It’s early in 2019, and already I’m feeling a tremendous amount of gratitude. I’ve had something going on that is causing me to get really dizzy. I fell once last month. I got on the ground to avoid falling again this month. And then I got horribly dizzy a third time just reading in bed. After those three incidents in a matter of weeks, I decided to see a doctor. (Fine, Dave insisted that I see a doctor. Details, details.) Continue reading
A Bright Light.
It’s been a strange month. Strange and sad and sweet and beautiful all at once. We lost Dave’s mom this month. Before she died, we were able to spend sweet time with her and some of her extended family. And since then, we celebrated her in a couple of gatherings that had her fingerprints all over them. And now, Dave’s immediate family is in Austin, having surprised us by flying in on Christmas night. We being old people were asleep when they arrived, so we didn’t experience the surprise until the day after Christmas, but their presence here has been sweet. It’s fun to be with them, particularly as we celebrate Dave’s birthday. I’m so grateful. Continue reading
Taking Care of Myself (and Others).
So much of my effort this year has been about taking care of myself. I hope it hasn’t been selfish. I don’t think it has. I just feel like there is so much aggression out in the world that I have to be extra diligent about both preparing myself for it and shielding myself from it. For me, that’s meant really looking at what improves my life and what doesn’t. Continue reading
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
A Thing on My Elbow.
For a few weeks now, I’ve had a thing on my elbow. It’s a bump. A hump. It’s about the size of a dime, and it moves around. It doesn’t hurt unless I press on it really hard. It’s just there. And it’s been freaking me out. 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
Wednesday List #40 – Things That Occupy My Time
Dave has been traveling much of August, so I have had quite a bit of time to myself. I much prefer him to be around, but I do well on my own for the most part. I have tried in his absence to take good care of myself, to do some cleaning and organization around the house, and to catch up on things that I have either overlooked or have been neglecting. Here are some of the things I’ve been focusing on: Continue reading
At a Crossroads.
Not too long ago, I was feeling my age. Then I was temporarily out of commission. Now I’m at a crossroads of sorts. Something in me is changing. I have less patience for what I do not care to do. I have less patience for things that feel unproductive to me. And I have less patience with my own willingness at times to be less than whole-hearted in whatever I am doing. I feel like my moments matter, and I do not want to waste them. Continue reading
Temporarily Out of Commission.
In the last two months, I’ve started half a dozen blogs and then gotten distracted. That’s what time has been like lately. I’m not complaining because I love almost everything I am getting to do right now, but I am tired. And today I’m only able to write because my body brought me to a grinding halt over the weekend. Continue reading
Feeling My Age.
This was an unusually busy week. Monday, I worked. Tuesday, I was in a leadership program all day. Wednesday, I had meetings in the morning and a continuing legal education course in the afternoon. Thursday and Friday, I again was in continuing legal education. Every night except Wednesday, I had meetings, some of which lasted until 9pm. And two nights, I ended up working after my meetings because I was spending so much time out of the office. This morning, I did a 30-mile bike ride. And suddenly I’m exhausted. It’s 8pm, and I could fall asleep. What is going on?
