One Word at a Time

Having checked the map before leaving, I knew it was about fifteen minutes from work to the hospital. As I sat in slow-moving traffic, I thought about my drive yesterday and felt pretty confident that I knew where I was going today. No Maps,  I thought, no GPS. Just going to follow my instincts and see what I remember from yesterday. I remembered the exit off the highway just fine. Knew which turn to take off the exit. That's when doubt started to creep in. It started off looking familiar, but then I stopped at a light and took in my surroundings. Was I here yesterday? I think I remember that Subway, but I can't remember if I went straight or not! Don't look at your phone though; trust your gut. I took out my phone and ensure I was indeed on the right path. I was. I traveled down another 1.6 miles towards the hospital's parking garage. Yesterday, I had noticed that my GPS had seemingly taken me in a complete circle in order to enter the parking garage. I told ...

Our days are often made up of many different slices. Recently, I read Michelle's post titled " Today, I ", where she wrote about small slices from across her day, each of which could turn into a larger slice. I was inspired to write a post like that, but wasn't sure when the day would come. Well, today's the day! Fourteen Slices from my Day Actually woke up to my alarm without hitting snooze, which I haven't done allllll week long - this felt very refreshing, and I hope it's the start of a routine. Walked into the kitchen this morning to find a portion of the floor covered in small black ants - EW! EEK! I texted my husband to let him know. Heard the noise signaling a text on my phone, and hoped my mom would wait a few minutes - but she was saying she was running late and I had a few more minutes to get ready Tried to stop at the bank, but we stopped at not one, not two, but THREE bank locations that Google Maps told us were open but were, indeed, c...

This morning, I had breakfast with a friend who has been slowly cleaning out her father's home. Her father recently had to put his partner in an assisted living home, and so he will no longer be living on his own. She has gathered much of his "stuff" in her home, but other family members have also come to look at the "stuff" to see what they may want. Some have even gone so far as to write their names on pieces of tape and attach them to "stuff." Her brother suggested that she just pack everything up and bring it to her house to deal with it there. She reminded him that when it was her time, all of that "stuff" would then be his to deal with! Tonight, my cousin came to have dinner with my family. His mother passed away a year and a half ago and his step father a few months ago, so he has come up to go through their home and clear out their "stuff". He has set aside baking things and canning jars, knowing that that "stuff...

Grampie on his motorcycle, which he still wishes he could ride today. Over the last month, my grandfather dropped many hints that he didn't want us to do anything special for his 90th birthday. He wanted this to be a "low note" birthday. We didn't listen. Grampie and his favorite car. On Saturday afternoon, we gathered together eighty or so family members, friends, and former customers (he owned an oil company in town for years, which my uncle now owns) together to wish him well. My grandparents with my mom and uncle - I can't tell you how much I love this peek into my grandparents as young parents. In addition to the food, drink, and dessert, we had sprinkled the room with some special items.  On the tables were photos from fun moments in his life, chalkboards painted with "1927" prices, news events, births, and technology, and tags naming his favorite things in the world, like trout fishing, Listerine, and York peppermint patties....

Tomorrow, we will celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. As I've been making these chalk signs tonight, I've been reflecting a lot on all my grandfather has seen in his 90 years. 90 years ago, Charles Lindbergh made the first trans-Atlantic flight from NY to Paris.  Tonight, my brother will fly a red-eye from Seattle. 90 years ago, the first electric television was invented. Today, we are watching live sporting events on multiple televisions in the same house. 90 years ago, a new car cost around $300. This year, I spent over $1000 just to fix my very old low-end car. 90 years ago, he was the first to be born in his family, with six brothers and sisters following him. Today, he is one of only three with us - and they are the two youngest. 90 years ago, the man who would marry, have three children, who would produce seven grandchildren, who would marry and produce three great-grandchildren so far. I can't wait to see him tomorrow.