1. God

2. Hannah’s success in school

3. And her having fun with friends at the concert

4. A great outing with David

5. We went to the Higgins Armory. Extraordinary.  A museum of ancient and medieval arms and weaponry.  It’s an art deco style building that looks like a department store from the outside and the exhibit hall is built like a castle from the middle ages.  David got to try on some armor.

6. Astounded at the beautiful artwork and detailing, there was one sword and scabbard set from Turkey that was ornately carved

7. The place will close at the end of the year and the local museum will absorb the collection.  A loss.  I can’t imagine what the upkeep for the building would be, never mind the exhibits.  Wishing I could buy it and keep it running the way it is.

8. Things don’t last, not everything, and this did for almost a century – imagine

9. Meanwhile I sent Cassie and my mother to hear Judy Collins.  That would have been fun too.  I always like to hear her version of “Bird on a Wire,” among other songs.

10. Mike W. who has counseled me for many years gets to retire and move to Cape Cod.  He generously pointed out my progress.  Grateful to him for his support for my family and me.

1. God

2. Rain

3. Just cleaning up

4. Rumi -nations

5. Muffin is an affectionate cat

6. Healing

7. Giving flowers to Cheryl

8. Chimes

9. Cooking together

10. Something to look for

1. God

2. Poets and writers

3. The man who noticed the copper downspouts had been removed from the library building and told the police.

4. The right tool for the right job

5. The stadium table under the grape arbor is a nice place to sit. Tibbs thinks so too, so he claimed it

6. The mellow candle of many flavors

7. Ed Blackwell, a drummer from New Orleans, made everything sound better

8. Bouquets mixed with flowers and herbs

9. Deeply moved by this story about telling stories – and self-acceptance

1. God

2. Nicholas, a fine Russian blue, companion to my mother and father

3. Cassie and I found him at the pet store, a kitten, and brought him for my father’s birthday

4. in a shopping bag

5. My parents took good care of him and he them

6. He was quite rambunctious. Yesterday my father was talking about how Nicholas leapt to the top of the fireplace, quite high up in their house, rather astounding

7. He was insistent and would bite when he was excited, and easily excitable

8. Shocked by his sudden passing and grateful for my parents for giving him a good life

9. Cassie “why do we have cats,” when we have five, and then she longs for the new ones on the Black Cat Rescue Facebook page

“My young friend,” I said, “if you want to be a psychological novelist and write about human beings, the best thing you can do is to keep a pair of cats.” And with that I left him. I hope, for his own sake, that he took my advice. For it was good advice — the fruit of much experience and many meditations. – Aldous Huxley

1. God

2. Betsy telling me not to just “suck it up”

3. Rediscovering old records

4. Fun with iPads

5., Problems that seemingly won’t budge – which haven’t met decisions

6. Moderate temperatures, in fact any temperatures at all

7. Rotation on an axis

8. Hands bejewelled

9. Eric’s diligence

10. Someone else’s idea    that works

1. God

2. Texts from friends

3. The guys sitting next to me, one’s shirt read “Caribbean Islands” and the other “N.E.W. Developments” . who knows

4. Doing what I said I would (or at least completing some things)

5. Doing it now

6. Not doing anything

7. Exactly

8. The colors echo on such a sunny day

9. Pleased to meet you

10. and me

1. God

2. Cassie filled vases with zinnias, sunflowers and herbs

3. Exchanging compliments with Tina

4. Teaching a class of patient and attentive students

5. Seeing progress in others

6. No explanation necessary

7. Marilyn’s coaching

8. Long and short

9. Surprise Rose of Sharon in our yard

10. That some statements are neutral, realizing what I read into them that might not be so

1. God

2. Cassie telling me of feeling bliss shucking corn and preparing it to freeze, a feeling of appreciation and contentment

3. Yes

4. I appreciate Ruth, connecting and staying connected

5. How fabulous! Reminds me of the wonder board Helen shared.

6. I think of something I’m grateful for and then forget during the day, kind of like what happens in this poem. I mean, there’s no lack of gratitude and something to be grateful for.

7. If I have to learn something over again, so what. I’m used to it.

8. The flower stalk fell over so it’s an opportunity to fill a vase.

9. So darkness turns to dawn

10. Here and nowhere

11. An educational prophet

1. God

2. John C. talking about his father and how important for him it is to be connected to other people

3. We talked about visiting someone, meaning to get aware of another’s situation, to help them, and he told a story about how he was once neighbor to an elderly southern lady that he would check on, and she would serve him tea, and once he told her he could stay for a half hour, and she told him, “Well, John, maybe we should reschedule because that’s not enough time for a proper visit.”

4. And sometimes we might entertain angels unawares, right?

5. Some days Oliver comes over to talk about houses and the neighborhood and what’s going on.  Last time it was a pleasure to send him home to Clotilda, his wife, with a vase of fresh cut flowers.

6. Sometimes Bill will stop by on the way from the market or call on his phone as his bus passes by our house.

7. Rammel just walks in and he’s learning.

8. The cats come in and out of the window and announce their arrival

9. Sylvia, my aunt, in anticipation of her 80th birthday, three years to come, wrote her nieces and nephews asking to visit each of us as a birthday present, to spend time alone with each of us and get to know us, a lovely letter and request.

1. God

2. Sunflower cuttings bloomed inside

3. Helpful books

4. “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness”

5. The room of requirement

6. Thankful that I have two eyes

7. All is one

8. And some of our sunflower seeds must have carried in to our neighbors

9. Delighted by Crystal’s cartoon, Cassie wrote to Emily, who works at Starbucks in Chicago, and asked her “You’d do that, right, Em?” and Emily answered: “Actually yes.  There are a few people who come in to get coffee, but worry about their dogs sitting alone on the patio.  So after they place their order I tell them to go outside to sit with their puppies, and then bring their beverages, pastries, and sometimes depending how busy we are a puppy water (iced water in an oatmeal cup) out to them.”

10. “Grace cannot be chased
or swallowed”