It was January 4th and I was staring at a blank Word document that was as white as the snowy mid-Atlantic states getting hit by the nor’easter that day. My hope was to acknowledge the new year and slalom right into a new season of WordPress posts. But I couldn’t find a single word to … More Every Picture Tells a Story – A Look Back
I knew that I wanted it as soon as I turned the catalog page. The photo showed a large glass ornament; flawlessly round. The glass wasn’t a bright red or blue or green. No, this was a soft, off-white color which set its snowy scene perfectly. The artist had drawn trees, but in a minimalist … More The Christmas Ornament circa 1999
In 2016, my husband and I were invited to join a table for Trivia night whose members met weekly inside the restaurant of our community clubhouse. Each table was considered a team and they were allowed up to nine players. If your team won, it would receive a food and beverage $25.00 gift card which, … More Music Trivia For $200
A few days ago, we participated in an early Thanksgiving meal with my 91-year-old mother Ginny at her assisted living / memory care residence. The evening included some live musical entertainment and while mom was watching the singer, I was watching her feet tap to “That’s Life” and hearing her sing the last few notes … More Enjoying Some Thanksgiving Notes With the Elderly
Something my 31-year-old son said to me last week reminded me about an ancient (18-year-old) hard copy of a manuscript I have buried in the cupboard. I’m pretty sure most readers here have a similar project in a similar cupboard. The premise was to keep a “journal” for one year chronicling life with a 13-year-old … More Operation Odyssey
I’m poking around my house again. About every two years, I hear the call of the Garage Sale Sirens. I begin to pull out various items I rarely or have literally never used and set up shop in my garage for a few hours on a Saturday morning. On average, I would guess that 40% … More Garage Sales, the Internet & A Santa
“Hi Mom, I wanted to tell you that we’re going to see you soon” I shared in a recent phone call with my 91-year-old mom Ginny who lives in memory care. It was the first time we had talked in five weeks. Her residence had experienced a heavy Delta variant surge which left many residents … More Reunions Inside a Senior Community
In early 2000, author Sharon Marchisello’s mother, Lolita, seemed to understand that something was different and once told her daughter “Losing your mind is a terrible thing.” She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the whole family was learning how to adjust to life with a loved one who was quickly changing. Years later, with … More A Conversation with Sharon Marchisello
On the morning I was scheduled for my appointment, I woke to loud thunder and lightning. I got up and walked in the dark through the living room and stood in front of the glass sliding door to watch. Interestingly, there was no rain. I love thunderstorms, so I stuck around for a few minutes … More A New Me
Ten days ago, I began to receive an unsettling drumbeat of emails from the senior residential community where my 91-year-old mother Ginny lives. August 28th: “We now have 2 confirmed cases in Memory Care.” August 29th: “we currently have two (2) positive cases in Memory Care and two (2) positive cases in Assisted Living.” August … More Delta Developments
Leaving The Door Open 