i thought you’d be here in the morning

~~my journal 2/18/2020 - "death is so sudden, even tho we were waiting.  I wish I'd taken time last night - - but no, I just wanted to finish washing dishes and mom is always so needy.  I'm glad I checked on her.  She said she felt strange and should we worry about it.  I …

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6 hours

We leave moments after the caregiver arrives.  Friday.  11 a.m.   I feel relieved to go and guilty at the same time. He takes the long way around to the coast.  We drive for two hours through beauty that should be enjoyed and photographed, but I keep nodding off.  No pictures.  No conversation. I am tired …

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stop running

A few months back, searching for an old Halloween photo, I found this picture.  We had moved to a new home, in a new subdivision, several miles south of San Francisco.  I know this to be true because my dad's beloved and well maintained lawn, flower garden, fence and side yard fish pond didn't exist …

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with or without you…

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you."  ~ Anne Lamott Life rolls on, even if you're not ready, with or without you.  Well, I guess you have to go. But I have not been rolling gracefully. So I'm going to try Anne's remedy and unplug.  The theory …

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The Last Someday ~ A Memorial

Originally posted, May 2012 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I've been thinking a lot about that sneaky word - Someday... ... about how I let it rob me of time I thought I had... and what am I going to do about that now? ... about my parents as they face major change.  As Mom said the other day, …

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he loves me like that…

Three favorite stories, short and sweet... At Passover Meal, knowing he would suffer and die, knowing his disciples had no clue what was about to happen, Jesus told them of his eager longing to share this meal with them.  An eager longing to share.  He loved them like that.  (from Luke 22:14-20) At that same …

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…notes from the dark side of overabundance

It's doubtful anyone who knows my family would associate our surname with minimalism.  I know I'm bucking the tide, but it's a way of life that appeals to me more and more. I'm a fan of Joshua Becker's, Becoming Minimalist, website.  He's practical and inspiring.  I didn't care for her book, but watched every episode …

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pieced together… how a quilt and a government hold steady

Last year I had the privilege of completing a quilt that began its life over 70 years ago.  Maybe even 80 years. In the mid 1940s, while visiting the woman who would become her mother-in-law, my mom was given several unfinished quilt tops.  Mom thinks it was Grandma Vera's way of bribing her to marry …

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on being a difference maker…

I began blogging eight years ago, this very month.  My original purpose was to practice writing.  My ultimate goal was a book about the years we lived in Alaska. I also wanted to be an encouraging presence... to share my love for God, family, country and maybe even generate a laugh now and then.  Pretty …

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staying the path

February 22nd, we had a light snowfall.  It was over and beginning to melt by mid-morning. Normally I avoid the area, blaming it for the worst case of poison oak EVER.  But on this day I walked up behind the shop, clicked a few pictures and moved on about my business.  It wasn't until looking …

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