my journey, destination unknown
I have lots of thoughts. Some are more thought out than others. And I challenge myself to understand myself. When I do, I try to capture the moment. And hope that my haring of my (limited) insights may be helpful and inspirational to others.
I don’t play much these days. Or perhaps my personal definition of play is lacking. I work, manage the house, volunteer, and run the errands. Sometimes I get the chance to exercise, hike, read, or meet a friend, though not as much as I need. What is play? I play with the dog, but even…
I’ve lived in a constant state of panic for so long that I no longer know how to not live that way even when there’s no need to panic. This week, I’ve caught myself wishing for something to “Hurry up and be over! I have things to do!” a number of times when, in reality,…
Taking Camille on tours of campus has me considering “What comes next?” For now, I am happy in my job, but I fear the day may come that my job may disappear or the demands will be ones that I don’t care to accept any more. Then what? What can I do? What would I…
While I love living in a small town (today I pulled up next to a friend at a red light and rolled down my window to wish her a happy birthday — small town), but I also live in a big city. This was not the big city I dreamed of living in. Growing up…
Rings. I like the idea of rings. My wedding ring has been a tight squeeze to get over my knuckle since I was pregnant, so I’ve been going without rings for years now. But last year while we were in Galway, I let the girls pick out Claddagh rings. And I found a thumb ring…
Summer. The time for our big family trips. We’ve made some memories on our travels – camping in Evie on the Out West trip. Living in Galway for three weeks on the Irish summer. Turkey, Japan, St. John, Cape Cod, and more. Unless by some miracle the stars align next summer and we finally get…
Each year when summer approaches, I put together a list of all the projects I want to accomplish while school is out and activities are slower. And I always over-estimate the time that we will have to accomplish it all. “I’m not really traveling this summer; I’ll have lots of time!” While the house is…
As I planned my trip to France, I started to think about things to do while I was in the area around Nice. I’ve been to most of the touristy places in the area and wanted to do something different. On the same day, I came across the Lerins Islands and a friend recommended them…
As I stepped into the hotel breakfast Saturday morning, I knew I was home. Not my real home of course, but a place that was absolutely familiar to me. A place I love and I miss. France. Having traveled to France more than a dozen times now, I still very much don’t belong here. I…
The condo is organized. The car is clean. The dog is groomed. The family to-do list is created. The schedule is up-to-date. The inbox is at zero. And yet I still have difficult, dark days. I was sure that once I got this organized that it would be easier. To be honest, it is easier,…
Lately, I have been dreaming a lot at night. A lot. Often, I wake up feeling not at all rested due to my dreams. I have the feeling that I need to start a dream diary, but my mornings are so rushed, I’m not sure that I would keep it up for very long. I…
We all do it, don’t we? You see someone do something that goes against your *style* or convictions and you judge. I do it far too often. I try to stop myself every time. That person has a reason for doing what they do. Call me naive. I don’t mind. I know I am, and…
Last year, the girls when the girls headed “back-to-school” it was actually Camille’s first time ever going to school, so not really “back” for her. I have dreams of getting “so much done” now that school is back in session. Of course, I had dreams of getting “so much done” once school was out for…
We’ve been home for over a week now. I should have been fully caught up and back in the swing of things days ago. But I’m still struggling. Last week, I took naps. Many, looong naps. I just couldn’t move. It was like I had the flu again, but without the fever. The combination of…
Back in the summer when Chloe was born (2002), my five year old Passat was suffering from issues that had us at the repair shop weekly. The troubles were somewhere in the electrical system, and no amount of diagnosing helped. The AC would only work at traffic lights. The battery would be dead for no…
One of my fears in all the years I’ve traveled with my kids is getting stuck in a situation where I have no control and fear for our safety. Unless absolutely necessary, I don’t ride in taxis. I plan ahead. I have backup plans. On many a long roadtrip on desolate stretches, I’ve feared for…
A couple weekends ago, I did something that I’ve never done before. I packed up Evie with me and Phelix, and we went off on our own little adventure. For years, my adventures almost always included the girls. I’ve gone on a couple of trips without them, but not off on my own. I’ve always…
Ever since school started back after the summer, my “to-do” list has been absolutely out of control. I don’t have any idea how it managed to get as long as it did. Did the summer heat drain me of energy? Was I too busy? Today, at long last, that to-do list is done. It has…
We came home from “break” on Thursday. While the girls were on break, I did my best to keep up at work while we were away at the beach. I kept up overall, but still managed to feel like I fell behind. Deadlines were not communicated properly, and I now see that I’ve missed one….
While we were on the beach the other day, Chloe and I watched some kids playing in the surf and the tidepools on skimboards. Chloe, of course, wanted to give it a try too. The store in town had rows and rows of boards. I agreed; skimboarding looked right up her alley. After choosing the…