My phone rang, and when I answered, it was my oldest grandson on the line. We commiserated about the snow and ice everywhere between his home in Baltimore, Md, and mine in Charlottesville, VA. Then he said, “When the weather is this bad, there is only one thing to do.” I laughed and said jokingly, “Go to Florida?” He answered, “No. Go to Jamaica.” His parents own a cottage at Round Hill, not too far from Montego Bay. He told…
The best gift is a memory. Recently, I was given a gift that made me happier than any other this year. And the last couple of years have been filled with gifts as my family has grown and thrived. There have been weddings, engagements, great-grandbabies, and puppies, beyond my dreams! But for my birthday this new year 2026, my children gave me an experience I will not forget. They all agreed to attend a black-tie, kilted gala for Bobby Burns…
Life keeps throwing new obstacles in my way! This past week has been an eye-opener in many ways. I learned I am comfortable confronting my mortality. Are you ready to face death if it comes? On Monday evening, I felt weird at the end of the day, and really, really tired. My son was watching football in my library, by a roaring fire. His dogs and my dogs were all draped over the couch. I sat down with them, too…
Looking Back on 2025 Grateful, Changed, and Still Thriving As the clock winds down on December 31, 2025, I’m sitting here in the quiet glow of a fire in my fireplace, decorations, Christmas lights, and a few still unsent Christmas cards, feeling a profound sense of peace. The house still holds the scent of pine, cinnamon, and the last remnants of holiday cooking. This year tested me deeply. A broken shoulder that slowed me but didn’t stop me, the shocking…
It is over for another year! Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the entire year, has come and gone. This year was unusual because my broken shoulder is still healing, and my stamina is somewhat impaired as my body uses up energy healing itself. Nevertheless, I pulled it off. My family really pitched in, cooking and helping me in many ways. I also took advantage of professional kitchen help during the party. There were 22 relatives, including an infant great-grandson. I…
Clearly, something has changed, and I have decided to live! To thrive instead of just fading away as an old lady. Which is tempting at my age, with the world seeming to be in such turmoil and so many people still asleep. One solution is just to opt out. I discovered lately that I am not done yet. I cannot pinpoint when I changed my mind, but it may have happened last spring when I discovered I have alpha-gal, the…
The news outlets keep telling us that people have become more violent in recent years. Certainly, their manners have deteriorated. Trying to maintain older ideas of proper behavior is becoming more and more difficult. Sometimes I find myself distressed by the lack of consideration shown to customers when shopping, or drivers in traffic, or even on campuses where students disrespect professors and administration in ways unheard of half a century ago. It distresses me and can cause my temper to…
EXITING THE MATRIX, A Journey Towards Truth and Self-Realization The world we live in often feels chaotic, overwhelming, and disconnected from our true selves. From the constant barrage of media to the pressures of consumerism and societal expectations, it’s easy to feel like we’re caught in a never-ending loop. But what if there was a way to break free from these distractions and rediscover who we truly are? In this blog post, I’ll share my journey of “exiting the matrix”,…
The Business of Influence: How Big Pharma Shapes Medicine and Policy Growing up, I believed that doctors were larger-than-life people. When we children were sick, just knowing the doctor was on his way made us feel better. Of course, doctors don’t make house calls much anymore. When my mother was 100 and then 101, her doctor would come to the house to see her. But she cautioned me, “Don’t tell anyone I did this!” It was a very nice thing…
Charlie Kirk: A Martyr for Free Speech and Faith in an Age of Cancel Culture and One-Sided Violence. There has been much written on this subject but I want to add my voice in tribute to this man. On September 10, 2025, Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was tragically assassinated at Utah Valley University during the kickoff of his “American Comeback Tour.” Shot in the neck by 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, a left-leaning and clearly highly disturbed…
Why even the smallest expressions can grow into something powerful and lasting The Power of Planting a Seed As we arrived at my parents-in-law’s house for Thanksgiving many years ago, I saw something extraordinary. A bamboo plant had forced its way up through five inches of black macadam. I could hardly believe it. Only a small green shoot showed itself, but it was an impressive feat. On another occasion, on vacation in the south of France, I came across another…
I am posting an article I wrote in April of 2023, on an old website called ACactusFlower.com. It was a cry for common sense and an end to the covid madness. That was nearly two and a half years ago. So many people have conveniently forgotten how hateful they became during that time. They were terrified, and I suppose they would say that justifies their hate and rigid imposition of stupid rules upon the nation. I have not forgotten. No…
My doctor told me my blood pressure was high, when I went for a routine visit. It was high because I had been in a life-or-death struggle on the telephone. I was trying to get a refund from one of those Internet entities that I believe are trained to try to drive one crazy. After a couple of hours on the phone with one of those, I was appolplectic! And my blood pressure showed it. I have always had blood…
Most people think they need to add things to change their lives. They want to form more habits, more goals, more hustle. But what if the real breakthrough comes from doing the opposite? Fundamental transformation often begins with subtraction, cutting out what’s draining you. Start filling the space with what truly matters. Find the solutions by editing. Like a cluttered closet, your life can be weighed down with the unnecessary habits, beliefs, and even the people that drain you instead of building…
What is happening in the cities is disturbing; I am glad I live in a smaller town. I just read that there are “a huge number of gangs, 144 gangs in Memphis”. Memphis! Not Chicago or Philly. Chicago is home to 117,000 gang members.” What are these people doing? Why are gangs growing? Who can stop this? The young people grouping together into gangs most likely need to belong. Humans are herd animals. With families so fractured, young people need…
