The Closet
colorful closet full of clothes of my mother
Treasures for me. May 25 -2020
In one closet, the scent of mothballs was so strong that we usually just opened then shut the door. We knew several fur coats were hanging in this one. And an umbrella trimmed in mink hung on a hook. Finally, one day I opened the door all the way and began to remove items. There were multiple cashmere scarves, a handmade quilt, boxes and boxes of negatives to photos she had put in albums, a large feather duvet wrapped in…
Share this:
Finishing a task, for Mother’s Day
It is satisfying to complete a task.
Share this:
The Day I Grew Up
When I called my mother and asked her to come to stay while I spent a night in the hospital, she said: “I am sorry, I can’t.” What? I thought I must have misheard her. It happened this way; When I was 20 and a new bride and an extremely new mother, I had a small medical issue. My doctor said he could fix it, but it would require one night in the hospital. We lived in Charlottesville, VA, in…
Share this:
The Veil
It is more than 100 years old. My daughter cut off the greater part of it for her daughter’s wedding. That part that covers the bride’s head has a pattern of seed pearls sewn into it. The border all around the body, which is of silk netting, is a continuous row of pearls. Originally it was Cathedral length veil, which in photos lays coiled around to settle in front of the bride. But it was difficult to walk with it…
Share this:
Be Thankful for Time
The virus which we have been watching for several months now, first hearing about it in January, has now taken center stage. It is front-page news, interior news, and back page news. It is everywhere. Facebook is full of it. Vitriolic, angry people arguing about who did what and where the virus came from, plus angry political slants and slanders. So we can all make a choice. We can use our time to focus on the virus or focus on…
Share this:
It is a Beautiful World.
Enforced shelter in place rules are onerous for some but not for me. Of course, I am careful. The unusual thing that happened this morning made me aware of how a few things have changed during my time here. Today I had to go to the bank. In order to do that, I had to make an appointment with a banker. He opened the bank door for me so I did not have to touch anything. The whole time I…
Share this:
Computers are Miraculous
It is amazing what huge amounts of information computers are able to supply. The Internet makes everything connected.
Share this:
In Spite of Uncertainty Be Grateful
In troubled times it is helpful to remember that adversity comes and goes like the weather. Dogs keep us company and love us no matter what happens.
Share this:
Dinosaurs
Watching the young travel the streets on scooters brings home the fact that we are older.
Share this:
Lessons Learned
“When you finally learn that a person’s behavior has more to do with their internal struggle than it ever did with you? you learn grace.” That is a critical point. We never know what troubles others are dealing with alone. And therefore we cannot judge them, nor should we. Judging others is one of my gravest faults. Originally, growing up, it was the family culture. Unfortunately, it was traditional to start talking about our guests as soon as they left…
Share this:
The KitFox and Lots of Trouble.
One of the worst fights I ever had with my sister happened in a car in Scottsdale, Arizona. We were together with our mother at the Elizabeth Arden Spa called Maine Chance. Mother brought us both out there along with her as a family. Usually, only my sister Dede went with Mother. It was their time to be together and bond without any interference from other siblings, family members, husbands, or children. They always had a great time sharing a…
Share this:
An Attitude of Gratitude
All that matters is that your loved ones are healthy, that you have done your best, and that you are grateful for all you have. Sifting through my mothers’ belongings before we sell her house is a revelation. She loved pretty things. She collected many of them. But she was not a hoarder. When she bought new clothes for a season, she would cull her old clothes and send some to cousins, or she consigned them, others went to “Goodwill”…
Share this:
A Day in the Life of B Matheson
When the alarm went off this morning, my body jerked awake, startled. My dreaming had been so deep and thrilling. Populated with so many characters, places, colors, and a babble of language and unfinished thoughts, and then?consciousness and reality arrived. Ouch. My warm little smooth haired miniature dachshund Sisi nestled in the curve of my bent knees warm as toast under the covers. For years and years, a duvet and a top sheet have been my only “blanket.” But for…
Share this:
Today is my Birthday
Aging brings clarity as the reflection in a mirror gives the impression of truth only backward. Age gives us a false sense of knowing. Wisdom understands this error in thought and considers it. Yet the truth is what is needed. To sort out from the other detritus, the bright, beautiful realness of affection and connectedness serenity is required. Knowing what is reliable and safe creates a sense of security. And in the bosom of one’s family, there is peace and…
