My husband and I have been sending our dog Mindy to our pet sitter’s house one weekend a month in order to get her used to the idea that we may wish to take a vacation without her sometime. After about four months of this, it suddenly dawned on us…
When the visiting rabbi said, “Focus on the bagel and not the hole,” we all chuckled. Quietly, of course, we were grownups in church. We knew exactly what he meant. Savor what is at hand. Enjoy what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t have. I think of…
Today I offer you a couple of little stories from the Ethel archives. I enjoy writing down almost every thing that pops into my head. This is a useful trait as sometimes I can incorporate these delightful anecdotes into a longer piece for the blog. Then there are these thoughts…
At 5 in the afternoon on Thursday, I was silently resting in Savasana (aka Corpse Pose), serenely allowing the tension in my muscles to drift downward into the floor below me, when I suddenly bolted upright. I’d missed my library book club meeting! After 30 years of practicing yoga, I…
Is there any company left in America that doesn’t sell life insurance? I opened an envelope from my bank today which did not look like the monthly statement. A twinge of concern crossed my consciousness, causing me to hurriedly tear at the seal. I shook out the letter with my…
Are you like me in that you have a lot of things that need to be done? Are you unlike me in that you do them? I’m here to help. I keep a list of tasks that need to be completed in the back of my head. I have earnestly…
Having an alcoholic beverage while looking out over a scenic view makes life complete. Or, at least for that moment, I feel like I am on top of the world. There’s something magical about drinking at altitude. Maybe it’s that feeling of having arrived. Whenever my companions and I are…
There is something stimulating about taking on a quest. It gives you a sense of purpose. Teaming up with a pal to plan and complete the goal lends an air of comradery and builds an energy level which sustains the pair through all the joyful and miserable moments of the…
Sometimes I get bored and need a project to occupy my imagination and stimulate my sense of accomplishment. Ever since my friend Linda divulged her plan to walk the El Camino trail in northern Spain, I have been itching to try a similar yet more diminutive pilgrimage closer to home….
Ethel is three years old this week. I find it difficult to believe anything I’ve written has been read by other people and has found traction for this length of time. Over the hours spanning the COVID pandemic, I have been using this platform to relate how absurd and annoying…