Memorial Day: Focus on the Good Times

Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer for a lot of people, and they’re excited to get that 3-day weekend to celebrate. That’s fun, and I used to water ski so I know. But all over the U.S. this coming Monday means more — we will remember. Not only about...

Helping Someone Through Their Loss.

We’ve recently seen tragedy in our neighborhood and it’s got me thinking, again, about sadness and loss and grief when a loved one dies. I’m guilty of jumping to conclusions when someone I know has to go through this, and in my mind I think — your spouse has died and...

Help in Emerging from Whatever Loss You’ve Endured

Blue Mountain Press took a chance on me 10 years ago, and this beautiful gift book was born. My 10-year anniversary is at hand, and I want to offer up a taste of Emerging from the Heartache of Loss periodically in the coming year. I sat down this week to read it cover...

“Emerging from the Heartache of Loss” and Pandemic Relief

A reminder never hurts. People have lost so much during the pandemic over the past two years that I feel the need to talk about my book again, Emerging from the Heartache of Loss. People have lost their jobs, their health, social contact, and the freedom to come and...

The Heat & Me: Take to the Water When You’re Hot!

I didn’t do well. Time stopped for us during the heat wave last week as the oven-like temperatures rose higher and higher every day. Minute by minute in my mind! My husband and I couldn’t really think straight because we had only one thing on our minds — behold my own...

Feeling the Loss: Dancing Kept the Joy Alive!

no big deal: Dance class is cancelled this week. BIG DEAL: Seven months without a twirl. In March the mandate for distancing seemed temporary, but that temporary is turning into a growing sense of loss. Little did I know that my biggest passion would slip away. I...

Loss: Compounded by the Holidays

I won’t be popular with this thought, but Christmas is celebrated with such fervor that sometimes the season feels more like a job to me instead of the pleasure it’s supposed to be. The pressure to “celebrate” comes from the assault early on of goodies, lights, music,...

Loss: When Good Neighbors Move

My neighbors have up and moved. I tried my best to convince them they’d never find neighbors like us again… and yet they persisted. We moved into this neighborhood 5 years ago, and the warmth of this couple has radiated across the street ever since. Oh, the borrowing...

Loss of Friends: Moments of Lonely

I don’t want to move anymore! The patience it takes for that whole process has “left the building!” I keep reminding myself that the upside to settling in a new town is the opportunity to explore and to meet new people but, darn, I miss my old people! The loss I’ve...

Milestone: 10,000 Books and Counting

Numbers don’t lie. But in case they do, I double checked. My book, Emerging from the Heartache of Loss, has now sold 10,134 copies. Now this 10,000 milestone won’t rock the publishing world, but it’s rocking mine. To think that I had a part in helping 10,000 hearts to...