On Acceptance and Illness

“Grandma, when will you be better?” It is 5:00 on a school morning, and I am sitting at my granddaughter’s bedside nursing her through a sore tummy. “Not sure, Honey.” “Oh,” she shrugs.  She is four and has never known me any other way. Later, we snuggle up and watch Moana.  “You are just like […]

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Policy vs Need

“I can’t process your application with the information I’ve been given,” the woman on the phone is officious, likely hates her job, I theorize.  “Your doctor has only sent me four medical reports; there is not enough here to support an inability to work.” I might have guffawed at this.  “I can barely manage day-to-day […]

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Dreams: A Vehicle for Self-Reflection

I’m waiting in the RV for my husband to finish shopping and drive us away. This is how a recent dream begins.  For over thirty years now, I have been recording and working with my dreams as a means to personal growth.  Often, where the dream takes place establishes context.  For me, currently disabled and […]

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Still Loving My Doc

The challenge, when dealing with a chronic illness – in my case ME/CFS – is staying positive.  Momentary improvements in health are toppled by extreme crashes.  It’s like living in an eddy where, every once a while, the current quiets and it feels as if there might be an escape, and then the weather shifts […]

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RV-Able: Tips for the Road

Travelling South in a forty-foot vehicle is not akin to driving in a car.  Apart from the obvious size difference, there are other factors to take into consideration. For one, the dashboard heater has a lot bigger job to do.  If you are like me, the idea of heading into warmer temperatures makes me want […]

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RV-Able: The Adventure Begins

One day and forty-five minutes late, we are off on our new adventure.  It is still dark outside and the temperature is minus seven Celcius.  This is the first time I’ve been in the passengers seat and I am high up. The delay happened because Ric decided to have a mechanic go over the RV […]

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Dreams Compensate

In dreams, I walk, no concern for the distance.  I ride a bicycle, or drive a car.  I move with purpose and direction… …until lucidity snaps me back to reality and then I plummet into the despair of knowing these are no longer options for me. In dreams, I confront life’s issues, face my foes, […]

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Dreaming Of Work

I dream that I am teaching again, have two classes:  a grade 9 Math first thing in the morning and a senior History last period.  I am late, so someone else has to start the Math class, and when I do arrive, I am unprepared and uncertain that I can proceed.  Last class is more […]

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What Do You Want For Christmas?

“A Kinder Egg,” our four-year-old granddaughter wrote to Santa. “A kitten,” asked her cousin, aged five. My kids sent me lists, as per my request, and my husband created a wish list on Amazon – mostly things for our motor home. I have no idea what I want.  Truthfully, I have everything I need – […]

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Churry

Cognitive functioning is currently down a notch.  (I know I’ve complained of this before, but bear with me – I think it merits understanding.) I found a recipe for Easy Lentil Curry on the blog:  Simple Vegan.  Since I love curries and lentils, I decided “easy” must mean it is doable even for me.  Part […]

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