I’ve become very dependent on my Zojirushi travel mug to deliver hot tea throughout the day. Unlike Stephen, who prefers his beverages lukewarm, I like mine piping hot. And while most of the mugs I’ve tried are not up to the task, Zojirushi does the …

I was recently asked by Mindful Magazine to create a series of gratitude prompts. I was pleased with the assignment, although gratitude lists are not a strategy I find all that useful. If and when I’m feeling really down, listing what I can be grateful …

I went to my first musical concerts in high school with my boyfriend, who was passionate about music and a talented singer. We began attending performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Eugene Ormandy, in Orchestra Hall in downtown Philadelphia. The affordable tickets were in …

I never know when small is going to give me a boost. Or more than a boost. At times, practicing small can lead to euphoria. For many years, my mother and I had a very unhappy relationship, and I carried a great deal of resentment—let …

My driver’s license has been a large concern for the past few months. I was due to retake the written test over a year ago, which fell in the middle of Covid. The DMV extended all licenses for six months, and I obtained an official …

One of Stephen’s and my favorite walks near Mendocino takes us from near Highway 1 to the cliffs above the ocean. We love meandering along the paths, taking in the sweeping views and looking closely at whatever is growing along the way. As we wander, …

Several months ago, while I was away for the weekend, Stephen surprised me with a Little Free Library mounted in front of our house. I was thrilled. I’m a writer and reader, and it had seemed to me for a while, that a Little Free …

One morning last week, I found a tiny, turquoise square post-it note fluttering in the breeze on my driver’s side car window: “Be careful. I saw a baby bird under your car.” Oh my, I thought, staring down at the post-it, I hope the bird …

The news from the CDC has been very positive lately, and we’ve begun to experience the benefits. Though we haven’t yet dined indoors in a restaurant, I’ve had several social lunches outside and Stephen and I have twice had outdoor dinner dates with friends. And …

I’d been struggling with a sick computer for several weeks. It started with a techno-nervous-breakdown, random files suddenly flashing across the screen. I knew enough to unplug everything and immediately take my Mac to the Mac doctor, where it remained for four days. When I …