The Blog

After two decades of just the two of us in our home plus occasional guests, it has been a big adjustment to having a family of four move in with us. Never in my life have I consistently cooked dinner for six! Fortunately, they are all good eaters, which probably comes from living in some many different places. More than …

It’s quiet here this afternoon; we don’t have much of that since our son and his family moved in with us last July. Our son, Kelly, retired from the military after twenty years. He and his family had been living in Japan for 3 1/2 years, and in Hawaii for the 6 years before that. Trying to plan a new …

What will the end of my life be like? I don’t often think about my own demise, but can’t avoid it this week. One vibrant friend suffered a stroke as she and her husband were between flights heading west. Just yesterday, another one was planning his son’s funeral for this weekend after having to remove him from life support. None …

Computer skills and resolutions – how are they related? I have many resolutions I could make, but only one truly qualifies as the top priority: computer skills! I can’t imagine how many hours I waste every week searching for files on my computer or trying to create and file new pieces. Just this morning, I spent nearly three hours trying …

Napkin rings. How can they possibly have any special meaning at Christmas? Just a year ago, our son and family were celebrating Christmas in Japan. Incredibly, my husband, son, and I did that, too, in 1983…more than three decades ago. When we moved there, I had all of our Christmas decorations put in storage. “We’ll only be there one Christmas,” …

A burgundy red Christmas sweater. It had taken my mother about a year to knit the cardigan for my dad. She even managed to knit pockets in it! How, I haven’t a clue. My dad had had open heart surgery in 1967, and was forever cold afterwards. At the time, they were still living in Detroit where winters can be …

Scottish shortbread is a gift tradition in my family. Do you know what it is? My mother was born in Scotland in 1915. She had ten brothers (picture that!) and one sister. They came to America in batches, with my oldest uncles coming first through Toronto, Canada, to Detroit, Michigan. My mother was 11 when she moved with her parents. …

Blessed. That’s how I’m feeling this week for so many reasons. Last Tuesday, I left the house to drive to my sessions with women at Pathways for Change. I felt the car slip a little as I turned left out of the driveway, but I chalked it up to the first rain we’ve had in months, making the road slippery. …

Last week, I listed some ways to overcome obstacles; this week, I’ll add some more ideas for you to consider as things get in the way of what you want or need. 7)  Acknowledge and celebrate your successes. This is a fun one! No, you may not be at the finish line yet, but identify what you have accomplished so …

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.”  – Frank A. Clark Know that obstacles will get in the way of what you want to achieve or do. That helps you accept roadblocks as they pop up. Instead of, “Oh, no!” you’ll be able to say, “Aha, I’ve been expecting this,” and get past …