Some days it’s hard to avoid thinking about death. Not my death, but death in general. Yesterday was one of those days. February 13, 2020 would have been Bruce’s and my fourteenth wedding anniversary.   Last year I was still stunned by his death when the day...

Two days ago Lily (my inner fourteen-year-old) and I reported to Walla Walla Clinic Dermatology for Mohs Micrographic Surgery. Mohs is a treatment for removing skin cancer. I’m happy to report that the basal cell cancer (the non-life threatening variety) was removed...

  Hi, this is Lily! Susan sends her regards. She asked me, her inner fourteen-year-old, to write this week’s blog because her first exam in Spanish 121 is- -this Friday!- -and she wanted to reserve her brain cells. A lot was happening for us last week, so mostly...

I’m an optimist by nature but unpleasant things do get me down sometimes. This week, I was hit with a string of them. My optimism faded. I became needy and broody and pensive. I started overthinking things, and pining for someone else to show up and get my life back...

Spanish 121 is keeping me on my toes. After 13 years of being completely self-employed, it’s novel to have to show up at a certain place, at a certain time, four days a week. Novel in the best sense of the word. Lily (my inner fourteen-year-old) and I get up at the...

This week, we’ve met a lot of new people who are much closer to Lily’s age than to mine. My classmates in Spanish 121 range from late teens to, perhaps, late 20s. Perhaps. Mom has assured me I look young for my age but. . .in this setting, thirty is old! Fortunately,...