Hello and Welcome to my Blog

Because life’s greatest pleasures are made up of tiny things: small crochet stitches that culminate in a beautiful shawl. Each step of a mile walk or jog. The notes in music. The letters in words and the words in books. A smile from the one you love. Words and thoughts exchanged with friends. The lines and colors in a work of art. Hours, days, years in a rich and fulfilling life.

And, of course,the leaves in that first morning cup of tea.

This is to celebrate the things that life is made of.

And also to cheer and celebrate the continual process of learning, growing, and becoming, especially for those of us in our sixties and beyond who still believe the best is yet to come and that “God isn’t through with us yet,” that life can still be exciting and rich. This blog is for all the “would-be’s” and all the things we still would and could be.

This past year I learned to crochet and surprised myself by how much I like it. I think I’ve come pretty far, and I know I have so much more to learn; I expect to be learning it for the rest of my life. So lesson no. 1 from 2011: I really am a crafty person, which I never thought I was.

This year I also learned when and how to let go, when my ninety-nine-year-old mother finally needed to leave the house we shared with her and go into an assisted living facility. I learned that I could no longer be responsible for trying to keep her life normal and happy, that dementia will have its way, and, on the positive side, that she could be better cared for and even happier where people who are experts in the disease and who are empathetic and caring without having the personal burdens can take care of all her needs.

In this coming year I plan to return to my love of medieval history. I have a collection of so-far unread books to get to. I collect medieval English coins and replicas of illuminated manuscripts. I have been a member of the Richard the Third society, and my favorite kings are he and Henry II (my favorite movie is also “Becket”), my favorite ruling family the Plantangenets. So I’ve decided it’s time to get more deeply into it and supplement the books I’ve already read. That’s my first resolution.

I would love to hear from other "constant learners," crocheters, anyone dealing with dementia, or any other topics! I'm looking forward to a fruitful and fulfilling year.