The Crown has become a bit of a lifesaver to me. Not literally, of course, but in two ways it has become a welcome port in the storm. Continue reading
friends
death and memory loss
Last year, my mother lost one of her best friends. It was tremendously sad for all of us, as Ginny was a wonderfully energetic woman who shuttled my mother to the doctor’s office, the grocery store, the library and anywhere else Mom needed to go. Ginny was 73 years old and, though she had been sick for a couple of months, her death was a shock. She was always busy with family, crafts, the Church, social organizations and friends, particularly my mother. She always made time for her and went out of her way to make sure Mom was safe and sound. I don’t know what we would have done without her. Continue reading
what does it mean to be elderly?
Lately, 
I’ve read a few articles and blog posts about the distinction between “younger” older people and “older” older people. This is interesting to me because, as I’ve been seeking out information over the past couple of years, it is apparent that a lot what’s out there doesn’t really apply to my mother. At a time when 40 is the new 30, I guess 70 may be the new 60 but I don’t know that 89 is the new 79. At some point, Mom caught up with her age. Continue reading
experiencing community from inside the apartment?
It was cold. It was dark. It was crowded. The lighting of the Washington Monument in early December is a tradition in Baltimore. Many people wander over to the Monument to eat, drink and be merry. Yet, dragging Mom out of her cozy chair on a cold evening seemed inordinately cruel. So, like last year, we watched the proceedings from my living room window. The Monument lights – about four blocks away – were turned on and fireworks filled the sky. We drank hot chocolate, ate cookies and ooh’d and aah’d at the fireworks. But, I couldn’t help but be disappointed that we weren’t more engaged. Continue reading
my mother, my cat and me 