When I was 16 I got my driver’s license. It was one of the greatest days of my life. Freedom. The ability to just go and do it all by myself was like a miracle. Because I was given a car this really was an option. The feeling was thrilling. Empowerment was not a word I had ever heard back then, but it describes how I felt. Empowered. Hurrah! At the height of my ecstasy, it occurred to me that…
Procrastination is so prevalent in my life, it no longer bothers me. It is like having a bad knee or shoulder that you must be careful of injuring. You just live with it. You manage your life around it. And carry on with what is essential, perhaps, while leaving so many unfinished tasks in your wake that you lose track. But there is a cure. It was given to me as an aside when I asked a friend who was…
A treasure trove of information! The little book brings back a time in my life and old friends who are all gone, now. It was a Guestbook for people to sign when they came to the embassy for a party or even just to visit. And along with my mother’s diary for that period and my own, it paints a picture of our lives that first year in Luxembourg. The book was a pale nut brown leather rectangle wedged between…
How do you feel about change? The world we all inhabit has changed dramatically since I was a girl.There were a lot more rules of etiquette, manners mattered, and going to church was a virtue. People were addressed as Mr. and Mrs. or Miss, no first names until later, and there was a lot less swearing. There were general fears about war, even epidemics, but no one closed down countries as a result. Skirts used to be a certain length….
Suddenly the hot day seemed to stall. The sun disappeared. Everything got quiet and very still. Looking up into the sky, I was shocked to see it suddenly dark. Storm clouds crowded where the brilliant blue had been only minutes before. The entire sky was suffused in charcoal and shades of grey. Such majesty in that infinite depth defied reason and shocked us with the change from light to dark. The sheer power of thunderclouds which seemed to crash against…
My grandmother Helen Dow Hale was smart and funny. She was one of six children, the oldest one in her family. She had loads of friends when she went to college. She was young and vibrant and full of hope and plans for the future. She graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1916. While there, along with studying and joining a sorority Theta of Alpha Phi and making new friends, she fell in love with her…
It is satisfying to complete a task.
It is amazing what huge amounts of information computers are able to supply. The Internet makes everything connected.
It is simply never too late. Don’t let anyone, including that little voice in your head, tell you that you have missed your chance. What makes your heart beat faster? Seriously, think about this. Your body may be less flexible, but your mind is wiser. Your hair may be grayer or thinner, but your inner drive is just waiting for you to give it access to the outside world. Your psyche is ripe for a new adventure. Remember Freud and…
The other day my dogs went hunting. They chased an adolescent deer all over 2 and a half acres of our yard. They cornered it over and over. Each time it fled, sometimes jumping over them. I took photos and movies I wonder if I can add a video on this post? (NOT) It was alarming because I was nearly helpless. Having come home from work early, I was planning to go to the market. So it was logical to…
Excellent conversation and correspondence about today’s issues
As the new year begins, there is a new book cooking. This is an exciting time of year.
