Well, that certainly fits March weather here in Colorado and many other places. Yesterday was balmy, today its cold and windy and there’s a chance of snow. Snow on early flowers is normal. On to other predictable problems that occur unpredictably: shootings. Today is the second anniversary of the King Soopers shooting. I’d forgotten the […]
Read More Predictably UnpredictableWhat is your middle name? Does it carry any special meaning/significance? The question above is the wordpress prompt for today. I don’t have a middle name. My mother, who disliked her own middle name, did not give a middle name to either myself or my sister. My brothers each got one, interestingly the last name […]
Read More Other People’s Dreamscat on the keyboard intransitive and purring not my writing for today’s Ragtag Daily Prompt of intransitive
Read More not movingI made it out to Barr Lake for the first time this year. Barr is a state park, about 20 miles east of where I live. It’s a former buffalo wallow which was turned into an irrigation reservoir more than 100 years ago. And while the water is still used for irrigating fields, the land […]
Read More BirdwalkDescribe the last difficult “goodbye” you said. Today’s jetpack prompt is as above. I’ve described the last two difficult goodbyes previously in this blog, saying goodbye to the previous generation of cats, first Jules, and then a year later, his sister Lucy. I’ve mused over the years on why goodbyes to these creatures with whom […]
Read More goodbyesWhy sure. I haven’t been writing much these days, busy with other stuff. In August, BA and I were traveling in Iceland with a very congenial group. Unfortunately, like many summer travelers, we got Covid. She got sick there, I got sick after we returned home. I think being fully vaccinated helped us in that […]
Read More complicated?I just spent an hour talking with a man who is putting together a program in advance of the one year anniversary of the Marshall Fire, which roared through my area last December 30. During our conversation, we focused on facts and timelines and then veered into emotions, stress, reactions as this anniversary approaches. We […]
Read More Marshall MorassReinvent was yesterday’s Ragtag Daily Prompt. I noticed it yesterday afternoon, recognized its pertinence to my life, and am writing about it today. Lots of reinvention around here. BA’s health challenges continue. She spent an overnight in hospital last week with another TIA (transient ischemic attack–stroke symptoms that resolve within hours of onset) and pericarditis. […]
Read More ReinventingMonday morning, before the predicted Tuesday snowstorm, I went for a short hike. Arriving at the trailhead, I realized that this was my first time walking on Marshall Mesa since the Marshall fire started near there last December 30. Fueled by hurricane force winds and a desiccated landscape, more than a thousand homes and businesses […]
Read More Eleven Months LaterToday’s ragtag daily prompt is Pakapoo Ticket. That’s a new term to me. On this Thanksgiving day in the US, I’m thankful for the internet, where I was able to look it up and confirm from a number of sources that it has its origins in a Chinese lottery game known as pak ah pu […]
Read More What kind of Ticket?I’m a big chicken when it comes to needles. I don’t like shots, although with my science and medical background I do get the vaccines I find pertinent to maintaining my and the publics heath. But voluntarily going in somewhere, giving someone money to have them poke ink into my skin with many little needles. […]
Read More No Ink for me, ThanksThe paragraphs below were drafted just after the “King Soopers shooting” in March of 2021. This morning, I awakened to the news that there was a mass shooting at Club Q, a LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs late last night. That’s about 90 miles south of me. My state, my people. March 23, 2021. Yesterday […]
Read More Way Too Close to Home, AgainThe deal is done. Lucy the Van is moving to Montana, and will be home to a young woman who plans to spend some time as a full time van lifer, and then who knows what her next will be. Thanks to Van Life Trader, a website that worked really well for selling in this […]
Read More Goodbye Lucy, See you Later, Van LifeZiggy the cat. It’s not as though I had much of a choice for a Z subject. Just like when we met him at the Humane Society and he jumped from the attendant on to me and started nuzzling. Hi I’m your cat, it’s about time you got here. He has been with us for […]
Read More Z is for ZiggyOver this month, I’m learning more about what I want to say yes to in my life going forward, as well as those items or ways of being that I’m willing to let go. I’m recognizing that pacing matters. It’s not new but it’s a reconfirmed understanding. I don’t like to hurry. Related to that […]
Read More Y is for Yes!Hmmmmm. Aside from brand names such as xfinity, xcel, and xerox, I don’t know a lot of x words aside from xenophobia and many from chemistry class–xylitol, anyone? X does get used as a personal mark if you can’t write your own name, and its often a way to mark one’s choice. And of course, […]
Read More X is for . . . Maps?A sense of wonder. Being wonder-full is wonderful. A few days ago, I was walking home and I became aware of a busy-ness in my peripheral vision. Stopping to look, I noticed a house with a bird feeder on its porch. It was busy, and the main birds were goldfinches, along with some house finches. […]
Read More WonderBe a van lifer. It’s a thing, fixing up a van and taking it on the road. For some it is a full time way of living, allowing more flexibility in where and how one lives, often with less expense. For others, it’s a part-time gig, traveling part of the year and returning to a […]
Read More Van Life?Wow, I’ve made it as far as U in the blogging from A to Z challenge. Well done me, for a first month of retirement adventure. Urgent. I’m working on letting fewer and fewer things hit the category of urgent, or its horrible relative, emergent. I’ve never enjoyed feeling rushed, and after more than half […]
Read More Urgent, or Not soWhat to trust? Always a question. As time goes on, I’m learning more and more to listen to myself and trust my own internal knowing. This morning, I looked at the weather app on my phone and found this: What to do with this? In this case, an obvious and easy solution-I looked out the […]
Read More TrustScary is the word for this fire season. I live in the western US, and forest fires have been a part of the ecosystem for as long as I’ve been around. However, things are changing. It used to be that May to October was fire season. Well, it’s different these days. The Marshall fire was […]
Read More S is for ScaryIt’s R day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. Reassessing seems a good thing to explore as I am finding it an important component on my new journey of retirement. What matters to me now? What do I want to keep? What is it time to let go of or do differently? Sounds […]
Read More ReassessingI quit working. Finally, after many years, I don’t have a next on the work for pay list. Done. Three weeks ago was my last day seeing clients. I’m not missing work, or the schedule. I’m surprised by how quickly I can lose track of days. I’d like it not to matter at all what […]
Read More I QuitThe Marshall Fire burned through my area nearly 4 months ago. Out walking today, there was noticeable progress on some fronts. Some lots now are cleared of all debris, burned trees are removed. It’s a big project, clearing all of this from more than a thousand locations, and recently the county published a listing of […]
Read More P is For ProgressThis is a big weekend for spring holiday observances. The big 3 monotheistic religions have something going on, in order of chronological appearance: Passover, Easter and Ramadan. I grew up nominally Christian, following that calendar of celebrations. However, it was more about being helpful and of service to those in needs as opposed to following […]
Read More Old observancesIts M day in the Blogging from A to Z April challenge. Halfway through the month and the alphabet. My theme this year is split between two; this is the first month of my retirement and it is the fourth month of recovery from the Marshall Fire in my area. Today’s post covers both themes. […]
Read More Magpies, meadowlarks, Mergansers and MoreIn the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, it’s been loud around here, and I expect that it will get louder. In fire recovery, demolition is getting going, removing old foundations (the heat weakens the concrete so it is no longer structurally sound) and all manner of burnt objects, from bathtubs and air conditioners to bicycles […]
Read More L is for Loud“My religion is very simple, my religion is Kindness” Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama. That about covers it.
Read More K is for KindI guess I better hurry, this post was “due” on Saturday. Actually, I’m not hurrying. It will or will not get done. Part of this challenge for me is allowing. This is my first month of full retirement, and I’m tired of feeling obligated or scheduled. So, doing things when and if I feel like […]
Read More No HurryApologies to Charles Schulz and Charlie Brown. I’m behind on my A to Z challenge. I stalled out whilst working on G, which I originally intended to be on gardening. One of the deals I made with myself in taking on this challenge in my first month of retirement is viewing the challenge as an […]
Read More Good? GriefI thought about using Fire for my F word today, as it, along with retirement, is this months blogging theme. Instead, I’m choosing Fun. In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, and following many years of working, first as a family physician, then as a therapist specializing in trauma, both fascinating and intense occupations, I’m […]
Read More F is for FunIt’s E day in the April blogging from A to Z challenge. Today, I choose edgy. I’m feeling that way, as are many others in my area. Why? It’s windy, with gusts up to 60 miles per hour, and there’s a red flag warning, meaning that current conditions are ripe for wildfires. So no open […]
Read More EDGYThis retirement thing is work. As a self-employed person, stopping seeing clients isn’t the end. Cleaning out my desk and turning in my key, like one sees in movies isn’t how it goes. Yes, I’ve cleaned out my desk and removed some stuff from my office. I’ve spoken with my landlord and we’ve a plan […]
Read More C is for chores and choiceWell, yesterday was “B” day in the blogging from A to Z challenge. I’m writing a bit erratically, enjoying my new found retirement and giving myself permission to be less reliable than usual. Today, I’m writing about burned. Particularly, the Marshall Fire, which roared through my area just over 3 months ago, on December 30, […]
Read More BurnedSo, here it is April 1. Last year, I found out about the Blogging from A to Z challenge a few days into the month. I liked the idea and began participating. I made it through R before I ran out of motivation. I told myself that this year I’d do the whole thing. And […]
Read More A is for AmbivalentI’ve been working for a long time. Sometime in the early 1960’s I started having chores around the house, and to collect my miniscule allowance, those chores had to be completed. Then other jobs appeared that could be done for pay. As the oldest child of 4, I started babysitting young. My parents got both […]
Read More Winding DownI Don’t sit so close to Whatever you’re hoping to see heard by many friends II. I don’t want glasses What’s wrong with that tree? funny spots Leaves? hmm, new to me. III. Myopic not me Farsighted, eagle eyed Not after fifty. IV. a pair in each room still not there when I want them […]
Read More Up CloseI. Oilcloth for picnics linen and lace for parties everyday and fancy II. red checkered cloths stained with life, gravy and wine many tales told here III. fine embroidery illuminates a cloth years in the making. A series of haiku/senryu written for today’s Ragtag Daily Prompt of Tablecloth
Read More Getting SetSince everything changed here in my part of Boulder County. Ignited somehow (the cause is still under investigation)and propelled by 100 mph winds, the Marshall Fire roared to life. This morning, I started writing and then the Sunday paper arrived, with many stories of the fire, evacuation, heroic acts to save neighbors, friends, animals, homes. […]
Read More Its been a MonthThere’s fire. And indeed there was. December 30, 2021, 1 pm. I’m driving home after taking a walk at Barr Lake State Park, a favorite place of mine, about 10 miles east of where I live. Heading west into the predicted strong winds, I smell smoke. A few miles east of home the smoke is […]
Read More Where There’s Smoke. . .A series of senryu written for the Blogging A to Z challenge. Today’s letter is R I. Re: reference referring to whatever is on someones mind II. reruns or retakes the hope of doing over that which we regret III. the verdict is in remanded to custody the losses remain IV. Reset all the clocks […]
Read More REI awoke to interesting things this morning. Six inches of snow, and a temperature of 10 F, that’s -12C. Happy April 20. While colder than normal, snow is not uncommon around here in April, or even May. And then, I checked my email. This morning’s Ragtag Daily Prompt is Encephalopathy. Yikes. I do know the […]
Read More Good MorningToday is Ziggy the cat’s twelfth birthday. He’s only been with us a year and a half, and like most cats, he’s well established in our lives. I didn’t want to get more cats after Lucy passed at age 20. Her brother Jules had lived to 19, so I know well that this can be […]
Read More Happy Birthday to A Quirky FellowWhen I hear the word percolate, coffee comes to mind, as a percolator was the standard way of making coffee when I was a child. Even though my parents didn’t drink coffee at home, it was the morning beverage of choice for adults in my friend’s homes. In restaurants, it was omnipresent. Back then, a […]
Read More PercolateI. over it had enough no more stop the violence now we are over it II. two eggs over easy its a classic breakfast order upsetting for hens III. overdone way too much says who? who are you to say its just your opinion IV. Sure I’m fine with that It doesn’t matter that much […]
Read More OVEROne of the things I love the most about where I live is easy access to open space. There’s a bike/walking path behind my house. I can go out the back gate and be on my way. Turning left, I’m heading east. One path will eventually lead downtown and to my office, another, with a […]
Read More MallardsEarlier this week, Tuesday, I had started this post, about lilacs, inspired by their emerging flower buds noted on Monday’s walk: Lilacs are one of my favorite spring flowering plants. Their fragrance and colorful blooms are a delight. Like many seasonal treats, their blooming season is short, and I’ve come to recognize that this brevity […]
Read More Late Lilacs, or Life is What Happens While You’re Making Other PlansThings are seldom what they seem, skim milk masquerades as cream (from HMS Pinafore, by Gilbert and Sullivan). Another way of putting it is that one doesn’t always know what they think they do. Or, as been so well demonstrated during the pandemic, knowledge needs updating. Learning, I believe it is called. A very small […]
Read More KnowledgeI’ve worn blue jeans most of my life. As a younger child, I wore whatever Mom bought for me, sometimes horrible “girl” jeans, with a side zip and no pockets. By junior high, I knew more of what I liked, and by the time I hit high school it was 1970 and girls were finally […]
Read More J is for JeansNever Eat Inferior Ice Cream. We’ve used this quote for years at my house, attributing to Walter Kerr, a New York drama critic of the late 20th century. With a relatively brief search online, I haven’t found it attributed to anyone. Good advice, in my opinion, whether applied to ice cream or other foodstuffs. If […]
Read More Never Eat Inferior Ice CreamWacko haiku Jack: nips nose, pumpkin Robert’s roads less traveled Icing on the cake. For today’s Ragtag Daily Prompt of Frost And just to confuse me and perhaps a few others, Frost was also the prompt on Friday, Nov 30, 2018, back when I was was the Friday prompter. Somehow one person managed to link […]
Read More FrostOdd Squad is a children’s program PBS. All the “agents” have names starting with O, and they investigate all manner of bizarre and absurd events. It’s funny, and my child self would have enjoyed this a lot (think Monty Python for kids). One of the characters is Doctor O. Once she’s finished with a problem, […]
Read More What’s Next?
Curious Steph 