony Doerr

Jumping Jacks?

Do you remember jumping jacks?

I did them in elementary school with my classmate, especially on rainy days when we could not go outside to play.

As an adult, I did them now and then in aerobic classes but they fell out of my repertoire. Until now.

With the onset of rain, rain and more rain, I switched to more indoor activities instead of walking as much. I still walk in the rain but with a dog on slippery sidewalks…not my favorite!

I walk up and down my stairs as a matter of course throughout the day and try to set aside time to walk steadily for five minutes or so. I listen to a favorite song while I walk slowly up and backwards down the stairs. My dog Riley is normally good about sitting watching me.

Enter my new smart watch which indicated that I am not getting my heart rate up high enough. So, I decided to add jumping jacks to my daily activities.

Wow, talk about exhausting! I managed to squeeze out a pitiful ten, not the best form, but my heart was pumping.

Now the challenge is to do ten measly jumping jacks quickly and robustly.

Is it worth it? I hope so.

I will let you know!