cultivating the beautiful ordinary by sharing our tales and our tables
The funeral home came to remove Mom’s body a few hours after death. As they wheeled her out, maneuvering through the dining room, I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Goodbye, Mom,” I whispered. I also thought, “If you sit up right now and say, ‘Just kidding!’ I will yell and say, ‘Just leave already!’” …
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Cold January rain pelted the windshield of my red Ford Expedition as I drove toward Barnes and Noble. I parked and swiftly exited the car, retrieving the stroller. I deftly popped it open with one hand, a finely honed skill. Unfastening Elly from her seat behind me, I securely strapped her into the stroller, tucking…
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“Did you see Tos’s FB post? So sad.” I looked down at my phone on the kitchen counter, my hands covered in marinating sauce for tonight’s dinner. We were hosting friends from out of town and in deep conversation, catching up while cooking together. I wouldn’t look at the Facebook post until well after midnight when I crawled into bed. My…
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Hope makes itself every day Springs up from the tiniest places No one gives it to us We just notice it Quiet in the small moment– Naomi Shihab Nye Most winters my husband and I travel south to capture some sunshine and warmth. We go to rejuvenate, to restore faith that the darkness of our…
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We set off in June from the only home our children knew. We left an international concrete jungle and arrived at a Pacific Northwest house we rented off Craigslist, sight unseen, but for the large pine trees and lime-green grass in the photos. Without knowing a soul, we enjoyed the space of a new city,…
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I keep a small cylinder of colorful confetti within a hand’s reach of my desk for the moments that declare celebration. I borrowed this idea from one of my favorite authors who keeps a confetti popper in her purse for similar occasions. When I am on a Zoom call and I hear of a moment…
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“I left something for you in the fridge.” My daughter’s text was no surprise and made me smile as I scrolled. For the past several years, I’ve known what I’ll find when I open our carport refrigerator where snacks await our active grandchildren. This tradition comes with a story that left both of us forever…
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I take a tight sip of my Eagle Rare before setting it back on the bar to turn and face my mother. With her hand gently grasping her own pour, we share a knowing glance. I am allowing myself to feel the full range of emotions that marriage can carry, and I am breathing in the…
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On Saturday morning in middle-winter, I stand in my bathroom, highlighting the hair of one of my dear friends. I have a special, recyclable Lululemon bag filled with balayage lightener, clips, a cape, and tin foil. I always put it away in a place that is obvious but I can never find.
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“I see you!” Her four-year-old sing-song voice announces she has won yet another round of hide-and-seek. She pounces on me, and both of us roll to the floor in a heap of giggles. “I see your tears. The worst you have imagined is happening,” I observe gently. The young woman’s eyes meet mine. Tears spill…
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