In between. We are in between things right now – to use the vernacular. We’ve moved out of our home for the last 30 some years and are squatting in an apartment while we wait for our new home to be finished. We should be ready to move in about 6 weeks. We’ve moved in…
I’m a grandfather. With two kids, four grandkids and fifteen years teaching in middle school, where women outnumber men 6 to 1, I know about pregnancy and how it changes diet and behavior. It’s a lot like getting old. I stop walking in the store to catch my breath, people give me the “bless your…
Growing up, my parents had a big cedar trunk at the foot of their bed. It was originally my mom’s hope chest. It was always at the foot of the bed, no matter where we lived. It was not opened often, normally in the early fall when my mother brought out our winter clothes, mostly…
It was a cold, pure day. No clouds, just a high pale blue dome and a brilliant sun in it. The winter drear traded for the sharp bright relief of a false spring. We were going to the beach. It was our first “just for the heck of it” trip since before the pandemic. Our…
We’ve had a spate of light showers for several days now, nothing significant, just enough to make it feel like fall. Leaves have begun to turn finally. Very few have fallen. The air is yellow with smoke from field burning. On a rise as we were coming into town last night, we could see a…
It began raining yesterday morning, a light mist that became an easy rain, just enough to keep the walks wet without forming puddles. It continued into the night, making sleep easy. We’ve had company from Colorado, my sister and her husband Carl. He was a longtime friend of Lydia’s before he married Lora. They came…
Slumgullion It is still dark out the window, though there is a hint of light. The apple tree limbs are subtle leafless streaks and beyond it the walk is a vague wash of grey. No birds. No rain. In our house, slumgullion is a mix of bacon bits, fried potatoes, and onions, cooked together in…
The Great Divide Gray light this morning. Fog and winter sun. Always an inducement for contemplation. We continue to sort through boxes of old papers and mementos, making little decisions about what to throw out and what to keep. In an emotional compromise, Lydia has begun taking pictures of items we are unsure of. Later,…
Lights glow from windows up and down the block. It is still dark, but kids are getting ready for school, parents for work. Oatmeal is on the stove, or boxes of cereal at the table. Toast in the toaster. It is a Monday. We are retired, so it is just another day. Days blend together…
Through the window the sky is a pale gray. There is a soft hum of rain on the roof. The window is open, and through the screen, I can hear the drops tapping on the rhododendron. Fall is here and so are the first rains. The sound is peaceful, calming. A welcome change from the…
barelyaboomer 