THE DUST WILL WAIT

Today I sat in an office waiting room and felt bereft because I left my phone at home on the charger. Every so often this happens, leaving me feeling vulnerable and sort of technically naked.  It was not boring as I watched people come and go. I got there a bit early  - just an offer to pick up someone else who had an appointment. I twiddled my thumbs,  is that even allowed anymore? A middle aged woman and an early teen age girl sat the closest to me, both nose deep in their electronics. Suddenly there was a loud wail from one of the offices hidden from view.  The sound caused the other woman and I to `eye meet` with a similar opened mouth surprised look. We began to talk about voices carrying, about kids with no inside voice control, and then she told me how her mother learned to "holler" clear across the military base to call her and her siblings home.  She pointed to the girl and said that her youngest could have put that crier we heard to shame wit...

On May 1, 2018 a 37-year old man dropped his two children off at school; the daughter in 8th grade and the son in kindergarten.  He drove towards home and waved at his 36 year old wife as she headed out for her job.   He made several more stops. He purchased some food items and some other specific things from the local super center. From there he drove to a park several miles away on the edge of wilderness area and proceeded to walk down to the river and perhaps back to his car.  Picking up his cell phone he sent several suicide texts to his wife.  She didn't see them until she got out of a hearing she was transcribing as the court reporter.  By that time, he had most likely followed the railroad tracks and turned south towards the  foothills of the Cascades where the trees began to shelter and hide other flora and fauna that thrive in the mountain greenery. That was the beginning of the 76 daze that our family struggled through in agony.  We ...

We got elGee twelve years ago...... just temporarily.  She has been a timid cat that loves the two of us, but still runs and hides under the bed when visitors arrive. Her age hasn't been officially calculated, but everyone thinks she is fourteen.  Age can cause problems and she is currently fed carefully because of some kidney issues.   Another problem that may be part of her aging process is that she has become sort of chatty.  Lately when she attempts to meow to get our attention there seems be a crack in her voice or a lowering resonance that causes her to quite literally say, "hello!"   This happens every day.  Then last week she began to say "I love you."  We've gotten a lot of giggles and of course reply, "hello, I love you, too!" Today she said "Grandpa." She stopped right at the office door, sat down and looked at my husband and clear as a bell she said it. "Did you hear what I heard?...