Yesterday, when I was waiting at the bus stop, it occurred to me I’d been here before. Not at the bus stop per se, but in the sub-freezing temperatures and snow in Walla Walla. The déjà vu winter moment sent me right back to the winter of 1978-79.   Of course,...

Over the years, the Bruce and Susan Matley household acquired many artifacts. Most of these came from family members, through death or downsizing. But one item remains unexplained to my satisfaction. It’s cute, it’s cuddly, it’s floppy. It’s the Matley Boys’ Bunny....

  It’s a big adjustment, being the only human in the household. Not only do I have 5 four-legged kids to attend to, but everything else, too. Like repairs, when things stop working the way they should. If it’s plumbing, I call a plumber. For other repairs, I’ve...

No matter how brave I am, how calm I am, how resolved I am to make the best of a difficult situation, things along my widow’s journey can jump out of the woodwork and bite me, hard- -things I can’t do yet.   The day I’m writing this blog, January 17, 2019, is one...

A human life carries with it a collection of artifacts- -tokens, mementos and, when time runs out, ashes.   By token, I choose the meaning of a symbol or emblem. Early in our relationship Bruce wistfully requested a token from me. Nothing fancy, he said, maybe...

It’s been an incredible journey, from wife to wife-caretaker to widow, all in such a short number of days. Many duties that arise at the end of life and after the death of a dearly loved one are difficult. Fire-hosed with information and responsibilities during home...