Prolonged Illness and Isolation

April 10, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

“Isolation is seldom listed as a symptom of chronic disease, but it certainly is a component. The need for human interaction is very real, in fact, psychologically, I would say it is essential. Making a conscientious effort to reach out to others, balancing social activity with limited energy, and valuing myself enough to keep the […]

Tantrums

January 10, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

The discussion was light, or so I thought. Until I mentioned that one thing that ignites his rage. Doesn’t matter what it is, does it? We all have it – that tender spot of unresolved emotion. There was no more talking to him, so I moved on; finishing a task I had previously started. But now my anger flared. He […]

Following a dream

December 11, 2023.Reading time 3 minutes.

When 13-year-old Alina first arrived at our house, she shared with me that she had a dream to join Cirque de Soleil. We’d had a student at one of my former schools who trained for cirque, so I told her I thought it was possible to find a trainer. I had no idea, really. When […]

Perpetually seeking Balance

October 16, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

Bit by bit, these Autumn days have drained me, and still I push. First there was the trip to Toronto for tests (none of them revealing answers), then; we decided to host Thanksgiving, which involved three days of preparation (I thought I’d be okay if I did most of the work in advance), and then; […]

Not a Chance, Lady

July 10, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

I decided to ignore the tugging signs and drive the car the short distance to the river. The day was overcast, so I reasoned that the light would not bother my eyes. Some things are not meant to be. Lifting my camera to shoot the heron lingering in the shallows, I realized that my right […]

The Coach Learns a Lesson (excerpt)

May 31, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Sunflowers and smiles

January 23, 2023.Reading time 1 minute.

A local craft shop owner makes votives in yellow and blue with sunflowers on them and all proceeds go to Ukrainians. A BC retailer saw her work online and ordered 100 candles, selling them at $5.00 each. Ryan Reynolds saw the effort and doubled the intake. She sent much of the proceeds to a non-profit […]

Uh…Okay?!

September 30, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

The twins went to school…for a day. Mom and I celebrated with lunch out, except then one got sick and so only one boy got on the school bus while the other lingered home, and when he was finally feeling better, the other 4-year-old came down with a cold. Of course, the first day we […]

Babuschka VJ

September 5, 2022.Reading time 2 minutes.

One twin is precocious and full of life. He jumped from the car the moment they arrived and hugged me. “Babuschka VJ!” he exclaimed. The other was asleep upon arrival and slept most of the next. He ran away when he saw me at first, and startled at any unexpected noise. “He has regressed,” his […]

Dark and Light

July 3, 2022.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Her water broke!” The moment we’d all been waiting for, in fact; we’d had a betting pool going: who could guess the date and time of birth. No one had picked the first of July. By 4:00 they were headed to the hospital. By 6:00 my daughter-in-law had an epidural. At 11:30 I messaged for […]

Relationship Shuffle

Yearning for renewalwe wrestle dragons –unsuspected passages,like time machinesscattering ticket stubs We distractseek nourishmentpercolate meaning Nostalgic nuancessuccumb tojagged memories –Cubism in motion. (Art mine)

Spring’s Antics (tanka)

Oh that Spring gale,she’s such a storyteller –awakens the landfiddles with expectations –Welcome post-Winter trickster. (Image my own)

Discourse on Love

Gathered up all the loveI’d previously rejectedpulled it to melike a well-worn cloakImagined the comfortsuch a vibration would bringoblivion amounting to bliss But love –my interpretation of it –does not nullify painAnd I writhed in its intensitypain physically ingrainedburdened by memories How can this be? I criedIn darkness I turned to loveprojected nirvanauncovered such an […]