Category Archives: Uncategorized

Impermanence

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

Fakers

There are individuals and organizations that sell service animal certification or registration documents online. These documents do not convey any rights under the ADA and the Department of Justice does not recognize them as proof that the dog is a … Continue reading

Posted in Deafness, Dogs, Hearing Impaired, Rant, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Found and Lost

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

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

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Circle

Of course I remember July 20th, an image burned in my brain, because that was the day I looked up at the solar eclipse and got slapped in the face by my grandmother, while she shrieked “You’ll go blind!” It … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, summer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Pushing the Feline Envelope

There will be some people who have serious disagreements with this post.  But I’ve kind of reached a bit of saturation on the subject and feel the need say something. If you can come up with a better solution, I’m … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Are you kidding me?, Birds, Rant, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Appreciation Day

My Facebook feed has been exploding with pink gorgeousness from friends doing the “oooh-ahhh” from Japan, Washington D.C. and other places around the globe. The cherry blossoms have been blooming.  K. and I were reveling in the herald of Spring … Continue reading

Posted in Holidays, Spring, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hoarding

Beneath the kitchen counter there is a corner cabinet with one of those two-level turnstile type lazy-susan gizmos which is supposed to allow you to easily view and access your stored canned goods and other groceries. I hate it. I … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Cooking, Food, Humor, Shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Vibration

Approaching Exit 21 on the Thruway, an inexplicable sense of weirdness suddenly permeated the drive north. At first I surmised that the early spring sky, low and leaden with moisture, could possibly be the cause of some atmospheric disturbance. But … Continue reading

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Amp-Bump

Out of the blue, my usually uncommunicative brother sent my sisters and I this text: “Do you guys remember amp bump???” Amp bump?  I could almost feel my brain physically shifting into a time warp. Amp bump. Oh my God, … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

The Littlest of Things

It has been many months since I have attempted a blog post – essentially rendered speechless and saddened by what is going on in our country and in the world. In this time of tremendous stress, uncertainty, conflict, fear, and … Continue reading

Posted in Coping, grief, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Magic Sunglasses

As summer has waned and eased into autumn, the deciduous trees have turned to that “it’s-all-over-for-this-year” dull green, with small bursts and streaks of color here and there, as highlights on fading tresses.  While driving, I could not but help … Continue reading

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Raised Them Right

Daughter #2 called me a few weeks ago. “So Mom, I have a story for you!”  I love a story. She went on to tell me that a man walked into the building where she works carrying a guitar and … Continue reading

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Space Invader

Every six to eight months I pay a visit to the hair salon. Because this does not happen very often, I continue to patronize the same person I have been seeing for decades, even though I have moved a number … Continue reading

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Blessings Amid the Depression

Breakfast this morning consisted of a handful of foraged chanterelle mushrooms sautéed in butter and garlic, then scrambled into two fresh eggs from a neighbor’s chickens and sprinkled with ground Himalayan pink salt and fresh peppercorn. The mushroom eggs were … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, grief, Hearing Impaired, Perspective, Rant, Uncategorized, Vent | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Of Summer

Standing outside watering a thirsty garden watching prisms arc through the spray under a late afternoon sun I am reduced to a child reliving the joy of running under the rainbow in the sprinkler on a hot summer day Sweet … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, summer, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Waste Not

After having a conversation with an old friend about the healthful benefits of juicing, my guilt about my packed-away juicer was tweaked just enough that I hauled it back out…..what good is it if you are not using it? In … Continue reading

Posted in baking, Cooking, Diet, Food, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Men Give Me Knives

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

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Miracles and Magic In Your Hands

Have you stopped to notice all the little miracles that pass through our hands daily? While skimming through a number of recent and stored photographs, I could not help but realize how many beautiful things these worn out old hands … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Photography, Spring, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fauxtmeal

My very pregnant daughter was standing at her kitchen counter one morning eating some mushy stuff out of a bowl that looked like oatmeal but wasn’t. When I asked, she told me it was “Fauxtmeal”. Just coming into the last … Continue reading

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Adventures in Sourdough

“Why are we paying the price of whole wheat and artisan breads when we could be making it ourselves?” Almost to the day that the Significant Other made this economy-driven announcement, an old bread machine was synchronistically gifted my way.  … Continue reading

Posted in baking, Cooking, Diet, Food, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 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

Buzzed

Our local nursery was having their annual Spring flower display, an early teaser, and it was raining, so I stopped there to get high.  On flowers.  I get pretty buzzed on flowers – it’s true.  Obviously  I am not the … Continue reading

Posted in Gardening, Photography, Spring, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

What It Boils Down To

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

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

Priorities

The Significant Other is self-employed in the construction trade and is kind of a “Mr. Fixit.”  Following a recent accident which required some surgery, the involuntary down-time has kept him home for much of the week.  He is pretty good … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Humor, Perspective, Rant, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Don’t Steal This Book

My books are like old friends.  When it comes time to purge items from the home, the most difficult items to reduce seem to be the books.  Even when I know I am not going to be reading a particular … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Birds, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Machine Age

You would think I had grown up in the days of my grandmother or possibly my great-grandmother if you saw the kind of appliances I had in my house, right up into the 1990’s.  As a twenty-something and even a … Continue reading

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

Looking Up

I just happened to have another one of those oddly moving parking lot experiences. It is a hot, bright August day with a slight tinge of humidity in the air.  Despite the delicious temptation of slabbing out in front of … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Photography, summer, Uncategorized, Weather, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

West Wind

Last night the west wind blew down all the cherry blossoms from the tree across the street. They landed on our side of the road, gathering in a lovely line of candy-pink bubblegum bliss along the curb. I was filled … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Spring, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Cheese Puff Bliss

You never know when and where you might discover a moment of contentment.  It feels like a gift when those times happen unbidden and unexpectedly. Having just finished shopping and while loading my groceries into the trunk of the car, … Continue reading

Posted in Perspective, Spring, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The Power of Skunk

Skunk wafting on the wind is a scent I actually enjoy.  There has been an especially strong aroma lingering around the back of the house for the last couple of weeks.  Honestly, at first I thought either someone spilled a … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Coping, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Stuff of Nightmares

Being sort of a nerd when it comes to science, botany, animals and insects, it has been a regular practice to study, scrutinize and read up on many of the critters, diseases, and earthly creations that I stumble upon.  The … Continue reading

Posted in Animal Stories, Are you kidding me?, Coping, Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

A Trail of Panties

While packing for a trip to Holland years ago, my friend suggested we should bring all of our old underwear that was on its very last legs and discard them along the way, leaving more room in the suitcase to … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Rescue

Some people have issues with The Empty Nest after their children grow up and move away from home.  For me this has not been much of a problem.  The teenage years of my youngest were so dramatic disruptive emotional  intense … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Animal Stories, Dogs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Mermaid Farewell, or The Last (Hip) Hurrah

While deleting over a hundred spam hits, it really drove home how lax I have been about posting anything.  Distraction has been the issue.  A lot of new things have popped up in my life that have grabbed my focus … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Bucket List, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Hamantaschen Fail

Hamentaschen (or Hamentashen, or Hamantashen), the tri-cornered cookies filled with poppy seeds, fruit jelly, nut mixtures, etc.  were not part of my childhood holiday experience.  Torrone nougat candy, bow-ties covered in powdered sugar, Italian bakery cookies,  sesame and pistachio halvah……these … Continue reading

Posted in Cooking, Food, Humor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 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

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

I’m Not That Old

Today was the first time I have been in a movie theater to see a feature film  in longer than I can remember.  With the exception of attending foreign films with subtitles, I have pretty much given up on going … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, Deafness, Hearing Impaired, Uncategorized, Wow! | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

All Manner of Comfortable Things

“I’m built for comfort, I ain’t built for speed”. This line from a song keeps going through my head.  I think it was Howlin’ Wolf .  Didn’t Canned Heat do a version of it also? (I can’t find it if … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Holidays, Humor, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

E

My right ear rings all the time.  One day, about twenty years ago,  it just started buzzing and it has never shut off since.  As the hearing loss has progressed in that ear, the noise has seemed to get louder … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Coping, Deafness, Hearing Impaired, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

The Sore Throat Remedy in Our House

It’s that good ol’, bad ol’ winter cold time again. There are a few theories as to why this works (and it does).  I envision the bacteria in your throat, your lungs, your sinuses, being killed off naturally – just … Continue reading

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Double Zipper – New Year

A few brief years ago, I finally reached what I consider a small plateau of maturity –  determined not to freeze through yet another Very Cold Winter, I purchased an insulated down-like coat that was long enough to cover my … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Humor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Rejoice the Winter Solstice

Rejoice!  The Winter Solstice. The day began with a cup of chai.  Then lunch at a little French bistro with  family I haven’t seen in months.  Warm holiday feelings. Chocolate.  Baking.  My Mother’s Boots. There are some fruit flies pinging … Continue reading

Posted in Holidays, Uncategorized, Winter | Tagged , | 3 Comments

What Do You Do All Day?

Since I have been officially out of the workforce, people who are working full-time or who I have not seen in a while will inevitably turn to me and say “So…….now that you are not working, what do you do … Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Are you kidding me?, Bucket List, Perspective, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

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

Disposable World

There’s really no reason to get rid of my Sears Kenmore CounterCraft Food Processor if it’s still working, right?  All it needs is a replacement part. It gets taken out of its box a few times a year for some … Continue reading

Posted in Are you kidding me?, Humor, Rant, Shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Hiding Behind a Tree

As if my heart could not get any fuller, my first-born grandchild started his very first day of pre-school this morning.  Wasn’t it but yesterday when I had to leave my first child in daycare?  There was no choice…I had … Continue reading

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

A Two Boy Wedding

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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Spidey

We have had ants this summer, the large black variety.   Not too many, but occasionally one will be spotted making its was across the kitchen floor or even the counter.  There have been so few compared to other years, that … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments