Life, Death, Resurrection

Life Bitterroot. Surprise Lilies. Two plants in nature that know resurrection. Both deliver leaves in early spring, then die back.  Dead as a doornail…or so it seems. Two or three months later, a stem of the bitterroot and surprise lily sprouts from the ground and pretty white, pink or purple flowers come to life. Resurrection of a sort. I suppose you can say that the plant never really died, it simply found new life after a long nap. Scientifically, bothRead more

#SoCS: Anyway Times Two

Gibbs and Hoshi fill in for the human…discussing chicken, Christmas and being a cat, among other things. Anyway… What did you say, little peanut? Nothing…maybe something…I said “anyway. Anyway.” And what is that supposed to mean? I dunno. I heard the big, tall one say that. You mean “mom,” the human? Is that what we call it? I didn’t know. I only know it gives me food and cuddles and lets me sleep under the covers. SHE is not anRead more

#SoCS: The Fly

“What, are you catching flies?” she asked as I watched TV. I responded with a shrug. “Close your mouth,” she then scolded me. I suppose, to avoid a flying bug. But it happens again, I cannot deny The fleshy portal opens sure and slow I watch an episode of Olive and Popeye And give mother’s orders an innocent blow She glares at me and I once again comply Although an overbite says otherwise Honestly, I try and try and tryRead more

#SoCS: A Yarn Too Far

Dad was good at telling long, detailed yarns about anything. Trips he and mom took. What they ate at every meal during their trips. The relatives they would visit. Their conversations. All of them. The people I didn’t know that they would visit. Stories from his days as a grocery store manager. I remember mom getting a look of frustration on her face on several occasions and then saying, “She doesn’t know who you’re talking about. Finish your story!” IRead more

Above and Below What’s Lost

February 15th marks the two year anniversary of when I lost my mother at the age of 99-1/2. While I miss this dear woman, I am relieved and grateful that she is not sitting alone in a nursing home, without her daughter’s visits, while a pandemic rages on. Heaven above is where she belongs and earth below is where I must live and breathe and keep moving. I can plainly see Your smile from above The peace you must feelRead more

Ratty Sweaters

She comes to me from a world beyond In dark, smirking comedy A reminder of a time that is past A black sweater shall not be her remedy I am my mother’s daughter it seems. I hang onto clothes that are comfortable, no matter the condition. The clothes that envelope me in warmth and security, like a blanket in the hands of Linus and the black sweater my mom hung onto in her nineties. It took me over 20 yearsRead more

Walking in Their Shoes

I haven’t written much about my mother since she died from the effects of age and dementia almost two years ago. I think of her often, but once in awhile I come across something that reminds me of her terrible disease and what we went through together as her mind and health failed. Actor Zach Ward, whom I follow on Twitter, recently posted the following: “Today with Dad broke my heart. I am so sad & angry I want toRead more

Blue Skies, Wind and Stink

“In the vast emptiness of the blue, my soul rejoices listening to the soundless music of the wind.” ― Banani Ray I spent another afternoon last week at Heckrodt Preserve, getting in a daily walk and, as my mother used to say, “blowing the stink off.” I thought that always a strange thing to say since long walks tend to make me hot, sweaty and possibly stinky. I have found joy at Heckrodt on these sunshine, blue-sky days, taking in midRead more

Not Trying…

^ This ^ French fries, potato chips, mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, hash browns and every other form of the spud puts the rest of the vegetable world to shame. Give me an order of thin, salty, crispy crunchy french fries and a foamy glass of beer, please, and I’ll be a happy camper. While not a vodka drinker, I understand there is such a thing as potato beer. How bad could that be? Fond memories from childhood are of momRead more

A Stimulating Face Palm

I was emailing back and forth with a peer on Tuesday. Peer congratulated me on a work-related accomplishment and then asked if I got “the $5,000 check yet.” (She was referring to the latest stupid plan to help people who are struggling financially in the U.S. by allowing them to take a loan of $5,000 from their future Social Security payments. I’m not going to discuss my opinion of this stupid plan here, as this is only an explanation ofRead more

SoCS: Around the Sun in 12

Three hundred sixty-five and one-quarter times around the sun. Twelve months. Another year has passed by and 2019 is almost finito. I thought I would take each month of the past year and share one or two things I remembered about it (good or bad) and see what kind of picture is left. January – Horrible winter month. I worked from home one day, toward the end of the month, because the wind chill was -50F (-45.5C). Brrrr. February –Read more

Does anyone need a drink?

Co “The Human Voice is the most perfect instrument of all.” –Arvo Pärt On Saturday, I had lunch with two cousins – one of which I haven’t seen in at least 30 years. Cousin Joanne brought me a gift: A few parental-related photos and a cassette tape. The cassette tape was from many years ago, when Joanne’s brother, Jim, made a tape recording of mom and dad. He asked many questions of mom about her family and growing up –Read more