Blog Posts

A week in which going with the flow led to impromptu adventures and so much contentment. Ways I Found Joy This Week Hosting girls’ movie night Refreshing my “fairy hair” Dispelling my anxiety and anger about current events with action by writing postcards for democracy Whiling away a Sunday afternoon at a leisurely brunch under the trees with old friends Walking Juno Beach and collecting shells on a windy, overcast day Making a spontaneous expedition to the Breakers and getti

A week in which I was bathed in an abundance of loving connection. Visits from far-flung friends, precious extra time with the CWP (silver linings!), chance encounters in the neighborhood and my daily rounds. Reminding me that there is an extra boost we get from nourishing ourselves with in-person connection. While this week’s boon was unplanned, it’s inspired me to make more of an effort in that regard.     Ways I Found Joy This Week Breakfasting (and usually laughing) eve

A week in which I was once again reminded:  of the crushing, recursive brutality of loving someone with a chronic illness; of the bitter disappointment when the sudden arrival of disaster follows a period of relative progress; of the amazing fortitude and grace necessary for endurance, unfair to expect from one so young. In crisis, the world shrinks to the moment, slowly expanding to the hour, or maybe the day, as things improve. And yet, there is always a scrap of joy to be

A week in which staying in the moment transformed each ordinary day into a peaceful, satisfying tile in the mosaic of a happy life. Finally, slowly, I’m truly absorbing the knowledge that I don’t have to be producing, or doing, to be worthy. Also, a week in which the temperatures dropped precipitously again, providing plenty of opportunity for fresh air and outdoor exercise (as well as gratitude that I no longer live in a blizzard zone).   Ways I Found Joy This Week Having a

A week in which I got intentional about metaphorically and literally shedding all that no longer serves me as the Year of the Snake drew to a close. Leaving me poised to gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse, which began Tuesday. It may just be the power of suggestion, but I’m feeling hopeful about leaving behind what felt like the suspended animation of the last few months and charging ahead into a juicier life. Stay tuned.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Stopping for lunch at

A week in which I once again became a veterinary technician. The promised update on last week’s vomiting extravaganza  is a good news/bad news one: my ten-pound titan has completely recovered from cholangitis (the nasty liver/gallbladder/bile duct infection that necessitated hospitalization and a temporary feeding tube) and now has pancreatitis. Which may or may not be (probably is) due to my exuberance, despite my inexperience, as a canine chef (a perfect example of the Dunn

A week in which I transformed into an iguana: paralyzed by the arctic blast. I’m the first to cheer when the temperatures drop into the sixties, and even the fifties (nothing like a vigorous walk without having to shower off again ), but wind chills in the twenties are a bit more than I bargained for. Especially now that, after eleven years, my blood has officially thinned. While I’m not falling out of trees or being rescued from the middle of the road, I am spending lots of

A week in which I hit a wall. I’ve been in or near tears daily, my privilege feels repellent, and it all seems so crushing. My anger is close to the surface and I’m beginning to fuel my refusal to give up with spite rather than optimism. And I’m doubling down on that refusal. Ways I Found Joy This Week Hosting a girls’ movie night Joining PEN America in the fight against book banning (you can, too: Don't Censor America - PEN America  ) Receiving a copy of the latest book by o

A week in which I doubled down on my resolve to resist by shining a light on joy. It is  always darkest before the dawn, and I am convinced dawn is around the corner. After which we’ll have lots of work to do, so let’s pace ourselves.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Making two more great library hauls Enjoying a fabulous deep tissue massage Laughing out loud at a comedy special Switching my BlueSky feed from “Following” to “Discover”, and counterbalancing the grim realities of o

A week of sprinkling in joy as I returned to the outside world and a semblance of routine.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Being feted by the nurses for “graduating” from my year of monthly shots that actually reversed osteoporosis Receiving two moving personal notes from readers of Rising Hosting the first ladies’ movie night of the year at my place Stopping for a chat with the elderly man down the street whose authentic positivity is an inspiration and whose smile lights up th

A week in which I further honed my perspective and began a slow return to “normal”.   Ways I Found Joy This Week Connecting with far-flung friends to exchange New Year greetings Taking my first outdoor walk in weeks and savoring the fresh air and sunshine of a (rare) 60-degree day Spontaneously laughing so hard and long with the CWP that we were both clutching our stomachs and wiping away tears Taking the patient  to have his feeding tube removed and getting clearance to st

Thinking about being grateful to be on the mend and bulking up This begins my new “week in review” format. Herewith, the Isolation Edition. I’m happy to report that the patient  is steadily improving. Because he has a tube dangling from a hole in his neck (and because he is a menace), I’m unable to leave him. With the CWP  away on a dog sitting gig, this means I’m confined to the house. I’m finding it very reminiscent of quarantine : the dawning recognition that I’m captive,

It’s been a while since I wrote about books  that moved me or made me think (or both). Given my tendencies to read voraciously (sometimes to the detriment of getting other stuff done) and to immediately forget details, it takes a rare book to break through and leave its imprint on me. Here are the most recent ones to do so.   My Friends, by Frederik Backman. I love the author’s trademark quirky characters, and this book did not disappoint. A fun, poignant examination of the p

I’m over the moon. The book I’ve been working on for years, the record of my transformation, is finally available for purchase. You can get your copy here: https://www.blurb.com/b/12749888-rising-notes-on-a-resurrection Getting the book published has been a learning experience. Given that I’m basically looking down the barrel of seventy (and that I’m fairly impatient), I ultimately opted for self-publishing. What I didn’t expect was that producing a high-quality book would pr

This week I’m thrilled to announce that, over the weekend, I finished the final edit of the manuscript for my forthcoming book Rising:...

I recently read On Our Best Behavior: The Seven Deadly Sins and the Price Women Pay to Be Good”, by Elise Loehnen. It’s a highly...

It’s been five years since I shared a list of books that I found singular in their wisdom and their ability to stimulate thought on what...