I don't have many meltdowns, do I? Todd, mumbled something which I couldn't make out. I remembered my dad before a family vacation. I was always certain that our trip would be cancelled but it never was. Now I understood. Leaving one life—even for a short while—for another, is hard when it means saying goodbye [...]
We're 23 minutes ahead of schedule, there is light outside the airplane windows and before long we will be landing in Paris. We decided to fly to the City of Lights before we knew Sam would need surgery. I pushed through the final stretches of work, fitting in a hair appointment and a few other [...]
Today is the first day of my vacation and although I still have a newsletter article to write, a strategic plan to update and a grant to review before I can sign off :/, I had to take some time to honor Dad's one year memorial.
The seagrass lays wrapped in dried algae. The logs are unearthed and scattered. The rocks though have remained grounded. I think of the three pigs. The path will need a little work this summer. Sunlight sparkles jewels across the water and for just a moment I feel its warmth before the heavy clouds roll back [...]
We took a road trip to La Saladita on the last day of our vacation to watch the surfers. It’s the wave machine they say—small waves for beginners and long surfboards. It was a scenic drive. We finally found the spot after a lot of back and forth and twisting up and down narrow back [...]
A horse canters down the beach flicking sand from its heels in front of a backdrop of pelicans diving for breakfast. Twelve glide overhead like a beaded necklace strung from the clouds--except there are no clouds. The blackbird hides in the branches of the coconut tree, merry queen of the beach is she, laughing. Not really. [...]
There’s something out there. It’s white. Where? There! Look. A fish. We both stared out toward the horizon from our chairs facing the ocean as we drank our morning coffee, listening to the roar of the waves. A dolphin! Todd said, and picked up his binoculars. I looked. I see it! I said. There’s two. [...]
I would rather pick out my own food at the grocery store than have someone shop for me. So when Todd asked if I’d like to have our groceries stocked at our rental before we arrived for the week, I said, No, let’s go to that grocery store we found in Zihuatanejo last year, because [...]
Day 1 I slept, at most, one hour. I repacked my suitcase three times, doing my best to be a hip minimalist. I was so pleased with myself when I unrolled five dresses and hung them back up in my closet, leaving me with one black maxi that converts into a skirt. We were only [...]
Right. It’s Sunday night—the time I used to sit down to write and share the latest incident with Dad for my blog Sundays with Dad. I mean, three years of that created a bit of a ritual. Now, even though Dad’s not around anymore, it doesn’t mean a ritual disappears. In fact, I find, I just need to [...]
