A Seamless Tunic

Growing up with a mom who is a seamstress, you inadvertently absorb some of their processes; well at least I did. I was always amazed at how skeins of fabric, combined with thread, notions, scissors, and sweat equity could produce a finished garment. If my mom was making a dress, she always started with a pattern. The pattern jacket displayed the finished product and the inside contained detailed instructions with pattern pieces. I also remember her spreading the fabric on the table, laying and pinning the pattern pieces on the fabric, and cutting them out. Then the magic happened.

She followed those directions from the pattern, connecting piece A with piece B until she had a dress, a shirt, a skirt or

How to Blow Your Nose

I'm slowly adjusting to the joy of being a grandmother. Seeing the world through a child's eyes while having no direct responsibility for their upbringing. The pleasure of doing little things that bring joy like planting flowers or sitting for long periods coloring. Listening to her talk while she colors and learning her new favorite word - boring. "This TV show is boring." or "This music is boring." Everything is currently boring if it's not what she selected. 

Tap Tap Tap

I have a love-hate relationship with my dentist. I hate hearing the drill when fixing a cavity or the inordinate amount of time I have to keep my mouth open or X-rays. I dislike deep cleaning. I hate getting the first shot of anesthesia to numb my gums. But I do it all because a beautiful smile is worthwhile (to me). Teeth are one of the first things I notice when I meet a person.

Twenty years ago, I suffered a traumatic accident where my front teeth were damaged. My wonderful dentist (at the time) fixed my teeth so my smile looked as original as possible. But the work she did was temporary. Recently I've had to go through a series of procedures to permanently fix my smile.

Our Bodies

The human body is amazing. At my big age, I can still think clearly, walk smoothly, and push myself to try new things. I'm still afraid of dogs and have an aversion to cats but I often tell myself not to be afraid. The day a dog sits on my lap of my own volition will be monumental. I often feel awkward when my coworkers share pet stories or have their cats walking across their keyboard. (I digress).

Each day when I awake, I'm grateful for this machine that is my body. I hope I never take it for granted and that I nourish it as often as it needs it.

At this age, doctors become our friends; they fill our calendars. Being ever vigilant in taking care of our bodies every new ache may make us run to the doctor. While I'm grateful for doctors and their knowledge I do my best to rule out some things before I immediately call a doctor.

Recently I had a health scare - my blood pressure was ridiculously high combined with a heart