divergence

Since I’ve stopped watching morning TV shows with my coffee, my life has improved. No more cursing under my breathe, a political veil of dread no longer accompanies me to the shower. Instead, I open my Ipad to Substack and read – about how women need estradiol hormones after menopause; about a writer’s style vs their voice; about the intersection of physical and emotional pain; and occasionally…

It’s been exactly one week since the Love Bug graduated eighth grade. All the girls wore white dresses and were handed one white rose. And I consider myself lucky to have been there, to witness her with her friends. Because she is September’s child, she is one of the youngest of her posse; still wearing Converse sneakers and socks. They laugh wholeheartedly, and cry as if the world just ended.…

Consumerism. Costco is the size of a few football fields. Never was there ever a store in history where you had to pay to play. You must be a member to enter the cavernous walls of pallets filled with anything and everything your heart desires. Outdoor furniture, steaks, refrigerators, paper towels, hearing aides – you name it they’ve got it. They even have books and toys! Or you could fill up…

Hoping everyone had a pleasant Mother’s Day weekend. The Bride surprised me yesterday with High Tea at Thistle Farms. We had scones and petite sandwiches, tiny quiches and tarts and of course, Tea – Lavender Earl Grey. Since we had both experienced afternoon tea in Canada on recent trips, we felt like true aficionados! It’s rare that I get to spend time alone with my delightful daughter; her…

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds Isn’t it interesting that I can get on an internet site, fill in a questionnaire, and get drugs delivered to my door in a matter of hours? I can get weight loss injectable GLP-1 syringes, I can get gummies that promise to grow my hair, and if I were a man, well you know…

Our garage renovation, aka the casita, has come to a standstill. It was thoroughly expected. Only on HGTV can a whole house be built in 100 days. I’ve learned there are two phases of city inspections – the ‘rough-in’ is first, where electrical lines are placed and plumbing is dug. Our backyard is a minefield of trenches, just filling the bird feeder can be dangerous. The second inspection…

It all started when our Great Aunt Mary had heart surgery. We were away on vacation when my MIL’s sister had her heart valve replaced by a pig valve at a hospital on Long Island. Her son was an orthopedic surgeon at the same hospital because MD is a gene that runs in our family. What could go wrong? Mary was in her early 80s, and this procedure was supposed to prevent minor complications in the…

The first morning my sister Kay arrived here we took a hike. Well, it was more like a walk a few blocks up the road but I took out my hiking sticks and she pushed her walker to the Farmers Market. It was a lovely Spring day and we were on a mission to get to the cheesecake tent before the opening bell rings because they usually sell out. I had to explain that we don’t get to order any special…

This morning I said to Bob, “At least we didn’t annihilate a civilization.” His response; “We are annihilating our own.” And in some ways it’s true. After 250 years, our democracy is fading rapidly. Republican senators cannot find the courage to confront our Commander in Chief. Generals have been purged and we’re left with leaders in Congress and the military without a backbone or a soul. A…

It’s Passover time again. Once we were slaves in Egypt, and once my ancestors were indentured servants to the British Empire. Now my Grands love watching the Great British Baking Show, while Jewish women and maybe some men everywhere sweep all the bread crumbs out of their kitchens while making matzoh ball soup. Coming on the heels of #NoKings, this holiday feels heady. Handmaidens dripping in…

The peonies outside my snug are starting to bud. Our cherry tree blossoms are littering the path to the old garage currently getting a facelift. Spring has officially sprung! Along with pollinators and robins frolicking in the bird bath, bluebirds visiting our feeder, our yard is alive with the sounds of construction. This is a time for reinvention – a time before the humidity of summer dampens…

Ancestry would like me to think I knew who my Grandmother was – she was born in 1881 in Pennsylvania when her mother was 19 years old. She was the oldest of nine siblings, a relatively small Irish family for its time. In a 1930 census, her marital status was listed as “divorced,” even though I never heard of a divorce. She had only four children, three girls and a boy, even smaller still. My…

Our twin Grandbabies are learning to walk. They have push carts and ride-on trikes and their parents’ fingers to hold, but soon enough they will venture out on their own steam. Tiny steps, then stopping to look back; are we good? And we adults will clap and tell them how wonderful they are to explore the world upright, from point A to point B. Soon they will be leaving the couch behind and…

I was going to write about darning. You know, the process of fixing or repairing holes or worn-out areas in fabric, woven or knitting goods using just your hands with a needle and thread. It’s something our grandmothers all learned to do at an early age, but somehow it’s become a lost art. During the pandemic I learned a Japanese technique called Sashiko to repair an old pair of corduroy pants. I…

We flew into BNA in the dead of night, back to chilly Nashville after a whirlwind birthday weekend with our One Year Old Grands. California was surprisingly green and rainy at first, but we didn’t mind. Memories of the NICU softened into a highlight reel of kind, competent nurses and long walks around Pasadena while we waited for the Twins to grow into themselves. And so they did. Music fills…

What a weekend! Bob and I went glamping; we drove for two hours to Fall Creek Falls State Park in the easternmost corner of TN to meet up with our Germantown friends. We filled two cabins with great food, laughter and two new puppies. The meals we would create were pre-planned – Yoko and I got Valentine’s Day! February may be a short month, but it’s chock full of meaning. The Rocker and Aunt…

I wake to the sound of chainsaws in the morning. FEMA drives along our streets, picking up piles of trees with a gigantic claw, like the roadside children’s arcade full of stuffed toys. One day we saw the National Guard cutting up limbs in our neighborhood; I felt conflicted, happy to see them but still wary of their motives because our government can no longer be trusted. We have become a nation…