Up and Down Dog
Finding balance in a topsy turvy world…
The Story of Tan
The first time I met Tanner, it was November 5, 2010. I was hosting a yoga retreat at Skamania Lodge near the border of Washington and Oregon. I was wearing my yoga-retreat-coordinator hat and attitude that day, not my crazy-about-dogs hat. I walked into the first...
Root Beer Floats, Tea Parties and Other Blessings
On August 1, we moved Mom into a memory care facility. That morning unfolded like an episode of Property Brothers, one of our favorite home improvement shows. I whisked Mom off to her friend Becky's house as soon as I got her ready. Rocky and Devin went to pick up the...
Silver Linings
My friend Suzy's parents passed away recently within months of each other. She shared a quote from her brother, Craig, who told her that during difficult times we all have to "lean into the silver linings." This idea of leaning not just on our friends and family but...
Finding Dorothy
I'm currently living a real-life version of the movie, Finding Dory, the sweet story about a fish with memory issues who sets out to find her long-lost parents. Only this fishy saga is about my Mom and her search for her dear friend, DJ (Dorothy Jean), who I...
Sometimes Love Looks Like Curdled Milk
Last week a dear friend of mine lost her son. He was young, recently married, and full of life. His death was devastating for his friends, family and community. There is little that leaves you reeling more then the swift and unexpected death of a young person. In an...
Thank You, I Feel 16 Again!
Dear Mom, Thank you for grabbing the passenger door handle and stomping on your pretend brake as I took a corner at 25 mph. Thank you for pointing out that the car in front of me had his right hand turn signal on in case I didn't see it. Thank you for shouting "Be...
Missing pieces
On the table is a puzzle with the funny face of a dog wearing glasses. Even though much of the puzzle is unfinished, it is easy to imagine what the picture will eventually become. Puzzling gives us an activity to share with my Mom who likes to sit, have a cup of tea...
Is There a Badge for That?
Three hours into our long drive home from the University of Montana this past week, I sensed Devin had had enough of our conversation. We had covered his best and worst classes during his first year at the university; best and worst teachers; favorite friends;...
The Big Question
Most of us don't get to our fifties without contemplating big questions like "Who am I?" "What is my purpose?" and "What is my relationship with the Divine?" For my mom, the questions she asks have changed considerably in the last ten years. What seems to occupy her...
Walking with DJ
Mom likes to say that she and her friend, DJ, brought the neighborhood together. She met DJ and her fat schnauzer, Maggie, about ten years ago when we first moved to Twin Lakes and the two have logged a lot of miles walking together since then. In the early days,...
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