We have a Swiss sister named Isabelle. She became a part of our family around 1983, because she came to live with Mom and Dad in Clayton. At 15 years old, she travelled to the U.S. on her own. She ended up at Rabun County High School, where she and Melinda became fast friends. Since … Continue reading Our Swiss Sister
family
A Great Love (Part 2)
In 2020, when we moved Mom to memory care I wrote this blog entitled A Great Love. It was a tribute to the love I witnessed between my parents and how their devotion to each other impacted everyone around them. Now they celebrate their Great Love every day. I can’t imagine. What is it like … Continue reading A Great Love (Part 2)
Sweet Dreams
I have two memories which float through my brain when I wake in the night. They circle in my head, like planes in a holding pattern waiting on the right conditions to land. It seems they never quite touch the ground, but just keep the loop going enough to prevent my mind from resting fully. … Continue reading Sweet Dreams
Sometimes I Wonder
Sometimes I wonder…if we had known what was coming our way, would we have still married? As of this day, July 12, 2025, we’ve had 39 years of surprises, many of them life changing. If we had seen the hardship ahead of time would we have done things differently? I still remember that day. The … Continue reading Sometimes I Wonder
Death Watch
One year ago, we were holding vigil at Mom’s bedside. A death watch…a time of waiting for death to arrive. Hospice sounded the alarm that her time had come. We didn’t leave her side. Her body was weakening. Her breathing was a rattle. Then a gurgle. We took turns beside the bed. Reading her favorite … Continue reading Death Watch
The Whirlwind…
There is a whirlwind blowing worldwide. It is disorienting. In the midst, the landscape is changing. From my window, I watch. From the safety of my chair, I see. It is alarming. It is scary when debris flies by, so close. Destruction seems so immanent. Inches away. For now, I am safe from where I … Continue reading The Whirlwind…
Hi Dad,
I’m porch sitting this morning. The cozy chair from your back porch has made the transition to mine. When I sit here, I find comfort that you sat here before me. Silly, but sitting in this chair helps me to feel closer to you. And I am listening to the birds, trying to identify them … Continue reading Hi Dad,
Memorial Day
I am struggling. There I said it. Seeing it on the page in black and white helps me define my last few weeks. It’s been almost 6 months since Dad passed, but for some reason I have had a wave of emotion that feels fresh and new. Painful again. I am aware that grief doesn’t … Continue reading Memorial Day
Another First
There have been some tears this week. At first, I didn’t recognize the source. So many things happening, some of them good, some of them painful. I chalked my lethargic state up to having a fabulous week last week at the Folk School. Always fun, but also always exhausting. I came home tired. Said goodbye … Continue reading Another First
The Small Things
I slide out of my bed and pull on my yellow shorts and striped yellow and white tank top. My bare feet pad quietly out of the bedroom. He sits on the porch. Watching the waves roll in. Never a coffee drinker, his hands instead caress his camera. Dad. Taking in the sunrise with his … Continue reading The Small Things
Michelle's Mosaic 