Just an April story from 2021. We had a late April snow a few weeks ago. It started out as a howling wind, then icy rain, then snow. We watched the temperature drop rapidly from 54 degrees, finally settling at 27 degrees. The following morning it snowed again. Along with the new flurries were big
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Learning to Chill
Geez, I’m tired. What about you? Have you ever had a week where everything seems overwhelming? That’s my week. Every time I turn around, I’m rushing off to the next thing. I did this complete overwhelm to myself just as you do it to yourself too. I scheduled lots of events and fun things that
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Grumpy But Keeping a Positive Attitude
Some days it doesn’t do to get out of bed. I’m living those days. First there was the death of my beloved brother-in-law after a brief, devastating illness. Then I got COVID. Then my husband Ken got COVID (both of us totally boosted). After four days of fever my doctor finally decided to prescribe Paxlovid.
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Cosmetic Surgery? Ah, No.
My pal and I were chatting the other day when she turned to me and said, “You know, you could get some Botox for those wrinkles on your forehead. I think you’d really like it.” Huh! True, I didn’t sleep well the night before. When I got up that morning and looked in the mirror,
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Swearing at the Gym
I’m no longer “with it.” I’ve become an old fogie. Has this happened to you? Fair warning: there are graphic references to strong profanity in this post. I like listening to lots of different kinds of music. At home it’s blues, jazz, zydeco or classical. When I’m in the gym they stream current music which is
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Laughter Becomes You
I’m a big fan of laughter. It’s a universal human trait. I use it in my personal life and in my coaching. But I’m curious: Why do we laugh? It seems to be something uniquely human. . That’s what I thought until I learned that 65 different species of animals have their own sort of
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Mom and the Clinique Counter
Aging. The whole topic of aging is loaded with unexploded emotional and self-worth landmines. We never know how to navigate around aging safely. Young people want to look older. Older people want to look younger. People lie about their age so often they actually forget how old they are. They avoid talking about their age,
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The Tooth Fairy’s Assistant
The tooth fairy. What a concept. Apparently it’s French. My dad was the tooth fairy’s assistant in our family. He was in charge of pulling loose baby teeth. Dad was very sneaky about getting baby teeth out of my head. I thought I knew his latest trick and then wham! He’d find a way to
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The Mystery of the Brown Shoes
The other day I drove by the hotel where my mom and dad stayed years ago for my niece’s wedding. My gentle and loving father was showing the first severe signs of Alzheimer’s, and this was the last trip they took before he was no longer able to travel. . They’d booked a room at
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You Are What You Eat
The other day I heard someone remark, “You are what you eat.” Since I was eavesdropping, I didn’t feel right asking, “Hey, are we talking only food, or can we include things like anger, disappointment, humor, weightlifting, books by Jodi Taylor or Netflix? . I’m now declaring, by the power invested in me by me,
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Michael Proposes
Let me introduce you to Michael Coleman. Ken and I never missed Chicago guitar bluesman Michael Coleman’s gigs. He’d been blues harmonica legend James Cotton’s band leader and played the kind of funky blues that had people on the dance floor after the first few bars of a song. . Michael lived for his booty
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Fabulous! You’re looking absolutely fabulous!
When my daughter Dakota came to visit, we went for our traditional manicure, pedicure and lunch date. We’re not really girly girls but we do like having our toes and fingernails looking groomed and snazzy instead or snagged, bitten, broken and neglected: our usual sad state. . For those of you unaware, manicures and pedicures
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