Category Archives: Regrets

Oddballs and Mishaps Around “The Urban Porch ™”

So what’s happening on and around The Urban Porch ™ this week? Some lovely rain, prompting the grass to suddenly get so crazy high that I actually mowed for a second time. That might be an April mowing record. Inspired by … Continue reading

Posted in Daeja's Garden, Gardening, nature, Regrets, Spring, The Urban Porch, The Urban Porch ™, Weird | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Children Don’t Read My Blog

My children don’t read my blog. Once upon a time, perhaps about a decade ago, one of them would occasionally weigh in with a funny comment, but overall it is apparent they have little interest. I’m pretty sure they rarely, … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, kids, Perspective, Regrets, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Wallet

It was more years ago than I can exactly recall when my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I told her I wanted a good wallet. I was very specific about what kind of wallet I … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Autumn, Coping, Flashback, grief, Perspective, Regrets, treasures, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Robe

At the moment I am trying to wade through some difficult feelings brought on by some recently revisited trauma. It’s been one of those situations where there is a strange, anxious, physical vibration in your very core. While this has … Continue reading

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

True Colors

When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time. – Maya Angelou

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Linden

This is a rather longish post concerning the frustration of municipal red tape and the loss of a friend, of sorts. It is one of those “shaking my head” type posts. It is also about quality of life, trying to … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, grief, Perspective, Rant, Regrets, Spring, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Little Bird

Following a quick but torrential downpour and some gusty winds, the S.O. discovered a fledgling robin scooting around between the dying iris foliage in our front yard. The linden tree immediately nearby is the most likely place it came from, … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Birds, Coping, Daeja's Garden, grief, Regrets, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Butterfly Sheets

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

Purging With Regrets

Serious clutter-bugs hoping to change their ways were buzzing with excitement about how The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  by Marie Kondo was helping to unburden their lives. Being the Collector of Lots of Good Stuff, it seemed like just the thing … Continue reading

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

Tale of the Traveling Chairs

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

Pink Snow

The inside of this small oval basket of woven rush is filled with very old potpourri, atop which rests a small bottle of peach-scented oil.  The basket, which once belonged to my mother, is stashed behind some framed photographs on … Continue reading

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Writhing With Guilt

Today I realize my shoe-a-holism has gotten a bit out of control.  I sit here and writhe with guilt. As posted previously in this blog, I have a lot of shoes.  Shoes of many colors. Not “designer” shoes,  just comfortable, … Continue reading

Posted in Fashion, Perspective, Regrets, Shoes, Shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Left Out

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

Major Artistic Deficit Disorder

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

I Kissed Rick Danko

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

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

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 , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Buck and the Turtle (or yet another bum rap for the oldest)

On a recent excursion with a couple of my siblings, the conversation turned, as it often does, to our childhood, with its spectrum of both sweet and bitter memories. And as sometimes happens during these conversations, I had to hear, with … Continue reading

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Fences

It has been an adjustment getting used to living in a small city, with neighbors dwelling very close by.  Most of the homes on our street, built in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s,  have weathered, stockade fences between them.  However, this house came equipped … Continue reading

Posted in Gardening, Perspective, Rant, Regrets, Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment

Spinner

This Earth Day marks the 12th anniversary of my mother’s death.  A day filled with golden daffodils, warm soil, the haze of soft greening and points of pastel color just emerging – much like an Impressionist painting – essentially the same as it was on the day she left us years … Continue reading

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