1. Morning walks. I’m getting used to Eric going with us so I’m not going to like it when he has to go back to work. I’m amazed how few mosquitoes we have this year but glad because that means we can still go near the water, the ponds and the river. 

2. Mom. She yelled at one of her sisters this week (“don’t tell me what to do!”) and it was a surprise because her sister said she’s never heard Mom yell at anyone in her whole life. She’s really into her snacks and I like that for her because for most of her life she was so careful with what she ate, so hard on herself when she did allow herself a treat. At this stage in her life, I think she’s earned the right to all the chips, candy, cake, and cookies she wants. We are still, with my brother’s help, sending each other selfies, and she still remembers who we are. And, it’s still so hard.

3. Our garden. It’s been a few years since we’ve done much of anything new with it and we haven’t planted vegetables in a few years either — because “life” — and from year to year in any garden some things thrive and others fail no matter what you do, and this year there was an unfortunate situation where Eric was trying to get rid of a particular invasive plant in our front berm and accidentally got rid of some things we’d planted on purpose — and yet, there is so much life there still. (videos and images by Eric)

4. Practice. Making art, writing in the morning with a mug of tea and my HappyLight, doing yoga at Red Sage, meditating in my practice room, and writing with my Friday morning group.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. Loving it here with them, as always. Eric made a strawberry pie yesterday and peaches are here, so he’s already planning a peach tart. We are going to our book club today and it’s been nice to read the same book once in a while. It’s been almost a full year that Ringo hasn’t had a wonky belly, has been healthy in that regard, and his arthritis seems to be holding steady — I’m so happy to have an older dog, especially an older him.

Bonus joy: books from the library on my Kindle, ice cream, magazines and scissors and glue stick, peaches, grocery shopping, a big glass of cold clean water, listening to Dateline on the radio while I cook, clean laundry, the yellow mums Eric got me still going, being able to start over as many times as necessary, being a bit nicer to myself, good TV (finally watched Four Seasons on Netflix and it was sweet, a wonderfully easy watch), listening to podcasts, making myself playlists with new music, sharing memes and reels with Shellie and Kari and Carrie, texting with Chloe’ and Chris, how my Facebook feed has been flooded all week with all things Andrea Gibson, Pilates, a physical therapy referral, therapy, naps, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.

1. Morning walks. Eric’s foot is better so he came with us this week on all our walks. It’s strange because most of the places near the water we typically have to avoid this time of year have remained accessible, only a few mosquitoes and plenty of dragonflies doing their work eating them.  

2. Books, reading and writing them. I am still amazed how almost every book I read is a good one, hardly any stinkers. I can only think of one or two in the last year that were disappointing. And every time I sit down to work on writing one of my own, I’m amazed how much I’ve already written, how the process now is like piecing together a quilt. It’s also strange how now that I’m actively working on that, it matters less to me if I ever finish, because if I don’t it will only be because I ran out of time, not that I didn’t try.

3. Practice. I adore practicing with the women and sometimes dogs of Red Sage. I’m grateful that I’ve found practices that work for me and so lucky to have such good people to share them with.

4. Mom. We still send selfies to each other. As she gets more confused, I’m so grateful she hasn’t forgotten me and am eternally grateful for the good care and company she has where she’s at.

5. My tiny family, small house, little life. I love it here, with them.

Bonus joy: being able to start over or change my mind or cancel plans, naps, libraries and librarians, poets and poetry, my primary care doctor’s nurse practitioner, being able to opt out when they want to weigh me — and knowing that change in that office was at least partly because of me and a nutritionist who advocated for me and in so doing shifted the perspective of that practice, texting with Chris, the yellow mums Eric got for me, the whole house fan and a/c, other people’s dogs and kids and gardens, watching TV, listening to podcasts, new to me music, cooler temperatures, sharing reels and memes with Shellie and Kari and Carrie, ice cream, fresh corn, the value of doing absolutely nothing, opting out, fresh eggs, the ways Eric and I help each other, not being alone in “this,” photo magnets, afternoon storms, cooler temperatures, online shopping, grocery shopping, HRT, heating pads, vaccines, prescriptions, gummies, green tea, a handmade mug, stickers, birds in my feeder, butterflies and hummingbirds in my garden, reading in bed at night while Eric and Ringo sleep.