I’m so thankful for quiet moments in time. Still small moments to reflect. A few minutes of uninterrupted silence from the noise of life’s disturbances. Rest for the mind and body and a break from the often unwelcome and uninvited intrusions that bombard us from within and all around.

Doesn’t everyone yearn for little pauses from the self-inflicted head-chatter, relief from routine demands, and some down time from the unexpected distractions {I call them side swipes} that life relentlessly hurls at us? I regularly seek these quiet moments, so if it means getting up earlier than planned that’s okay, I’ll take it! I’ll seize every opportunity to be engulfed in tranquility. How about you?
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J.O.L.L.Y …. I bet you can even hear the old familiar catchy tune ringing in your head …. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, . …. fa la la la la, la la la la. The well-known lyrics in the first verse of Deck the Halls, the famous Christmas carol – a jolly, frolicking song of good cheer!

With that said, are you JOLLY right now or are you feeling too jaded to embrace the “jolly” frame of mind? Are you numb, stressed and totally confused? Are you overwhelmed with too much on your schedule {and on your plate – ugh that means weight gain – oh no – NO comfort eating please} or are you flat out paralyzed and don’t know what to do next? Continue reading →

Today marks the 100th day anniversary of my mother’s death. She is greatly missed. I think of her many times during the day … every day … and I intentionally envision her healthy and happy, frolicking in her new heavenly home. It helps to heal the hole in my heart knowing that she’s at peace in a beautiful place surrounded by love and light.

Many of you have kindly asked how my Dad is doing now that he’s alone after almost 72 years of marriage to his life-long love. As he’s expressed a few times recently, “Mum was the anchor in my life”. She was his and he was hers. Even though Mum suffered from dementia in the final stages of life, she was physically THERE with him. In his presence. Her well-being became his sole purpose in life … to care for her and see her safely up to heaven. Continue reading →

I’m in a rambling kind of mood today, so if you think I’m flitting here and there, you’re probably right! A string of fleeting thoughts flashed through my mind in a haphazard, happy kind of way this morning. Thoughts that fluttered around in my head like butterflies darting from flower to flower. Hey friends, thoughts can be anything you want, right? We are the creator of our own thoughts.

I’m up before the crack of dawn today … just me, God and my random thoughts! Annoying to be up so early really, because after all it IS the weekend and don’t most people get to sleep longer? Isn’t that the “done” thing, the expected Saturday sleep-in treat, especially for the {dare I say it} “oldies”? You know, those whose identity used to be referred to as moms and dads, but who through no fault of their own, are now permanently branded as grandparents, simply because their children chose to have offspring of their own. Funny when you think of it that way isn’t it?  Mind you, I’m not complaining. I love being a grandparent … the older part that goes with it?  Not so much .

BTW, if you’re scratching your head and you’re not getting the tongue-in-cheek-comment in the last paragraph, don’t worry yourself unduly. It doesn’t mean you’re crazy or confused {although that’s no proof you’re not}, it just means you haven’t achieved grandparent status yet! Continue reading →

An unusual experience this morning left me speechless {you’re smiling I can tell!}. For someone who loves to write, being at a loss for words is humorous isn’t it? Yes, I’m chuckling at myself as well! Yet I’m compelled to write about this mysterious occurrence, if for no other reason than to transpose it from mind to paper. I’ll endeavor to convey what happened and you can draw your own conclusions!

Perhaps more amusing than my being “speechless” is my internal struggle for a logical explanation … one that makes sense. Those who follow my blog know that I am indeed a very spiritual person, “tuned in” to God, and a believer in the existence of many mysteries in the universe that aren’t easily explained, so that’s nothing new. I’ve actually had several inexplicable experiences in my life time but that’s for a different blog. So I’m very attuned to my spiritual nature. However, there’s another side to me. Continue reading →

They lay there on my bedroom chair, unceremoniously wrapped up in plastic bags of various dimensions and origins, carefully packed and then unpacked from my suitcase and lovingly {albeit randomly} placed there on my return from England in early August. There they remained – in a pile – even after several weeks!

A cursory glance would reveal a heap that resembled a cluttered mess of meaningless “stuff”, but on deeper examination, one might catch a glimpse of an old jewelry box, a photograph, a lace handkerchief, a book of poetry, or a seemingly insignificant piece of tattered paper peeking out from behind its humble, crumpled container, along with a copy of Mum’s remembrance ceremony, revealing her smiling face. Continue reading →

So, how was your flight across the Atlantic today?  Er…….fine! Not too bad!  What? Come on Anthea, just tell it like it is.

Okaaaay! So let’s just leave it like this ….. it could have been worse.

That woman across the aisle from me? The one who reached rudely in front of me to bag a spot in the overhead above MY seat? Yes, that one!!  It could have been a whole lot worse had she not taken time to wash her underarms before leaving home. That furry pit jammed up my nose could have given reason for an elbow {mine} to involuntarily connect with her solar plexus.

Yes, things could have been worse.

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Okay it’s been five years since I expressed dislike in an earlier post for what I consider the Spandex invasion. Nothing has changed my opinion. I. DO. NOT. LIKE. SPANDEX in my cotton clothes! My recent foray for a skort {skirt with built-in shorts} slammed it home this week as I searched for 100% cotton skorts that don’t seem to be prevalent. What’s most annoying is not the 100% all-stretchy spandex that you’d expect in swimsuits and workout clothes, it’s the presence of Spandex in clothes that I prefer to be 100% cotton! Like my pants, like my shorts, like my skirts.

When will I learn that it’s not going away? They’re still putting that stretchy filler stuff in with the cotton to give it a stretch! {W.H.Y?} Seems I keep forgetting how annoying it is. Is it just me or do any of you other women out there dislike the Spandex/cotton blend that seems to be everywhere nowadays? The kind that bags out clothes in all the wrong places. Who the heck wants that baggy butt look anyway?

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Just have to share this story!  It’s too good not to!

So our grandson Brandon stopped by for a short visit en route home to California for the summer holidays. Oh my, what a fun four days we all had! We talked and talked and lived completely in the moment…..so busy enjoying our activities and quality time together that we neglected to share our joy  with the rest of the world … just now got pictures up on social media 🙂

Back to the story.  We ended our day out yesterday at the Cheesecake Factory to nourish our hungry bodies with some healthy food.  We were getting very “h’angy” … hungry!!  Sorry! It’s an inside joke really – the Tripps don’t fare well on empty stomachs – you might say we get a little gnarly if we go too long without food.  Yes … we chose wisely – grilled salmon, mashed potatoes and broccoli! NO! We did NOT eat dessert. Continue reading →

I awaken with a jolt, my eyes adjusting to the darkness, trying to focus on the shapes and shadows in an unfamiliar room, one that doesn’t smell like home. Reality hits hard as consciousness kicks in.  I feel my heart sink as I recall what’s about to happen. My hand wanders slowly, quietly across the bed sheet, looking for a sign of warmth from my husband’s body heat, not wanting to disturb him, searching for his hand, reassurance that he’s still here, tangible proof that he hasn’t left yet. I feel his warm, familiar touch as his strong hand grasps mine in response to my reach. He’s still here…I’ll steal every second I can get, do anything I can to keep him here a little longer. I had sensed he wasn’t sleeping, he’d been as restless as I. I catch a glimpse of the clock/radio in the motel room. It’s one o’clock in the morning. I’m thankful and sad. Thankful we have 3 more hours together, sad that at 4:00 am the alarm will signal it’s time … time to … stop Anthea, don’t think about it. Continue reading →