I do my best to fill my weekends. I’ve had a year and a half to hone my skills. When Rick was alive, I used to look forward to Fridays, the last day of the work week and then – Whee! Freedom! Rick and I could hang out together, starting with breakfast at our favorite…
Category: Prose
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes – Latest Blog Posted on the Hope for Widows website
… We practically built this place together. It was a foreclosure that need a lot of TLC and we worked day and night to do it ourselves. We tore out kitchen cupboards, then reinstalled new ones, built an island, installed new countertops, and totally rearranged the kitchen. We opened walls, laid flooring throughout, installed all…
Aftershocks
Dear Rick, How can you be gone? I repeat this question to myself at least once a week, sometimes out loud, usually accompanied by a silent sob. I guess I’m getting better. It used to be several times a day, and – in the weeks after you died – it was several times an hour….
My Books are Listed in Goodreads
Wow! My books are listed on Goodreads.com, and I’m officially a Goodreads author! It was quite a surprise to see them there when I did a search, yesterday. I’m guessing they include all books that are available on Amazon, but seeing them there made me feel like an “official” author! It’s still a little unsettling…
With This Ring
Yesterday marked 17 months since my husband died. So much has changed in my life since then. I’ve grieved, and grieved, and grieved some more. I’ve worked through the grief, written through the grief, talked to my grief counselor, cried on the shoulders of family and friends, and – to be honest – I’m really,…
On the Cusp of a New Life
I’m on the cusp of a new life, but it’s difficult to leave the old one behind. And, if I’m honest with myself, I feel guilty and sad, regretful that I have been able to survive without Rick, that I am making that new life on my own. When Rick died, I never thought this…
Phantom Embraces – New Blog Post on Hope for Widows Foundation site
… But some nights, I lie down on my side, pull the covers around me, and put out the light, and I sense him there. It’s not a conscious decision; it just happens. I feel him scooch over next to me from behind and pull me to him, and snuggle up against me. I feel…
Filling the Void
I was fine. I made it through going to our diner for breakfast. I purposely flipped past the song that would make me cry on the way home on this dreary day. I pulled into our driveway and for one quick second, looked at the beautiful red-orange leaves on the tree outside our bedroom and…
My New Life
I hate that I’m getting used to it. I hate that I’m used to being single now, that I have new routines, that I’m moving on. I’ve achieved my new normal. I hate that I’m more “myself” again. I hate that I’m coping better, that I have new goals, fresh ideas for my future. I…
Keeping My Head Above Water
As an avid swimmer all my life, I know how dangerous and unpredictable waves can be. One minute, you’re frolicking in the surf, head above water, enjoying the vibrant, alive feeling of being submerged in the cold water, floating or swimming, and having the time of your life. The next, you’re knocked off your feet,…









