Monthly Archives: January 2016

Challenging our assumptions

Posted on January 30, 2016 by

I’ll call her Laurie — not her real name. She stands on the sidewalk holding a confusing sign asking for help from drivers pulling out of the grocery store parking lot. This week I decided to walk to the store. … Continue reading →

Posted in current events/themes | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Morning walks: more than just exercise

Posted on January 26, 2016 by

Yesterday, I took a walk in my neighborhood and nearby downtown to watch the day begin. Not before dawn, but before the normal workday got underway. Morning is a good time to see a city, before cars and their rumbling … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, seasons, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Finding inspiration in the life of a 95-year old

Posted on January 23, 2016 by

Meet my friend Eleanor. She’s a terrific writer, former teacher, advocate for the mentally ill at city, state and national levels, addicted thrift-store shopper (though she claims to have quit cold turkey this past year), patron of the arts, and all-around … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, inspiration, intergenerational, writing | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Never enough time

Posted on January 19, 2016 by

For many years, the Medalists — a group of female friends who’ve been together for about thirty-five years — hosted dinners around a theme:  purple food, round food, things stuffed in other things, even the eruption of Mt. St. Helens.  … Continue reading →

Posted in changes after retirement, personal reflections | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

Year of the Monkey not so great for monkeys

Posted on January 15, 2016 by

Surrounded as I am these days by an unusually large collection of monkeys made from paper, ceramics and socks, it only seems right to find out what this “Year of the Monkey” will bring. In China the year begins on … Continue reading →

Posted in current events/themes | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

The death of spontaneity

Posted on January 11, 2016 by

Spontaneity is becoming extinct, going the way of the dodo or the woolly mammoth. Years ago, when my husband and I moved into our first apartment, friends lived nearby.  We would drop in unannounced — a mortal sin these days … Continue reading →

Posted in friends and family, personal reflections, the unscheduled life | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

We didn’t really dress that way, did we?

Posted on January 8, 2016 by

I made it to the last day of an exhibit called Counter-Couture at the Bellevue Arts Museum, which allegedly “celebrates the handmade fashion and style of the 1960s and 1970s.” I went to be reminded of my life after college. … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, arts and crafts | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

My love of libraries

Posted on January 5, 2016 by

Ever since I checked out my first book in a tiny storefront in my West Seattle neighborhood, I’ve loved libraries. At age 15 and 1/2, my first job title after “babysitter” was “page,” a library position that involved shelving books, … Continue reading →

Posted in personal reflections, writing | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment