I’m writing this on International Friendship Day. It has me thinking of past friends, some gone by mutual consent, some, as the wonderful Claudia Shear put it, are ‘location specific’, and some died too young. The rest still bring me laughs, tears, and meaningful moments either with posts, texts, emails…

Heat waves are oppressive. I’m walking slowly, drinking more water, and commiserating with everyone else who is melting in this humid weather. I have always preferred hot temperatures to cold, but sometimes it’s just too hot. As a child I’d ride my Schwinn to the Haddontowne Swim Club and cool…

It’s 1967, it’s hot. It’s a July weekend so I’m not at Hilltop Day Camp. The sprinkler is on, back and forth from one side of the lawn to the other. I have mixed feelings about sprinklers. I love the constant whir of water from the circular type, but I…

The cycling of moods continues. Today I’m happy. It’s beautiful outside. I get to walk on fairly empty sidewalks, and I’m ticking things off my to-do list. Earlier this week I was crestfallen. Too many tragedies and so much shared pain in the world. I find it fascinating how the…

Thurgood Marshall said, “The measure of a country’s greatness is its ability to retain compassion in times of crisis.” Yet what I’ve experienced in the last months and perhaps years is an eroding of compassion and care for others. So many are getting annoyed with others, some acting out in ways that are harsh and harmful. This preponderance of disregard for other’s human frailties is hurtful to all of us.

Honestly, the news this week has not been good given my values. A lot of powerful women have been sharing opinions. Yes, I concur, but I have found that it’s been challenging to be my best self in the face of these upsetting decisions. I’ve not been able to separate…

Our best intentions don’t always go according to plan. I had all weekend to work on a project. I planned on spending this weekend, as I have in the past, writing and rewriting to meet a deadline. Lucy, who is my constant companion loves the cooler air and asked to…

I’m moving a bit slower presently. While on vacation I sprained my ankle. I wasn’t going to let that stop me from enjoying every moment of our amazing time away. Now that I’m back home, I’m doing bi-weekly physical therapy while curtailing long walks. I only made it to Central…

It feels absolutely freeing to wear lighter clothing. Spring is here and I’m thrilled. Even if the mornings or evenings require a light jacket, putting away the wool is such a relief. In theory, I love the changing seasons. Each season bringing a mood, a swath of colors, or, as…