The other night I had a very unsettling dream, so unsettling that it took me over a day to tell Joe about it and a couple of days to decide to write about it, because I kind of had to think about it. It was very real, vivid even, the kind of dream where you really think you're there. I even remember the feelings I was having in the dream and how I was dealing... Read more →
I spent most of yesterday with Mom. She started out in pretty good shape -- like many Alzheimer's patients, she's at her best in the morning. I got her talking about technology, because I love to hear when, where, and how she came to use things that we now take completely for granted and because it takes her mind off the things that are troubling her, like how her children have taken away her house.... Read more →
1. We got a new refrigerator! Our old one was 21 years old and finally decided to retire. At least it gave us some notice. So we went to the Big Orange Box store and picked out a basic fridge -- no icemaker, no water/crushed ice/frozen margarita dispenser (although I would have totally gone for a frozen margarita dispenser) -- for $459 bucks. We've never bought a new fridge, so I was overly excited over... Read more →
After the Nats game on Sunday, we decided to grab dinner at a Silver Spring institution, the Quarry House Tavern. How shall I describe the Quarry House? One word pretty much says it: dive. I had been to Quarry House exactly once before in my life; it was 30 years ago and I went with my boyfriend to drink beers. The place has not changed one bit. Well, the layout, decor, and ambiance have not... Read more →
What a weekend! I spent most of it outside -- in the woods and in the city -- and an amusing hour or so deep in a cellar in Silver Spring. Let's start with a wedding in the woods! On Saturday, my juggling pal Amy married her sweetheart Seth at Gambrill State Park near Frederick, Maryland. The weather was absolutely perfect. It was a small, delightful, beautiful casual wedding. The ceremony was held on the... Read more →
The lovely and talented Dichroic gave me five words to riff on. What's kind of interesting is that all of these words have been significant in my life in the last week. Let's begin with family. I am so grateful to my brother and sisters -- when Mom is being a brat, they understand. And boy oh boy, Mom was on a roll the last few days. Now, I know -- believe me, I know,... Read more →
We're home. Sigh. It was a great vacation, just great. I love Ocean City, and one of the things I love most about it is the Boardwalk, that 30-block strip of wooden planking devoted to thrill rides, delicious food that's wretched for you, and cheesy souvenirs. Yep, as a friend of Joe's likes to say, "There's a buck to be made here." You can make a buck off rides: You can make a buck off... Read more →
Sigh. It's the last day of vacation. Time for a long look around the beach, complete with ad boat. You might even catch a glimpse of Joe standing in the surf. (The noise is mainly wind noise, but you can also hear the sound of the waves breaking on the beach.) Read more →
Vacation is going very nicely, thank you. I think this may be the first time ever that Joe and I have been in this house all by ourselves. No Mom, no siblings, no children, no friends. It's a little bit weird! We have absolutely no agenda. No pressure to dash from one fun-filled activity to the next; no appointments or can't miss dates. I watch the jet-skiers in the bay and the parasailers over the... Read more →