Roses are blooming in my front yard— dozens of them. I have never had a rosebush, much less a whole yard full. My experience with roses stops at a vase. And while they are lovely, when we first moved in, I decided I was not a rose person. I know that’s ridiculous, but sometimes I…
Jack and I are trying to walk twice a day. His trainer says he needs two sixty-minute sessions to deal with his anxiety over living in a new city or a city at all. The vast expanse of the desert is all Jack has ever known, so he is learning there are other people, dogs,…
How lucky I am to have had something that makes saying goodbye so hard. – Winnie the Pooh After twelve years together, we put our cat to sleep before he withered away in pain he didn’t understand and we couldn’t heal. Clifford annoyed the crap out of me. He had too much hair and was…
There is so much to say and yet I am at a loss. I have attempted this post a few times, which is not my normal routine. I usually sit down, type something out, and call it done. But a year that started out so personal, that I was sure would be all about my…
Solitude is essential to who I am, but for many people, it is a tricky business. Quiet, the often companion of solitude, can scare those not familiar with the tick of a clock. I used to have a rush of a life. Music on, chatter, and little alone time. I suffered instead of thriving amid…
If I were a dog walker, I would keep sprouted mung beans in my bag. Maybe some bits of cooked chicken too. And one of those collapsible water bowls, just in case people let us down. I would live in a big city. The city of my childhood so I’d know all the nooks and…
What is your greatest fear? I am continuing with Proust’s Questionnaire. This one is easy for me. The answer is in the question. Being fearful is my greatest fear. So many awful things grow from fear. Prejudice, selective ignorance, clutching, smothering, giving up, and giving in. All of it rooted in a dread of the…
What do you consider your greatest achievement? I have used pieces of Marcel Proust’s Questionnaire to help with fictional character development. But, since I am on a break from my current love story-in-progress and I’m already tired of writing about cancer, I thought I might turn some of Proust’s questions on myself. Quick cancer update:…
Dear Boobs – This morning’s conversation as we stood in the bathroom mirror was probably the first time we’ve shared more than a passing glance since it became clear we are no longer on the same page. It was tense. I stared at you and tried to imagine my body when you are gone. I’ll…
