I have kept a diary since I was a little girl.
One of my crushing moments was when my older brother found it and read it aloud to his friends. We were all kids. I was furious then.
Now I smile at the memory. How I wish I still had those diaries with their locks and keys and childhood scribbling!
The old stories comfort me.
The comfort is the same as when I was a child.
Revisiting old familiar stories allow me to breathe and feel safe for awhile.
But in a different way. Continue reading “Comfort in the Familiar”
“You learn by going where you have to go.” *
I often think that the most important thing we can do is to show up.
Today I learned to make Gifs. Here is an example. So easy and so fun with Google.
Mabel is my favorite model. Gifs are appropriate for her since she is rarely still.
Happy Easter!
Here is my gift to you today.
I hope you will take the time to watch the video.
It’s wonderful.
I live a pretty sweet life in Portland.
I keep busy but there is still plenty of time to linger over a meal.
To stop and smell the roses.
To practice yoga and meditation.
A nice gig!
Babysitting my baby granddaughter for a few weeks in Alabama, my Portland life seems far away. Did I ever enjoy leisurely meals?
Like a fireman I jump out of bed each morning and get dressed.
Off to the kitchen to prepare my breakfast, lunch and a few snacks before her parents leave for the day. I eat on the go with this precious little girl.
Toast with almond butter, a smoothie, a hard boiled egg, some fruit and raw vegetables…I am set for the day. And of course coffee…lots of coffee!
Of course, everything has to be set way back on the counter to prevent Hank, the gigantic standard poodle, from noshing on my food!
Mabel has trained me to hold her most of the day.
Otherwise, she cries pitifully. She’s clever, that one!
I walk with her on my hip, try to read, let the dogs out and go about the day with this adorable, wiggly, chubby baby latched to my side.
“Peace at any price” is my motto and holding her is a small price to pay for serenity.
We are coming to terms with each other. I can prop her on the couch for short periods while I sip my coffee. Great progress!
Her newest thing is to wrap her fat little arms around my neck and put her head on my shoulder.
My heart melts. My aching back feels better. I love being with this little angel.
Mabel will be seven months old this week.
During the first seven months of her life I have traveled three times to Alabama to enjoy her and care for her.
It’s hard to believe how fast she is growing up.
Happy Birthday Mabel!
This is serious. Please read.
A few moments after opening my laptop today a “Microsoft” web page popped up.
It came with a dialogue box that stopped me in my tracks.
My computer had been hacked.
Here’s a little sustenance to keep you going if you are still preparing your taxes.
This was a gift from a friend.
I appreciate friends who stick with me during my darkest hours!
Another tax season has come and gone. The government has a pound of my flesh and I am finished until next year. I wish that I could say that this year went better. Alas, not really. I am a creature of habit. I have recorded last quarter’s tax information on my tax spreadsheet. That’s a good start! Now to record each month as the year goes by. If I do that, my taxes next year will be a breeze! Wish me luck!
One of my spring rituals is to moan, groan and make everyone within a ten mile radius perfectly miserable as I get in the mood, find time for, and finally settle down to do my taxes.
If I would carve out a nanosecond of the hours I spend kvetching, I would be done in an afternoon. But no, I follow the same playbook each year which may be another definition for insanity. Here is my foolproof system for the dreaded tax day!
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According to some sources, April is National Grilled Cheese Month. Others point to April 12 as National Grilled Cheese Day.
Either way, it is a good excuse to eat a delicious grilled cheese sandwich.
A favorite of mine since I was a little girl!
Lori Greer in Portland 