the kinders begin the process of digging out their cars
and clearing the road after the storm.
—
“it is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.”
-lucius annaeus seneca
Feb13
Category Archives: Life
Feb12
voyage.
what adventures do you keep coming back to, time and time again?
—
image credit: book riot
Feb11
shovel.
one day
at the beginning of this long winter
a sweet kid not more than 14 years old
showed up at my front door
shovel in hand
wearing sweatshirt and gloves
quiet and polite
asking if i wanted to hire him
yes!
without a moment’s hesitation
soon he was at work
clearing my walks, my driveway, my porch
he charged me a very fair rate
looking to make some cash before christmas
lives with his mom
in an apartment nearby
i know nothing else about him
except that he works very hard
often appears without warning
just in time
to clear my path and then
is gone again as soon as he’s finished his work
i’ve no way to contact him
sometimes i see his steps and shovel marks
signs that he’s stopped over
but our timing was off
and now
on this weekend
with the long days of deep snow
he’s nowhere to be found
oh, where, oh, where,
is the kid with the shovel?
and so
i am paying myself
getting a free workout
day after day
i’m sure i’ll see him again
maybe when it’s time
to move dirt
for the gardens.
—
“never doubt the power of love or one woman with a shovel.”
-carrie newcomer
Feb10
olympics.
let the games begin!
—
“olympics for me is love, peace, united. “
-jackie chan
Feb9
gargoyle.
ever the vigilant sentinel
glenn frey the cat not the rocker
mans his post
to guard my latest pile of books
my gargoyle is at the ready
and clearly on high alert
no one dare mess with him.
—
“you cannot give up. we are gargoyle, and we are strong.”
― faith gibson
Feb8
launch.
the big launch
(elton musk would be jealous)
—
i recently had the pleasure
of attending my dear friend’s
book launch tea party.
i’ve known her as a caregiver from way back
when i taught her 3 children
and met a kindred spirit.
just some of those she’s cared for:
a menagerie of rescued pets
a kind and funny husband
three beautiful children
who became her family
when she traveled to korea
to find them
and bring them home
a feisty (highly spirited?) irish mother
all under her roof at one time
all the recipients of her loving care
even in the most challenging situations.
especially then.
all while working full time outside of her home
as an event planner, caterer, actress, and professional speaker
and she has written a book
about how to care for yourself and others
while finding your balance in that equation.
it’s a beauty of a book
full of reminders, tips, and love.
i’d recommend it for anyone
who has cared for someone, or has been cared for by someone.
ever the welcoming hostess
we shared lovely tea
and conversation
among many who care
about this amazing woman.
“there are only four kinds of people in the world.
those who have been caregivers.
those who are currently caregivers.
those who will be caregivers,
and those who will need a caregiver.”
― rosalyn carter
==
“allow yourself a few minutes to relax with your copy of this book and pour yourself a cuppa so you can Take a Break – Before You Break.”
–Breeda Miller
—
now available on amazon or BreedaMiller.com
Feb7
solved.
update
for those who wondered
right along with me
how i would solve
this puzzle
when the symmetrical framing
was
quite possibly built upside down
on a table too small to turn the puzzle
i opted
not to
turn the table or tear down the walls or the house
instead
i accepted
the opportunity
of the additional challenge
offered up
and just built it upside down.
solved.
—
“creating something is all about problem-solving.”
-philip seymour hoffman
Feb6
read so much.
Feb5
falling through the cracks.
had a great breakfast with family
who returned a file of family history papers
that had traveled on a journey with them
across the seas
i was happy to see them again
had the papers in my hand for all of 1 minute
as i set them down next to me
for safekeeping
they fell into a hidden crack
just kept going deeper into the abyss
until they were gone
a very kind manager
without judgement
without questions
with a good sense of humor
offered to assist
by moving chairs
pulling the whole table out
taking the booth apart
and retrieving the precious files
intact and none the worse for wear
the family journey continues
with just a short detour.
“cracks especially. you have to be careful of the cracks.
sometimes they are disguised as something else.
a doorway, or a smile or even a winking eye.
and if you fall through them, you never know were you will end up.”
-isabelle carmody – greylands
Feb4
fine dining.
dining at its finest
a win-win.
—
“for strange effects and extraordinary combinations we must go to life itself,
which is always far more daring than any effort of the imagination.”
-arthur conan doyle
—
credit: Hosted by Cultivate Coffee & TapHouse
ypsilanti, michigan
I didn't have my glasses on.... 
