A Blog for 2025

October 31, 2026 Today's photos are a study of EJ and his friends. I went up to Northfield for taco salad with grilled chicken made by the master chef himself.  I got to see Pasc who was visiting and spend time with the pet gang. When I got out of the car Gilgamesh met me and walked with me to the yard.  He's noted for attacking, but he hasn't attacked me.  I find him quite beautiful and psychologically fascinating.   Momiji is hanging out the window staring at  Gilgamesh, who is not scared of her, but when Roxy joins them, the rooster shuts up.   When EJ was 18 months we'd play a game of his making different faces at me with the camera.  Tonight I tried to get him to do it with me, but he was  not amused.  Pasc was, though.   Dinner tasted great, the animals got attention. and I got some sweet time. I wish I were a little better at expressing myself these days, but I do try.  

October 30, 2026 Halloween on Main St. Every year since Ivy was an infant, many years ago, I have taken a photo of Beth's family. It grows and shrinks and grows.  I love them all.  They were my lead photo in  2025, too.  Ahhh, tradition!   Again, this year there were many home made costumes.  This may have been the most impressive.  I tried to stop the ones that really stuck out.  Her Mom told us all about how she made it.  Very fun. And again, there were a lot of Dad's out and in costumes.  Many groups of kids walked up to us with a couple of parents dressed, too, standing behind, having fun.  It really felt like a family outing. Mason and Dylan made Derryl and all three of them came to greet the kids.  I found it fascinating to watch kids interact with Derryl.  Some were more interested in him than the candy.  Derryl is going to live at LAVA because he's to big to live at either of the guys home.  He'll live in...

  October 29, 2026 Would you have ever predicted that he'd be dapper eventually? Happy Birthday, Mary.  Hope you are well.  HUG Had lunch with Herb today.  It's almost been 3 months and it's because of his health, not mine.  I just don't like the fact that we are all aching and worried about surgeries and  trying not to forget the 5 doc appointments we have scheduled.  It's really a drag.    After my nap and went and found EJ and he went shopping for both me and them.  I sat in the Stop and Shop parking lot and talked to Annie on the phone.  Something freeing about doing that.  Don't ask me why. I got home and my garage was wide open.  Have no idea why.  Once again though, I'm reminded that there are too many things that need to be done that I am unable to do.  10/28/22

10/28/24 October 28, 2026 I've spent a good deal of today trying to articulate the difference between how I felt 2 and half months ago and the 5 months prior to that and how I feel today.   The pain I am left with is muscular, arthritic and nerve pain.  A couple of weeks before I went into the hospital I told Kevin that I thought I might be dying but I had no real reason to believe that was true.  The fact is, it was, but no one knew that my kidneys were failing and that my body  chemistry was so far off.  The pain, the feelings that created in my body are not definable. I knew something was really wrong.  I could not hold my torso up for very long and there was a shooting pain straight down my right leg from my hip.  That has been gone since the surgery.  My right kidney is atrophied.  Whatever that pain was, it is no longer. However, all of the arthritis is still there. Today I worked hard in the pool stretching my spine and my legs....

October 27, 2026 Drove home from Amherst today just as the sunset began to think about what it was doing. Crossing Stillwater Bridge was brilliant, and the only photos I took today. As I drive around the county I let my memory take me on a trip wherever I go.  I head back in time to all the people and the connections I've made in my life. Stillwater has all sorts of connections.  One is the Blaines.  I met Beattie Blaine when she taught 4th grade at Gill when I worked for Dalton there.  I made strong friendships during those days.  Her house is basically across the street from the bridge.   She and her husband, Judd, are both gone now, but they were a steady strong buoy in my life  for 40 years and I think of them every time I pass the driveway.  Today I met Nash at Barnes and Noble.  One really does forget that there is a place like that nearby.  I kind of love  it even  though I hate it.  I'm very comfortable  ...

October 26, 2026 ok, I promise I will not subject you to anymore  moon photos until I get a new tripod and an appropriate lens.  Tonight  you only get  photos.  I  spent a little time taking photos this evening.  I hope people enjoy them.  I wrote, too and I think that this is proof that UFOs exist.   Only other thing I wish to ask is, what fueled the starship Enterprise?  What allowed it to go for years without refueling?    

October 25, 2026 Happy Birthday, Colleen! Another brilliantly beautiful day.  We are going to get spoiled and when the bad weather hits we are going to be devastated.  Not sure how many beautiful days in a row there have been.  The cows are just tired of standing so today they were lying in the sun.   I had a nice afternoon.  I hung out with  Edite and watched her cook soup and a pear and an apple crisp.  The house smelled so good and we just got time.  I miss having time with my friends.  I guess I'm feeling strong enough to go search it out.  Then I went to Northfield and picked up EJ to go for a ride.  We drove up to Orange and through Erving.  We used to do this all the time.  It was a great way to help him transition from the classroom to home.  Even as a year old, we would take rides and look at the trees and animals.   Today we went to Wagon Wheel.  Last night I wanted to take myself there for dinner,...

October 24, 2026 Not sure how I can be so deeply sad when I am surrounded by overwhelming beauty. This was a bad food day, not that the food was bad, not that I ate too much, but that I spent too much time wrestling with myself about it and in the long run did not eat what I should have eaten. I did eat some good food and I did not eat the whole chocolate cake or the miniature pumpkin pie, not even bites, but I did eat too many carbs and not enough vegies.  I don't want to eat vegies.  I just want to eat fruit, meat and cookies.  But mostly, I find it so terribly annoying that I am still arguing with myself over the same ground.  Addiction is boring. Am I allowed to spend one year of my life on the ocean again? I really want to.  But what I  want is a place to write by the water and a routine that allows me time for writing and time to take care of myself.  In order to do that I need an income.   I need to make some money, pay off my debt and...