My mother-in-law passed away a few days ago. It was unexpected and has been very difficult. We were planning on leaving April 5 to drive from Illinois to California to see her. It’d been a year. A terrible year that included the death of my father-in-law 10 months ago, the death of our lovely boyContinue reading “Betty”
Category Archives: Family & Friends
Ready Set Ghost by Curb Service
Six Americana Tales by Curb Service
My Birthday Wish… Let Your Love Flow
Hey everyone… thanks so much for all the kind birthday greetings and wishes both in person and virtually. I always say, and trust me, I do always say this… all that matters in life are the people (and dogs… yes, and cats for the cat people out there) we love and those who love usContinue reading “My Birthday Wish… Let Your Love Flow”
The Life And Times of a Sword Swallower
This is the first morning in over 13 years I’ve gotten up and haven’t then heard the sound of little paws coming out to find me. Weston was my shadow. My boy. He wanted to be where I was, most all the time. Following me downstairs when I went to fold the clothes from theContinue reading “The Life And Times of a Sword Swallower”
Fathers
I originally posted this in 2013, but thought it could use a re-post. Fathers JUNE 26, 2013 I started writing this on Father’s Day and was, as can happen, distracted by actual life events. Visits from family and then traveling can do that. I nearly forgot about this post until I noticed it idling there, the redContinue reading “Fathers”
Eight Years
Eight years ago today a doctor walked into my hospital room and told me I had leukemia. Since then I’ve periodically asked a question of myself. Not, as you might expect, why me, or even just why. There is no why. It was random, not predictable, and as far as we know not preventable. ItContinue reading “Eight Years”
Brotherly Love
Today my little brother turns 50. He’s one of a kind. When we were kids our parents got divorced, then both remarried. We had new siblings to get to know. We went through it together. We moved to a new place, started a new school. We went through it together. We built forts, learnedContinue reading “Brotherly Love”
The Whistler
As people begin to change their Facebook profile photos to pictures of their Moms I felt, this year, I needed to do a bit more than that. Yes, I’ll be changing my photo too, but that just doesn’t seem like enough. I needed to say a bit more about my Mom. She’s a good one.Continue reading “The Whistler”
Missing a Film and Missing a Dog
I just now finished up posting all of my reviews for the movies we watched at Ebertfest this year. It was a splendid group of films, as per usual. Lots of things I hadn’t seen this time around, which is always fun. I was shocked I hadn’t ever seen Hair or Being There, but IContinue reading “Missing a Film and Missing a Dog”
52 Thoughts: Eighth Thought
Forgiveness. I walk down the hallway at night House asleep Creaks and wind and chimes filter in I’m at my in-laws house There’s sickness here And a kind of hope for better … feeling better and being better They love me I feel that It’s mutual I write poems at night when I can’t sleepContinue reading “52 Thoughts: Eighth Thought”
Kindness Hits You Where You Live
Today might have been the most simple act of kindness we’ve done to date. We were kind to each other. We slept in, laughed, talked, shopped, did laundry, cooked, did dishes, drank our nightly decaf, held hands, showed each other cool photos online, took the pups for a nice walk, problem solved a couple ofContinue reading “Kindness Hits You Where You Live”
Kindness Is No Joke
We are very corny. Silly even. It’s something both K and I share, a genuine dorkiness. It makes our lives fun, we laugh a lot. Because we love to laugh, we love to make other people laugh. Sharing laughter is a kindness. To yourself, and to the person you shared the laugh with. So todayContinue reading “Kindness Is No Joke”
Helping Hand of Kindness
Sometimes the kind thing is a thing you might do anyway. Something as simple as helping out someone when they’re in need. Kindness doesn’t have to be done in big grand gestures or deliberate acts for someone you don’t know. It can be simple, and right at home. The kid’s water heater went out. They’veContinue reading “Helping Hand of Kindness”
Call With Kindness
Today’s random act of kindness was to call a faraway friend or relative to say hello. We decided to pick up the phone and give Lisa, K’s cousin, a jingle. We hardly ever get to see her, and shamefully never talk to her on the phone, so we thought she would be a good choice.Continue reading “Call With Kindness”
NPR’s Profile of Karl Blau
My cousin’s new album came out May 13. NPR did a little profile of him on the World Cafe Next. Pretty cool. Follow the link to hear what they had to say. http://www.npr.org/player/embed/475592690/475593712
When the Right One Comes Along
Today is our anniversary. Number 13. I’ve been sitting here staring at the screen for several minutes now trying to form a coherent thought in an attempt to describe my love and my relationship. The only things that keep coming are rushes of words… tender, grateful, peace, safety, rock-solid, trust, truth, faith, honesty, center, love,Continue reading “When the Right One Comes Along”
Songs of Hope and Sorrow – You Were Born
Our granddaughter just had her first birthday. She is light and love and magic. She has the biggest grin imaginable, her face scrunching all up, eyes getting narrow, and her mouth, with it’s little fangs, gets huge. Light beams out of her. Her smile matches her personality. Curious, determined to keep up with her olderContinue reading “Songs of Hope and Sorrow – You Were Born”
Our Beautiful Souls
When something shocking happens in life our world shrinks down. Everything we know somehow narrows, magnifying the thing in the center that is our pain, our sorrow, our grief, our fear, our shame. Suddenly we do not see, cannot see, anything outside of what we feel. We begin a sort of sleep walk. Moving around,Continue reading “Our Beautiful Souls”
On Saying Goodbye
M, my friend, I love you. I know your heart is breaking as you get ready to start your journey. This trip, in one sense, signifies an ending, but I know in my heart it will also end up being a celebration of a life well lived. I believe the people we love never trulyContinue reading “On Saying Goodbye”
… and, Breathe
November 18. Four years ago today we got the news that we’d been waiting for. The molecular scan of my latest bone marrow biopsy showed I was in molecular remission. It was a big deal. My honey gave me a necklace with the date, a heart, and an inscription that included, among other things, theContinue reading “… and, Breathe”
49 For 49
I turned 49 a few days ago. No, I’m not really 50 something and just using 49 as my sticky-post age. I’m 49. I’m not fazed. Not being fazed is a good thing. I have never been a person who was affected by my age. I turned 16, 21, 25, 30, 40, etc. with noContinue reading “49 For 49”
Facing the Book of My Life
Vapor. I was sitting outside this morning, enjoying a bit of time before the heat and humidity forced me back inside. I had a cup of coffee and was chatting with K about our trip to Oregon this year, going over some of the little details of the trip out, discussing some of the thingsContinue reading “Facing the Book of My Life”
Trading Up to a Marriage We Already Had
It’s the 12th of June. We’ve been legally married for 10 days now. I don’t feel any more married than I did before, though we were told, immediately after getting the deed done, that now if we split up we’d have to get divorced like everyone else. That made us laugh. In 2003 my lifeContinue reading “Trading Up to a Marriage We Already Had”
Dominic Turns 1
. Today is Dominic Thomas’ first birthday. He is bright and loving and joyful and curious. He laughs and smiles a lot and doesn’t cry much at all. He makes his pterodactyl sound, for everything, occasionally throwing in a yeah, yeah just so we know he can talk if he wants to, and he’s steadyContinue reading “Dominic Turns 1”
