Category Archives: Friends

Not Fade Away

Posted on November 8, 2025 by daeja's view

I have often used the word “exposure” regarding my initial connection to the Grateful Dead. Having been in a series of relationships starting back in high school with fanatical Deadheads, tapers and jam band musicians, it was just natural to … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Flashback, Friends, Humor, Memories, Perspective, senior musings, Uncategorized, Weird | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

What’s On Your Nightstand?

Posted on January 23, 2025 by daeja's view

It has been too easy to hunker down, gazing at winter skies, finding excuses to ride out the coldest moments indoors (unless you are one of those winter outdoor types – me, not very much). Despite a predisposition to remain … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Earworm of the day, Flashback, Food, Friends, grief, nature, Perspective, Seasons, senior musings, Uncategorized, Weather, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Retrograde

Posted on November 4, 2024 by daeja's view

Whenever a string of mishaps and unfortunate events of daily living transpire, inevitably someone I know will say “Mercury must be in retrograde.” Considering the backward-moving appearance of Mercury that occurs a few times a year is merely an optical … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Autumn, Coping, Dogs, Earworm of the day, Friends, Holidays, Perspective, Seasons, senior musings, The Urban Porch, The Urban Porch ™, treasures, Uncategorized, Views From he Urban Porch ™ | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Funny What the Weather Will Do

Posted on January 27, 2024 by daeja's view

January is bouncing all over the place in both weather and emotions these days. Views From the Urban Porch have been varied and unpredictable. One day I’m staring at an atmosphere so vibrantly blue that it conjures up tropical skies … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Cooking, Coping, Dogs, Earworm of the day, Flashback, Food, Friends, grief, nature, Perspective, Photography, Seasons, senior musings, The Urban Porch, The Urban Porch ™, Uncategorized, Views From he Urban Porch ™, Weather, Weird, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aurora

Posted on July 14, 2023 by daeja's view

If anyone in the immediate neighborhood had looked out their window shortly before midnight last night, they might have seen a woman standing in the center of the street in the middle of a lightning storm, wearing only a long … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Daeja's Garden, Divorce, Flashback, Friends, Gardening, nature, Perspective, Seasons, senior musings, summer, The Urban Porch, The Urban Porch ™, Uncategorized, Views From he Urban Porch ™, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Wandering On and Off The Urban Porch ™

Posted on June 16, 2023 by daeja's view

The smoky skies from the Canadian wildfires had kept Rudi and I off The Urban Porch ™ and sequestered inside for a number of days. Once they cleared, we were especially eager to get out and about. At first, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Animal Stories, Birds, Food, Friends, nature, Photography, Seasons, senior musings, summer, The Urban Porch ™, treasures, Uncategorized, Views From he Urban Porch ™, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mélange

Posted on May 27, 2023 by daeja's view

What a month it’s been! Beautiful days, some lazy indulgences, some quirky sights to be seen. Due to the outrageously fine weather, I’ve spent some significant (and perhaps a bit wasteful) lengths of time just hanging out on The Urban … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Birds, Cooking, Daeja's Garden, Food, Friends, Gardening, nature, Photography, Seasons, senior musings, Spring, The Urban Porch ™, Uncategorized, Views From he Urban Porch ™ | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Print

Posted on June 15, 2022 by daeja's view

It wasn’t a milestone birthday and my expectations had been pretty much non-existent. Aside from wishing some things could finally be repaired or upgraded around the house (I keep wishing for that every year), this day marking another trip around … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Holidays, Spring, treasures, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Second Coming

Posted on May 5, 2019 by daeja's view

About seven months ago I posted a piece called Rage , concerning a not very good day I had been having that culminated with some crazy-ass woman chasing me into the parking lot of Kohl’s department store in an intense road … Continue reading →

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Friends, Perspective, Shopping, Uncategorized, Weird | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ashes

Posted on April 10, 2019 by daeja's view

Left holding the bag again Or box, as it so happens A container of dust That is not really him * Okay it’s true the person is gone Their spirit and essence Does not reside in this unworthy cube of … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Coping, Friends, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Butterfly Sheets

Posted on August 6, 2018 by daeja's view

On the day I was changing the bed linens, I came across a set of butterfly pattern sheets that had migrated to the back of the shelf in the closet. The pillow cases were long gone and the elastic on … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Coping, Friends, grief, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Impermanence

Posted on May 21, 2018 by daeja's view

I lost something today. My birthday morning was spent hopping from place to place with a very old friend. After opening a goody bag full of fun and thoughtful gifts, we headed for Starbucks for a free birthday Cold Brew. … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Found and Lost

Posted on September 25, 2017 by daeja's view

During the gawky, dark, painfully insecure pre and early-adolescent summers of my youth, I attended what was advertised as an “inter-faith, inter-racial” summer camp out in what was once the wilds of Connecticut, before it became greatly suburbanized. From what … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Autumn, Friends, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Men Give Me Knives

Posted on May 22, 2016 by daeja's view

While rummaging through some drawers and stored boxes, I came across a number of different knives, mostly pocket-type and folding knives, which have been given to me by various men over the years.  It is not the first time I … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Tale of the Traveling Chairs

Posted on March 14, 2016 by daeja's view

The Great Divorce in our family took place in California back in the 1970’s. Along with moving herself and children to the bottom half of a stucco two-family house with a Spanish tile roof,  my mother launched into her new … Continue reading →

Posted in Divorce, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

What It Boils Down To

Posted on March 1, 2016 by daeja's view

It’s that time of year in these colder regions where the maple sap is running.  This past weekend a number of local people have been busy boiling down their sap.  On a Saturday complimented by a stellar-blue jay sky, friends … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Little Black Book is Blue

Posted on February 19, 2016 by daeja's view

Not that long ago it seems, before cell phone contact lists and computer address databases, there was The Address Book.  Even though that information is stored on both my phone and in a computer file, stashed in a top drawer … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

A Two Boy Wedding

Posted on September 3, 2013 by daeja's view

It is a few days past the wedding, and I am still awash in an almost dream-state; every once in a while welling up with emotion which brings me onto the edge of tears. It is an honor to be … Continue reading →

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Left Out

Posted on August 25, 2013 by daeja's view

There are always challenges in the reshuffling of families, friendships and loyalties when it comes to a divorce.  Over the many years since mine occurred, there have been waves of   problems laced with intense hostility interspersed with moments of peacefulness … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Divorce, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Slowly I Turned……

Posted on August 20, 2013 by daeja's view

“Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch….” I realize I am dating myself here, because about half the people I have said this to know what I am talking about and the other half don’t. The line is … Continue reading →

Posted in Bucket List, Friends, Hearing Impaired, Humor, Travel, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Stealth

Posted on May 2, 2013 by daeja's view

When it came to a choice of animal companions, my family always fell into the “dog people” category. But there hasn’t been a dog in my life for a very long time.  There are a number of reasons for that, … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal Stories, Dogs, Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Major Artistic Deficit Disorder

Posted on April 28, 2013 by daeja's view

Having grown up the child of artists, it naturally followed that those we interacted with and bonded with would lean towards the creative.  And so, throughout this life, I have found myself  surrounded by an abundance of talented friends. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

That Snooty Woman With All the Fancy Instruments

Posted on October 8, 2012 by daeja's view

One of the things I like to do for leisure and sometimes passion is to play percussive instruments.  I like to drum, especially on drums played with the hands – a djembe, a doumbek, a frame drum or riqq.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Deafness, Friends, Hearing Impaired, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

I Kissed Rick Danko

Posted on April 26, 2012 by daeja's view

I didn’t plan on attending Levon Helm’s wake today. Yes, I had been a fan of The Band for many years, but I dislike crowds and am seriously averse to fan/fame worship. And yet, on some level I was still … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

A Matter of Interpretation

Posted on February 28, 2012 by daeja's view

As someone who writes essays and blog posts, you would think that there would be a corresponding adeptness to creating written correspondence that would clearly translate my thoughts to the recipient.  It is not as if I am writing in … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Deafness, Friends, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Saluki in the Floor

Posted on January 30, 2012 by daeja's view

The phone call from the Middle East at six in the morning came as sort of a surprise. “Your puppy was just born, come and get her” prefaced the details of an invitation to leave the United States and reunite … Continue reading →

Posted in Animal Stories, Friends, Regrets, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

The Sedum Project

Posted on October 14, 2011 by daeja's view

I make a visit to the grave about twice a year.  As expected, the cemetery is a quiet, green place that sits below open skies and shaded lanes lined with old trees.  Officially, two grandparents and my mother now rest there. Unofficially, my … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Gardening, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Unravelling

Posted on September 21, 2011 by daeja's view

Ivy is a knitter and I am not at all, nor will I ever be, no matter how much I would like to be.  Since the earliest of times, as far back as when my grandmother tried to teach me, … Continue reading →

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The Hippie Haj

Posted on August 26, 2011 by daeja's view

I have a really bad attitude when it comes to the commercialization of those things which represent “my” generation, which is that of The Boomer.  Most specifically, I gag at all this glorifying of the “Woodstock era” – the life and times … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Eye Candy

Posted on June 7, 2011 by daeja's view

The irises are pretty much blown by and gone here.  Last week, my friend and I managed to make a long trek to Montclair, New Jersey to visit the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens, which sits at the bottom of Mountainside Park.   The day … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Gardening, Spring, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Never Mind – I’ll Tell You Later

Posted on April 26, 2011 by daeja's view

The group is bantering witticisms back and forth and raucous laughter ensues.  I am standing among them, nodding and smiling, and my brain is working hard and at double time.  I am trying to string together the words I missed with … Continue reading →

Posted in Coping, Deafness, Friends, Hearing Impaired, Perspective, Rant | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Resisting the Social Network (is that you in that photo?)

Posted on April 10, 2011 by daeja's view

It was through my then fourteen year old that I first became aware of online social networks and blogs like Live Journal and MySpace, where it seemed kids were regurgitating the minutiae of their lives ad nauseum and flaunting their bootie for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Two Wakes and a Birthday Party

Posted on March 1, 2011 by daeja's view

Two wakes and a birthday party in one week.  It’s enough to really give you pause for thought.  One woman was the mother of a co-worker.  The other one was a neighbor, not much older than I am now.  A … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Friends, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Dinner Club for the Anti-Socialites

Posted on February 21, 2011 by daeja's view

Adjusting from a rural/exurb environment to a small city has been a very big head realignment for me.  There are many things I have had trouble embracing about relocating into the House of the Significant Other, but the one thing this urban scene has going for it … Continue reading →

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A Little Piece of Sun

Posted on January 26, 2011 by daeja's view

A friend gave me some Paperwhite bulbs (Narcissus papyraceus for you botanical types) for Christmas. For those who might be unfamiliar, you force the bulbs in a pot indoors with the idea that they will bloom in the winter and … Continue reading →

Posted in Friends, Spring, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments