09/30/2021

"Thirty days hath September,

April, June and November.

All the rest have thirty-one,

Excepting February alone,

And that has twenty-eight days clear

And twenty nine in each leap year."

Mother Goose

Has been just a tad exasperating

awaiting the arrival of my phenom

month of October, and here we are,

just one more day . . .

Seems I spend the entire month of 

September just planning my October

indulgences . . . ONE PER DAY!

"Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"

Wizard of Oz . . . Best of all, seeing 

all my kids. Love my close friends

coming by . . . 'tis me who wants to

celebrate them, rather than them me.

What do I want in the way of pressies?

(My daughter's least fave word!) FACs

Eats. Visits. Telling tales out of school! 

No need for "Brown paper packages 

tied up with string." Sound of Music

Only 14 more hours . . .

may the hours fly

october awaiting me

my thirty one days

09/29/2021

7:00 a.m.

Quaking in fear this early morn . . .

Am to have oral surgery this a.m.

lasting about 4 hours. Thank the 

gods I will be under! Send good 

thoughts!

To be continued . . .

 - - -

4:00 p.m.

Continuing . . .

Honey, I'm home! 

I stumbled alongside my guy all 

the way to the car; never quite

certain how I made it to the cabin.

Don't even talk to me about the 

climb up the stairs, Sooooo, guess

I survived, although the jury's till

out!

 - - -

7:00 p.m.

At the end of the day . . .

I seem to be returning to me, albeit I

still can't sip water with my crooked

mouth. Perhaps I may indeed live to

halfway smile another day

 - - -

fear awaits outcome

a very unique journey 

tells its own story

09/28/2021

Today is National Son's Day; although

I think of my sons ever and always, 'tis

lovely to have a special day in which  

to celebrate them.

Lui, my first born is an amazing man,

artist and bibliophile.

Peter is a professional photographer  

and a stand up dad. And, don't even

get me started on his knowledge of

foods and beer.

Chris, Jeremiah and ZAK may belong  

to my guy, but I get to have them too!

Sooooo, what is it about having sons

that make them so special?! I've never

been quite certain that women utterly

understand men or that men truly get

women. Having said that, a mother

gets a free 'get out of jail' card when

it comes to sons, albeit they're also

those incomprehensible men!

Being all grown up with their own

responsibilities, I don't get to see

them all the time as I did when they

were kids. Still, there are shared

holidays, the odd visit, phone calls,

cards and e-mails. Staying in touch 

is important.

Bottom line . . .  I love them, pray 

for them, threaten God when things 

aren't going well for them, would

give my life . . .

loving me my sons

celebrating them today

ever and always

09/27/2021

Yesterday, we attended a Celebration 

of Life. An amazing experience, all 

told. 'Twas honoring a friend, neighbor, 

someone we much valued. 

I had never given any particular thought

to the fact that in our age bracket, we're

going to be losing our older friends and

family. It really only just hit me. Wow!

I find celebrating them, honoring them,

easy. I would hope to be so celebrated,

honored and remembered well when 

my time comes. My kids would tell 

you I've been preparing for my own

death for several years.

In my defense, it comes from a group

of specialists at the hospital giving me 

all the tests in the book when I fainted 

and cracked my skull open. I was told

I had a couple of months to live. If I

lived longer, it would take a year or so

for my brain to return to its original size

as it was quite swollen.

I do find I value life more since being

given the death threat. Isn't it interesting

how the thought of something being

taken away makes it feel more valuable?

I do pray I'll be given yet another little

while . . .

finding i love life

dont be in any hurry

to take me away

09/26/2021

"National Daughters Day was created 

in India in 1936, where it is celebrated 

on the last Sunday of September. It was 

Archies Limited who invented National 

Daughters Day. They created the holiday 

to raise awareness and promote the 

imbalance that daughters in some parts

of India are considered a burden, and

inferior to sons." calendarr

Sooooo love that the US has truly put

National Daughters Day on the calendar

and celebrates it widely. It's simply fun . . . 

the phone calls, the e-mails, the letters, 

the cards and gifts . . . all honoring our 

daughters. 

As the world slowly arrives at the place

of honoring women in equality with men,

we can recognize the importance of

celebrating our daughters on this world

renowned day.

Whether you celebrated yesterday, US

style, or today, Indian style, remember

the vast importance of our daughters.

Not to forget, we women, we mothers,

are also daughters . . .

 . . . I applaud all of us!

girls daughters mothers

lets celebrate our being

we women so rock

09/25/2021

At o' dark thirty this morning 

we had a bear come to visit. 

The dogs started barking to let 

us know and we got to watch 

Mr. Ginormous amble up the

sidewalk, cool as you please! 

Without a doubt, he was the 

largest bear we've ever had 

come calling.

Seeing so much wildlife has 

been one of the perks of living 

in a 130 year old cabin in the 

woods, as it were. And, we do 

get bear every summer and early

fall. But, we also receive plenty 

of visits from raccoons, bobcats

and mountain lions. Not quite 

sure why the bear are the most 

exciting!

I find myself ever grateful to

Mother Nature for her beauty,

her wildlife . . . her moods that

gift us such different, amazing 

weather patterns. What a life!

Little Miss Goldilocks had

naught on us . . .

do come and visit

mama daddy baby bears

find im missing you

09/24/2021

"Alcohol is an excellent servant,

but a terrible master."

~Christopher Hitchens

Every now and again, make that most

always, I get to thinking about my sins.

My parents used to listen to a minister

who would talk about our 'darling sins.'

Alas, me thinks, drinking may be my

darling sin.

As I enjoy drinking, I have an assortment

of rules in place to keep me out of danger.

   *never drink alone

   *drink only twice or thrice a week

   *no hard alcohol, except occasional marg

   *choose small, low alcohol beers

   *three months off from drinking yearly

I had my first drink when I came back 

to the US at 37. Having had no prior 

experience with drinking, I had to wade

through experimentation. Being both

enthusiastic as well as a slow learner,

there were some embarrassments along

the way.

I have followed the old Mexican rules

of drinking as well. No drinking for two

years whilst grieving the loss of a mother,

one year for a father. I like the respect

indicated in this unwritten custom, most

probably Catholic.

Sooooo, 'craful, craful,' as my brother 

used to say. Let's enjoy carefully! 

Salud!

09/23/2021

I am not ashamed

to have known the touch

of madness

or to share the passion

it has gifted me.

~A. Shea

Me thinks 'tis a malady to which we 

don't often admit. But, just think of

the times we've been overcome with

grief. The death of a child, albeit 

one of our own children, a young

friend or one of our students. That 

loss of a special parent or a close 

friend. Living through this kind of 

sorrow,  you indeed know madness!

Certain losses show us the door to 

a bit of madness. Loss of reputation;

the mishandling of funds and all

that this entails, accidental or not.

The loss of a special friendship,

often over some minute detail.

The death of a fave pet, however

embarrassing we may find this 

grief to be.

Those of us who tend toward the

eccentric, understand the madness

experienced from time to time in

not being understood, much less

accepted. Not often perhaps, but

just once in a while 'twould be

lovely to be part of the gang.

So, what's this all about? What am

I asking? What needs to happen?

Perhaps, the first thing would be 

to accept that bit of madness in 

ourselves. It follows then, that we

can be more understanding and

accepting of this in others.

Madness is real, it exists. It rears

its ugly head from time to time.

We would do well to accept this

and look it straight in the face!

It is what it is . . .

what is this sorrow 

a certain kind of madness

mad with angry grief

09/22/2021

"Most nights are tough . . .

She lays there in the darkness.

Overwhelmed by the things

she wished she didn't think about."

~r.h. Sin

Most of us know a thing or two

about sleepless nights. Interesting

how those long hours are passed in 

negativity rather than happy thoughts.

I find myself reviewing my sins,

looking at various ways I could have

done better, seeing those wrongs

against hearth and home . . . a never

ending saga of my foibles and faults.

How is it that we don't mentally

explore fun things to try, good things

to accomplish and even think about

the odd good deed or two?! I wonder

if we were born with an innate need

to critique and punish our wayward

selves?!

I wonder, is it too late to change the

habits of a lifetime? Can I at least

attempt a different approach? Practice

makes perfect? Or, some such!!!

I swear, there are times I would like

to ask Hitler himself about mind

control. I don't seem to be able to

harness my own!

having a bad night

bring on the fairy tales please

so tired of ugly

09/21/2021 - Autumnal Equinox

Mabon, otherwise known as the first

day of Autumn, the second harvest,

the Autumnal Equinox . . . 

This year, the Autumnal Equinox falls

on the 22nd rather than the 21st. Still,

I so love celebrating, me thinks I'll go

for both days, the traditional and the

actual. Let's take a look at what it is.

"The Autumnal Equinox is the moment

the sun crosses the equator from north

to south in September each year. The

equinox is the only time when the edge

between day and night runs perpendicular

to the equator, equally illuminating both

the southern hemisphere and the northern

hemisphere."

Sometimes I think I love the twice a year

equinoxes so much because of balance.

I've often commented that I'm the most

imbalanced Libra that I know. However,

on March 21st and September 21st, I

have that semblance of balance.

We'll celebrate the end of summer and

the beginning of fall. The leaves are

turning and the mountain tops show off

a light vesting of snow. Mornings and

evenings are chilly, warmth showing up

in the middle of the day. 

We have six weeks in which to enjoy 

this amazing season! Happy Autumn!

tis a bit chilly

already missing summer

enjoy anyway

09/20/2021

"Happy is when someone gives you

a big hunk of something wonderful

and it's too big to hold. So, you pull 

off a piece from time to time to hold

in your hand. That's being contented."

~Betty Smith, Joy in the Morning 

Somewhere in the American Dream,

we get all mixed up about happy. 

We tend to hold happy dear, almost 

to the exclusion of anything else.

Happy, happiness, joy, bliss . . . all 

are important. The searching for, 

the living for . . . all important. Still, 

I can't help but wonder the price we

pay for being so wrapped up in the

search for happiness that we miss

a great deal of life?!

The analogy of love making comes

to mind. Perhaps we are so intent 

on experiencing the end result that 

we don't even enjoy the beautiful 

path that leads us there. 

Bottom line, all experiences are

important. Lessons to be learned,

precious moments to be held close

to our souls, sorrow to be honored,

love to share . . . all important!

Let's live our lives to the fullest . . .

experiencing all those different

spices that make our lives both

interesting and delectable!

"Joy comes to us in ordinary moments.

We risk missing out when we get too

busy chasing down the extraordinary."

~Brené Brown

so living the life

joy to come from time to time

experience all

09/19/2021

Sabrá Dios lo que pasó?! Ni

siquiera yo tengo idea.

Será porque el diez y seis de 

septiembre acaba de pasar. Tal 

vez fue porque fui a escuchar a

mariachis el día de ayer. Pero, 

por equis o zeta, me senté a sus 

pies, escuchando su bella música 

y llorando a cántaros.

Les hice sentir muy incómodos a

nuestros anfitriones. No es lo que

quise, simplemente sucedió. El

caso es que probablemente nunca

debí me haber dejado mi lindo y

querido México.

Cuando uno es tan excéntrico, 

y por fin se halla cómodo en un 

lugar, más le vale quedarse ahí.

Gustando el país, amando a la

gente, adorando a las familias y

sus nenes . . . todo indica tal

respuesta.

Un día volveré. Tal vez sea en

cenizas para echarse al viento,

pero volveré. Quiero volar entre

nubes, descansar en sus brazos

y escuchar Cielito Lindo de lejos.

como extraño

añorando mis penas

yo quiero volver

*Dedicado a Doña Alicia Sueltenfuss

09/18/2021

 What is it about anger, rage, fury?

You never even thought you were

capable of it, and yet . . .

All your life you've known who

you are. You absolutely know

yourself. There are no secrets

whatsoever.

And then, you are angrily attacked,

out of the blue, for something you

know nothing about. Your mouth

falls open in surprise. Your face

turns red and ever so slowly, your

blood begins to boil. You explode.

You don't even recognize the person  

you have just become.

How does it happen? Unspeakable!

In a moment of clarity, you finally 

get a clue how violence happens. 

And yet, you have never credited 

yourself for being capable of such 

a reaction.

I doubt very much that life lays

awake at night, dreaming up ways

to teach us these lessons. Still, 

things happen and we might as

well learn something!

So, where does one go from there?

Does one demand apologies, exact 

revenge? Seek forgiveness from self? 

From the accuser? Can one's own 

capability of rage be accepted? 

Understanding helps. Taking time

is essential. Healing awaits and

lessons are indeed to be learned. 

Most likely, I'll be learning right 

up until the moment life ends for

me. Most remarkable!!!

my heart hurts just now

wheres daddy when i need him

want to be consoled

09/17/2021

I hark back to the words of 

old wise men, something along 

the lines of what you fear is far

less than you figured.

The trip, which was supposed

to be along the lines of an hour

fifteen to an hour thirty, turned

out to be a dead hour. And, we

drove straight to the address.

I think of the worry in the back

of my mind, my concerns for

our ability to follow a hand 

drawn map . . . which wasn't 

on our pro map nor the GPS.

Once I opened and read the

directions, I saw that I should

not have worried quite so much . . .

like maybe I should have read 

it when the invite arrived.

I find, as I'm about a hundred

years old, that first of all, I 

tend to make mountains out 

of molehills. Second of all, I

search for that special hidden

lesson.

I've heard my entire life that

we should live in the moment

and not make the unknown

into something it is not. Face

the unknown when it comes

and deal with it then.

I've heard the lesson over 

and over! I've experienced 

the Can't lesson time and 

again!! help but wonder if I'm

finally capable of learning it,

following it?! ~!@#$%^&*()_+

where are we going

does it really matter now

seems i need to know

09/16/2021

What is it? Fear of the unknown?

Never been there; done that???

Each day we sally forth and 

conquer . . . or meet defeat. 

What of it? Does it really matter 

which? Isn't it experience that 

life is all about?

I find myself more fearful as I 

get older. That may be as is, but

I want to face life and experience

it anyway. Obviously, I have to

give myself a good talking to 

from time to time! I just need it!

Today, we face a new challenge.

We are to meet friends in a place

heretofore unknown to us, at a

given time. We have to leave at

o' dark thirty and travel a couple

of hours; it's a bit scary.

I think, were we taking a journey

on our own, with no time limits

or expectations, it would be less

worrisome. Still, we're up for

the adventure and hoping for the

best.

As my childhood buddy used to

say, "Lord willing and the Devil

doesn't intervene," we'll make it!

tis an adventure

but i don't know where that is

so go anyway

09/15/2021

 "She walks in beauty." ~Lord Byron

When first seeing her gardens, you

instantly have a glimpse into what

the heavens must look like. 

In walking around the stone path 

intertwining the beds, you find 

yourself with wantings . . . wanting 

to stay there, wanting to pick some 

posies, wanting to curl up for an 

afternoon nap amongst such glory.

And then, she serves a repast . . . 

Again, each an every item is choice. 

Many from other lands, some she's

made herself. I'm torn 'twixt and 

'tween just sitting there enjoying,

and the actual eating.

Her lingo is beautiful. She has a

way of making the luncheon chat

all about you. She not only queries,

but she truly listens. So many of

us don't even really understand 

the art of listening.

And then, she treats you to her 

paintings. Telling tales out of 

school, she explains the nuances

behind each. I find myself much

moved with such longing. 

'Tis the sound of her melodious

voice, the gestures, the sharings.

She is an artist in every fiber of

her being . . .

She walks in beauty!

*Dedicated to . . .

Marilyn Stannie Wells, Ph.D.

09/14/2021

Where is September going in such an 

all fired hurry?! I swear, life is soooo 

getting away from me!

We all know that time flies whether

you're having fun or not. Yet, I'm

nigh onto a hundred years old and

still this long known scientific fact 

wows me!

Being somewhat nearer the end of

my days rather than at the beginning,

I find myself wanting to have a chat

with Mr. Time.

Couldn't he slow down just a bit,

especially during the glorious day.

I wouldn't even mind if he hurried

through those rough ones. But, he

won't budge an inch . . . so like

the male species, per se!

Guess will have to be me making

the odd change. We all enjoy a

good sleep-in, but I think I should

actually get up earlier and go to

bed later. To quote John Wayne,

"Time's a wastin'; get up and get

going!"

enjoy whilst you can

lets live we can sleep later

death is a long nap

09/13/2021

Speaking of relationships . . .

My guy and I are 70, 71 in fact. It's

rather beyond interesting to look back 

and see the changes in that infamous

dance of conjugal bliss.

When we were kids and shared our

first kiss, we were allowed to kiss,

but not touch. Frenching was frowned

upon; make no mistake! Anyone who

knew anything understood that this

was where babies came from!

'Twas expected of me to marry as a

virgin, after a suitable courtship and

parental approbation . . . and to stay

married, no matter what!

Divorce was a big no no, and I get

it. There are so many things that

deserve serious consideration in the

breaking up of a relationship.

Now, a hundred years later, my guy

and I have been together for over   

20 and we actually chose to jump 

the broom rather than have a legal 

marriage ceremony. 

I recognize that it's not about right

and wrong, just different customs,

eras and expectations. Still I must 

say, the changes we've witnessed 

in our 70 year span are downright 

intriguing!

ever wondering

is it whats right or whats wrong

or just what it is

09/12/2021

Dreams are made of this . . . perhaps 

reading is the trigger, who knows! 

This time I found myself in a

Confederate camp in days of  yore.

I was obviously a nurse of some kind.

All around me, fighting raged.

I could sense, more than see, soldiers

falling where they stood, even as they 

fired. 'Midst the smoke, I found myself 

almost overcome by the scent of battle.

I remember the sense of helplessness

I felt, an actual knowledge of some 

kind that anything I could do would

never be enough.

I longed for a tent in which to tend

the wounded. I yearned for water for

cleansing. Yet, all I could do was

stitch with no sedative. Running out

of gear, I recall even using the hem

of my uniform to wipe away blood.

My heart is filled with sorrow. My

cheeks are wet with tears and my

brain whispers, "Why oh why do

we still engage in war?"

Not quite sure I'll ever feel the same

about red and blue . . . so glad I only

wear black!

wipe away my tears

erase my pain ere i die

pray sing me a song

09/11/2021

Sooooo love me some surprises . . . 

and today was one of them! 

Did NOT expect our friends to come 

by as they spent the day at the Estes 

Park Tent City!

Oh my God, what amazing treasures!

And, I cannot believe they shared a 

couple of them! Amazing, glorious, 

wondrous, and entirely unexpected! 

Bless them!

Another fun surprise has been a 

compendium of nine books that  

I just finished. Decent plots; quite 

intriguing. 'Tis rather wondrous 

to find yourself in another world, 

living quite differently.

A fab surprise, got a postcard in 

the mail. Today, we mostly e-mail 

or just message on FB. I just loved 

opening the box and finding the 

card rather than a bill!

And at supper time, I opened the

fridge to see what might fall out. 

This time, there were some boxes 

of food my good friend from New 

Mexico brought. Great food! . . .

What a day for surprises!

color me hopeful 

so love me my surprises

see what today brings

09/10/2021

Been planning a special trip to the

Bermuda Triangle come Samhain;

that's Halloween to you!

The surrounding islands would make

for fun visits, maybe even hitting the

local shops for interesting wares and

their cafes for unusual treats!

Alas, I made the mistake of going to

the dentist yesterday . . . walking out

an hour later with a $9,000 prognosis

in hand . . . guess my upcoming vacay 

will have to be canceled!

The entire prospect of everything the

dentist wants to do to me so smacks

of world war type torture that perhaps 

I should schedule the ruckus around

Halloween! 'Twould be ever so fitting!

Who know, maybe I'll come out of 

this ordeal with a ghoulish smile;

make that smirk and fit right into

said holiday.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr ~!@#$%^&*()_+<>?/

so disappointed

how old did we say i was

color me pouting

09/09/2021

I'm of two mind here! Alarms going

off everywhere, scaring the bejesus

out of me . . .

Oh my God, the yard is full of elk.

Stunning creatures and the baby is

beyond precious.

They're wending their way up the

stone walkway, eating everything

in their path . . . Oh NO, NOT my

precious, precious sunflowers! 

Damn it all to hell anyway!!! My 

d) all of the above, encouraged 

me to cut them yesterday, but I

simply couldn't bear to and now

they're hors d'oeurvres for our

early morn visitors.

On the other side of things, love

my 130 year old cabin in the 

woods and all of the wildlife it

attracts. I'm ever so blest . . . but

do they have to eat my sunflowers?

so loving my woods

special creatures of all kinds 

wildlife galore wow

09/08/2021

So interesting to suss out the things

we oldsters do in retirement . . .

So fun!

We just spent an entire afternoon

watching a series whilst drinking

margs. So fun!

I like the times we spend cooking

together in the kitchen. I cook the

vege dishes and he, the meat dishes.

Still, I like the eating together that

happens after the fact! So fun!

I enjoy the odd ride we take in the

mountains. I get a kick out of stopping

at different bits and pieces along our

way, some temptations to buy, others

to eat. So fun!

I love the spontaneity available whilst

on our adventures. A garage sale, an

antique store, a farmer's market . . . 

So fun!

And, best of all weekends with the

different kids in our fams. Me thinks

that's the most fun of all! So fun!

I refuse to even think about those 

pesky parts are aren't fun! Sooooo

NOT fun at all!

aging can be fun

a little scary as well

positive thoughts help

09/07/2021

Me thinks I should never, ever

watch the news! Makes me shed

tears it's so sad . . .

Watching the poor souls dealing

with storms, hurricanes and floods

just makes me cringe. I can't even

imagine the courage it must take

to soldier on when everything you

own is ravaged and taken.

The absolute worst . . . those lives

lost! How to help? What can we

actually do? Prayers are not enough;

action is needed. I know shekels are

lacking, along with health care and

rebuilding.

Let's all join in doing whatever we

can to help. I pray God steps in and

gives a hand!

pray lend me strength lord

people in times of trouble

im all out of faith

09/06/2021

Pets ahoy . . .

Spent the weekend with pets and

loved every moment of it. Kept

asking myself, "When did we stop

having them?" My guy says we 

all had pets while our kids were

growing up and that it was quite

important for them to have these

different learning experiences.

I actually get that! Playing with

dogs especially, training them, 

walking them everyday . . . all 

good! So, I asked him why don't 

we have a dog or two, or better 

yet, a couple of cats?

He explained that as retired

oldsters, we need to be free to

go at any moment, roam around,

have fun and not worry about

animals or getting someone

to take care of them. Me thinks

that was quite sneaky of him,

right?!

So, when we visit our daughter,

I'll just have to get my dog fix!

a hound dog or two

here kitty kitty kitty

loving me my pets

09/05/2021

Colorado is such an amazing

state. Living in the mountains,

we are graced with aspens,

pine trees, rivers and streams,

to say naught of the forest

bouquets of wildflowers.

And the . . .

 . . . you take a drive and

are assailed by an entirely

different geography. The

Colorado plains are absolutely

unreal! Mountains are visible

in the far background.

And then . . .

 . . . you take a look around!

360 degrees of sky and clouds

right down to the ground!

Let me add that I have never

seen sunrises and sunsets

more spectacular! Wow!

And then . . .

 . . . just choose a road, a

highway or byway and see

where it takes you. You will

have no idea whether you'll

be surprised by small country

towns, or amazing cities.

Oh beautiful, colorful Colorado!

I am ever so fortunate to live

here. You have graced my life

with such beauty and adventure.

I can hardly wait until the next

one!

we are invited

oh to endure such wonder

allow me to stay

09/04/2021

"She has always had a thing for full

moons, a sky full of stars and freedom."

~j. iron word

Me thinks he's talking about moi again!

Love this author, his work, his content.

And, I so appreciate how he honors both

the She and Mother Nature.

Both are interesting, exciting and even

changeable. Yesterday, we awoke to

such a beautiful day. We got outside

early to enjoy . . . and no more had we

sat down, than we received a torrential 

rain and pounding hail.

Obviously, we made a run for it; we 

watched this amazing summer storm

with a kind of awe. And the thing is,

it lasted! Once finished, the ground

was so covered in hail, it looked like

snow.

Capricious she may be, but we needed

the moisture and are grateful for it. The

water in the pond rose roughly 4". 

autumn approaches

soon to bid summer adieu 

hard to say goodbye 

09/03/2021

"We breathe air exhaled from trees

whose leaves are made of starlight.

Our veins echo the patterns of rivers,

branches, and root systems. We are

not a part of Nature. We are Nature!"

~Marysia Miernowska

How I love our Mother Nature! As

a small child, my father used to take

us out. I recall everything from short

walks to long hikes. We rested when

needed. Mom always packed picnics.

It may have been the same food, but

it tasted better outdoors!

I remember that sometimes my bro

and I would become querulous, Mom

and dad would exchange that secret

parental look and off to the hills we

would go. Amazing! They were so

wise.

Even though this was prior to any

littering campaign, my parents were

sticklers about leaving zero trace of

our presence. I so honor them for

that! 

Just now, I'm feeling a tad querulous!

Me thinks a trip out in Mother Nature

is just what the doc ordered!

let me walk in you

so loving me my mother

remedy for ills

09/02/2021

Get into the habit of asking

yourself, "Does this support 

the life I'm trying to create?"

Beautiful Mess

Fab reminder! Me thinks I needed

this! At 101, I'm somewhere 'twixt

and 'tween, 'Will I ever learn what

I need to learn' and death!

Pondering just how much of life is 

existing as opposed to actually living.

Making that effort to live more and

exist less, striving for balance . . . 

if that's even possible.

Wonder if I might just make the odd

New Year's resolution in September?!

It is back to school month, after all!

So here goes . . .

3) Live a little more; exist a tad less.

2) Honor both being and becoming.

1) Remember, love matters above all.

So, here's moi, still learning,

still learning . . .

09/01/2021

Perhaps 'twas a day like any other,

but it wasn't actually, it was a true 

gift of a day. A former colleague, 

lo these many years not seen, shared 

a few delicious hours and memories 

with me.

What a delight to sift through those

few stories of students and fellow

teachers that we loved throughout

the years of teaching and counseling. 

Whilst enjoying the delightful repast

she provided, we chuckled, belly

laughed, sighed . . . even shed a few 

tears.

One of the blessings derived from 

the day was the reiteration of a

career well chosen, enjoyed and

revered. 

Indeed, it has been so hard for me  

to let go; I loved teaching ever so 

much. My students meant the world 

to me, but today was a reminder that 

it is time, time to bid adieu to that

part of my life.

Perhaps the best part of today . . .

a professional colleague may

have come to visit, but she left 

as a friend.

*Dedicated to Patricia Salas,

phenomenal teacher and counselor.