School started on Monday, but classes on Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled because of the weather. I know that reprieve is a blessing for some people, but it makes me sad. I love school. I have three classes that only meet once a week, so missing them means we do not start until next week. Thankfully, one of them met online on Monday before the weather really struck, so I have plenty to be working on for that class. But the other two are mostly just having to wait until next week.
Continue readingCategory Archives: Friendship
A Gathering of Women.
Almost six years ago, I traveled to Whidbey Island for the first time to participate in a writing circle of strangers. That week, I made some dear friends who picked me up when I was hurting and helped me to work through some of the pain. Last week, three of those women – Bridget, Janis and Lynn – traveled to Texas to spend nearly six days in the hill country with me. For five nights, we stayed in an old rock house on property owned by my parents and previously occupied only by cows. They opted not to leave the house except on Sunday, when we ventured to the LBJ Ranch. Mostly, we wrote and talked. Continue reading
Whatever the Circumstance.
Earlier this evening, I was writing something to send to a friend who is struggling. As I wrote, I teared up. Dave came into the room and asked me if I was okay. I said I was, and he exited. A few minutes later, he came back holding Bread. He put Bread on my lap and for a good while, I had that warm little body nestled with me while I wrote. I love that warm little body. And I so love Dave for offering what help he could. Continue reading
A People-full January 3.
I made a quick trip to Minneapolis for a memorial, and it turned into one of my favorite days of late. I flew up the morning of January 3 and flew back the morning of January 4. It was bitter cold the entire time, but the whole trip was a sweet adventure from beginning to end. Continue reading
Swim Bike Run.
I came home from work yesterday to the sweetest gift in the mail. My friend Diane, who is the wife and mother to the father and son who were on my Kilimanjaro climb, mailed me this awesome block with the sweetest note of encouragement: Continue reading
Jeanie’s Awesome Race.
This weekend, I went to Madison, Wisconsin, to sherpa for my friend Jeanie during Ironman Wisconsin. I’d never seen this race, but I’d heard about it. I heard about tough hills and awesome crowds and both proved to be true. The bike course is definitely hilly. There were no massive oh-no-it’s-too-steep-I’m-going-to-fall-over climbs, but the course rolls nearly the entire way. “Relentless” is the term Jeanie used to describe it. And the crowds? They were probably the best I’ve ever seen. I got to spectate part of the bike course and loved seeing people all along the roads. And much of the run is through downtown, which was lined with people the entire way. It was incredible. And did I mention that Jeanie kicked ass on this course? She did. I was blown away. Continue reading
On His 41st Birthday.
My friend Jeff should have turned 41 today. He was killed in 2006 after a drunk driver drove into a crowd of pedestrians waiting to cross the street after a concert at the Backyard. The world dimmed a good bit when he left it. Continue reading
An Early Morning Surprise.
I slept terribly last night. When my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m., I almost texted the girls to tell them that I was bailing on our run, but I managed somehow to get my butt out of bed and to the trails. We had a lovely 5-mile run during which we got to hear about Jenny’s 30K trail race of this past weekend in West Texas. It sounds like a race that needs to land on my 2016 schedule. Then when we got back to our cars, I had the most wonderful surprise waiting for me. Continue reading
Thanksgiving Already?
How did we get to Thanksgiving? Where has the fall gone? Somehow the days and weeks are flying by and suddenly I’m less than thirty days from my 41st birthday and I haven’t mentioned my birthday even once? That’s unheard of for me. Clearly, something is a little off. Continue reading
An Evening in Coupeville.
Good morning from Coupeville, Washington, on the glorious Whidbey Island. It’s just after 7 here. I’m here with six women, and three of us are awake so far. The coffee is brewing – my contribution since it’s really the only thing I know how to make – and I’m thinking back to what an incredible evening we had last night. Joanna made a taco dinner for us, and Kristie made blackberry cobbler from fresh blackberries that she picked on a walk. Afterwards, we sat around the living room reading to one another the things we’ve been working on. Being in a circle listening to the stories of women I love is perhaps my most favorite way to spend an evening. Continue reading
It Started With Coeur d'Alene 