In November I wrote Before You Left or After You Left. Yesterday I read this, which felt all too familiar. And then I walked into their room-- the room they've never been in, but the room that is nevertheless theirs-- and I noticed the beds were neatly made. It was just the bare mattresses before; because I knew they weren't coming, it didn't make sense to put sheets, pillowcases, and ... Read More
Before You Left or After You Left
I remember things in two categories now; before you left or after you left. Left is the past tense and past participle of leave. To leave, in the sense I mean it, is defined by Merriam-Webster as: to go away from, to withdraw from, to terminate association with. Synonyms include depart, abandon, desert. I remember how at first it seemed to happen gradually. There were some random ... Read More
How To Lose a Grown-Ass Woman in Ten Steps
How to Lose a Grown-Ass Woman in Ten Steps Dating in midlife is anything but easy; many women find themselves in quite a quandary when they jump in, only to realize some prospective partners still live like teenagers. I thought it might be good to warn you in advance so you don't waste as much time as I did! The following scenarios bear a striking resemblance to some real-life events; ... Read More
My Top Ten Commandments
1. Thou shalt have pie in times of stress. Locally I'm partial to The Upper Crust, and I've never been disappointed. My favorite is their strawberry rhubarb, but today I tried bumbleberry (a mixture of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, & apples) and I might be hooked. I don't believe in diets, but I do believe in moderation. I love pie, so hence this is the first of my top ten ... Read More
We Grew Up in a Really Small Town.
It is 6:00 and I'm making dinner. My youngest is whining and refusing to eat (no surprise) and she needs a bath. Her older sisters are outside in the backyard jumping on our trampoline with five or six other neighborhood kids. Twenty-two shoes, a million inside out socks, along with sippy cups, empty bags of chips, a bottle of bubbles, a sweatshirt, two hula hoops, a water gun, and a princess ... Read More
A Horse, Stories, and a Commitment.
I didn't have to speak; the mare read the stories in my eyes and she just knew. I fed her carrots and we talked without words while the sun set over the Kansas sky. She sensed my struggles: stressful situations with the kids, a recent breakup, my scary basement, taxes, anxiety over several things beyond my control, and the general malaise and feeling of failure caused by parenting. I was ... Read More
