Dearest Rachel – It’s possible that things across town are starting to settle into a sort of normalcy for Mom these days. I had offered to bring dinner over yesterday, like we’ve done for the past couple of weeks, and while she accepted that offer, as usual, she kept adding things that she was goingContinue reading “Back to Norbal”
Tag Archives: daily life
When You Were There For Him
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another meal; it seems that, in some ways, is the most interesting part of a given day (please note, honey, that I wrote this yesterday afternoon, before the lightning struck). This applies even to days with something happening that hasn’t for the past month and a half; that of KrisContinue reading “When You Were There For Him”
Sizzle and Crash
Dearest Rachel – Well, that came out of absolutely nowhere. At about half-past midnight, there was this slight sizzling sound, followed by a thunderous cracking noise and a bright flash of light in our backyard. I don’t know whether we got hit by a singular bolt of lightning (out of a sky with no rain)Continue reading “Sizzle and Crash”
The Legal Niceties
Dearest Rachel – I fell asleep early last night; it wasn’t even dark yet, so I had to put on my eye mask to do so, but everything I’d intended to do for the day was done. Besides, I’d need to get up early in the morning if I was going to hit the gymContinue reading “The Legal Niceties”
Happy Hour
Dearest Rachel – The farther I get from your presence in terms of time, the less I remember the way things were when you had to leave as opposed to how they are now. I want to say that the hole in the wall Daniel and I went to yesterday was already a Japanese restaurantContinue reading “Happy Hour”
Free Weekend
Dearest Rachel – It’s somewhere between appropriate and ironic that this weekend should get such a designation in the title, given Independence Day and all that. You might point out that, somewhat wryly and pace Stan Freberg, that we didn’t get out of town for the weekend like the Founding Fathers were likely to doContinue reading “Free Weekend”
Rumblings of Concern
Dearest Rachel – The plan was for all of us to assemble at Recreation Park for last night’s festivities; it would seem our town was putting on a drone display in lieu of fireworks this year. And honestly, it’s to be expected; we don’t have a venue big enough (and empty enough) for fireworks, nowContinue reading “Rumblings of Concern”
The Creak of Bones
Dearest Rachel – As a follow-up to my second letter from yesterday, I should point out that, as one might expect, my moment beneath my license weight after working out to the point of dizziness has passed – at least for now. Upon waking up this morning, I was basically back in the same positionContinue reading “The Creak of Bones”
The Other Side of the Scale
Dearest Rachel – Monday morning, which is bad enough even without a job to go to, and I totter over to the bathroom; more specifically, the bathroom scale. Ever since Daniel and I got home from this last cruise, I’ve backslid to the point where I’m nearly pushing two-forty again. Granted, since getting home, I’veContinue reading “The Other Side of the Scale”
Belated Birthday
Dearest Rachel – Like me, Daniel has come to grips with the fact that his actual birthday doesn’t revolve around him, much as we all would wish otherwise about our own. However, as long as he’s been willing to defer it to a more opportune day, I still want to make sure that he getsContinue reading “Belated Birthday”
Self-Imposed Oubliette
Dearest Rachel – So there are these places called anechoic chambers, used for testing equipment that are either extremely loud (thereby needing a room that can dampen the sound they emit) or extremely sensitive (thus requiring that all external noise be extinguished or blocked in order to test them). Every surface in the room isContinue reading “Self-Imposed Oubliette”
We Never Bothered With That
Dearest Rachel – Things are slowly starting to get back to something approximating normal; yesterday saw Daniel and myself over at Mom’s place (okay, that took a moment – I still almost wrote down “the folks’ place”) for Thursday dinner. Granted, in the chaos of the past couple of weeks – yes, it’s only beenContinue reading “We Never Bothered With That”
Nothing to Worry About?
Dearest Rachel – It’s been a couple of years since last I commented on such an event happening as it did yesterday evening; although compared to our own lives, that actually seems more often than it used to be. Then again, what do I know? It’s not as if I was keeping track of lifeContinue reading “Nothing to Worry About?”
I Don’t Have to Get Up
Dearest Rachel – Light seeps into the bedroom; cool, grey and cloudy, but light nonetheless. I can hear the chirp of various birds from the backyard, even as the occasional motorcar roars by outside in front of the house. It’s been an exhausting couple of days, but it seems as if we’re needing to getContinue reading “I Don’t Have to Get Up”
Let’s Get This Party Over With
It is better to go to a ·funeral [L house of mourning] than to a ·party [L drinking house].·We all must die [L It is everyone’s end], and everyone living should ·think about this [L take it to heart]. Ecclesiastes 7:2, Expanded Bible Dearest Rachel – Since I identify with the older version of Solomon – the writer of Ecclesiastes – than the younger oneContinue reading “Let’s Get This Party Over With”
An Odd Birthday
Dearest Rachel – This isn’t my story, exactly; but since my perspective is the only one I have, that’s the only one I can relate to you. It’s not as if he would put the events of yesterday in writing so as to remember, so the duty falls to me, regardless. Besides, there were aContinue reading “An Odd Birthday”
Worse Than Being On Hold
Dearest Rachel – So, in an effort to keep you up-to-date with thing happening in my life, no matter how mundane (especially since the stuff that isn’t mundane is rather depressing at the moment. Like funereal depressing, literally), I have to let you know that there are in fact ordinary things in life worse thanContinue reading “Worse Than Being On Hold”
Stones, Spaces and Circumstances
Dearest Rachel – I’m looking forward to a relatively slow day today, honey. Granted, the boys are going to the movies tonight, and have invited me along because I expressed interest in the film when it came out – maybe my concerns about making stuff ‘uncool’ for them by expressing interest in them are unfoundedContinue reading “Stones, Spaces and Circumstances”
More Normal than I’ve a Right To…
Dearest Rachel – So, the last couple of days, have been… well, I wouldn’t say a flurry of activity, necessarily, but busy enough that I haven’t had the chance to determine what, if anything, is really different about life before and after Daniel and I left. Oh, there are the obvious things, of course; whenContinue reading “More Normal than I’ve a Right To…”
Back to ‘Work’
Dearest Rachel – I hope it didn’t sound like I was teasing my sister when I referred to the fact that she was taking care of all the administrative work behind dad‘s funeral arrangements as her means of coping with his passing. To be sure, teasing is one of the main duties of being aContinue reading “Back to ‘Work’”
Travel Prayers
Dearest Rachel – I don’t know what it is about travel; maybe it’s the upset involving time zones and having to get used to them, or perhaps it’s the fact that I’m sharing a room with Daniel, whose sleep cycle is that much more out of sync with my own than even yours, especially onContinue reading “Travel Prayers”
Last Full Day at Sea
Dearest Rachel – Technically, yesterday wasn’t really all that; I believe that it’s still going to take an entire day to get down from Alaska to Vancouver, after all. But for all intents and purposes, this is pretty much it for the languid, lazy days at sea. Heck, this final day already saw me runningContinue reading “Last Full Day at Sea”
Catching Up Too Quickly
Dearest Rachel – So this is our last full day at sea before we get hit by a series of port days; I’ll be running fast and furious between the ports and the computer to document our visits, leaving me with precious little time for random musing and various small but necessary tasks. So it’sContinue reading “Catching Up Too Quickly”
Blackout Curtains
Dearest Rachel – It would seem that things are passing much the way I expected them to. I keep waking up every morning, checking my phone to find out what time it is, and as always, it’s between two and three in the morning (Japan time). Of course, this means that, according to ship time,Continue reading “Blackout Curtains”
One Long Wednesday
Dearest Rachel – One of the quirks about sea travel is that one’s phone does not update automatically with regard to what time it is. Updates occur when we arrive at one port or another, not when you’re crossing a time zone at sea. Ordinarily, this isn’t much of an issue, but on a tripContinue reading “One Long Wednesday”
The Theater Comes to Us
Dearest Rachel – I feel like I should be apologizing for going over so much of the minutia of life aboard the cruise ship. It’s not even the first time I’ve been basically living at sea, after all, so it’s not as if this is anything new. Daniel and I may be in the middleContinue reading “The Theater Comes to Us”
Twenty-Three Hour Days
Dearest Rachel – I’m not going to lie to you (after all, why start now?), this trip has wreaked havoc with my circadian rhythm. For all that I’ve been trying to stay up later in order to thus sleep in that much longer thereafter, I’ve been waking up at around two in the morning regardlessContinue reading “Twenty-Three Hour Days”
Transition Accomplished
Dearest Rachel – I won’t argue it; the title smacks of that moment on the battleship with the president addressing the troops after the successful (at the time) of toppling Saddam Hussien and taking over Iraq. In fact, the banner was actually referring to a specific mission that the ship and its crew had beenContinue reading “Transition Accomplished”
Salariman no Pai
Dearest Rachel – And now, a slight break from the heaviness of dealing with Dad’s declining health and the craziness of abruptly moving him back home from rehab. There will be time to go over that later today – or maybe tomorrow, depending on whether, and when, I have time – but every now andContinue reading “Salariman no Pai”
“I’ll Be Right Back”
Dearest Rachel – I promise you, this letter has nothing to do with that Black Mirror episode I keep referencing (and would still kind of like to live out, just to see for myself as to whether it’s as truly awful as the show makes it out to be). No, this is more along theContinue reading ““I’ll Be Right Back””
A Single Pillow
Dearest Rachel – When Dad’s latest health issue was at its most urgent, he was in the hospital, which is practically in our backyard (especially as compared to his and Mom’s house, where I have my ‘office’). As a result, it was no trouble – and indeed, I felt it more my responsibility than myContinue reading “A Single Pillow”
Shivering From…?
Dearest Rachel – And just when we thought everything was sorted out, too… The thing is, Dad has been making it plain that, for all that he seemed to have been recovering from this third near-fatal incident, it’s not that he’s truly ‘getting better’ any more. On the contrary, each recovery settles him in atContinue reading “Shivering From…?”
Not Always Working Out
Dearest Rachel – I had originally thought to reference the Rolling Stones’ song about how “you can’t always get what you want” in the title, but when it comes to yesterday’s events (especially the afternoon), it most certainly wasn’t an offsetting case of Dad getting what he needed. Quite the contrary, in fact, but I’llContinue reading “Not Always Working Out”
The New Routine
Dearest Rachel – You’re aware that, when I asked the folks’ permission to set up an office in their basement, where Dad used to have his office, it wasn’t entirely altruistic, so as to be in the house in case they needed me to be there for some reason or other. Oh, there is that,Continue reading “The New Routine”
Pizza Week
Dearest Rachel – After all the heavy stuff of this past weekend – and I’m not even going to touch on the stuff going on in the wider world, as that doesn’t really matter to us – I’d like to tell you about something a little lighter for a change. Granted, it doesn’t leave meContinue reading “Pizza Week”
The Ultimate Role Model
Dearest Rachel – I freely admit it; while I make a point of showing up at the ‘office’ on a near-daily basis during the ‘work’ week, I almost never put in a full eight hour, nine-to-five ‘work’ day anymore. Since I don’t answer to a boss, and I take no pay for services rendered, thereContinue reading “The Ultimate Role Model”
Japanese Breakfast
Dearest Rachel – Even with the sudden, developing chaos of the past couple of days (now playing out at the ICU yet again; most of today’s work day will be spent over there, which is part of why I’m getting this written to you in the early hours of the morning) and the chronic, naggingContinue reading “Japanese Breakfast”
One Scare After Another
Dearest Rachel – This is going to sound familiar to you at this point, given the tumult that occupied much of the last five years of your life. The past couple of days have been just what I’ve said at the top of this letter – one scare after another – with regard to DadContinue reading “One Scare After Another”
So That I Can Go Back Again
Dearest Rachel – I didn’t do a lot of work on this letter to you yesterday when the subject occurred to me. After all, I was busying myself in the booth during the morning’s three services – and I had to keep on my toes, since there would be lulls at intermittent times in betweenContinue reading “So That I Can Go Back Again”
Letting Go When It’s In My Grasp
Dearest Rachel – It’s a good thing that I don’t direct these letters at anyone but you, and it doesn’t matter to me as to how many others might be reading this over your shoulder. I don’t have any consistent message of uplift or progress that would appeal to a mass audience (or, on theContinue reading “Letting Go When It’s In My Grasp”
At Least Monday is Short
Dearest Rachel – The box with the camera and its accessories sits on a TV tray at the foot of the bed, like it has all weekend. The memory chip I ordered separately (remember when it was just that batteries weren’t included in a toy we would get for Daniel for Christmas or his birthday?)Continue reading “At Least Monday is Short”
Not Working for the Weekend
Dearest Rachel – According to the piped-in music I occasionally will notice while I’m at the gym, “everybody’s working for the weekend” except for me these days. Look, I get it; I remember the days when those two days away from the office – particularly the one in which I had no commitments but toContinue reading “Not Working for the Weekend”
Aches and Pains
Dearest Rachel – I understand that, as we get older, certain parts of the body start to break down, and they become that much more painful to use. Which is a bit of a problem when exercise is the means by which I’m trying to get into shape. I’ve been noticing – and may haveContinue reading “Aches and Pains”
Awaiting A Reply
Dearest Rachel – No, it’s not as if I’m expecting to hear back from you; I never have, even from the first, no matter how wonderful it would be if you could or would. This particular story, like so many since your departure, has less to do with you, and more with my dealings withContinue reading “Awaiting A Reply”
The Usual Wager
Dearest Rachel – I almost missed it yesterday evening, until Daniel pointed it out to me: a single balloon languishing in the rafters of the church when we arrived for Sparks last night. Of course, you might wonder how this sight would trigger a letter from me, and why I would use such a seeminglyContinue reading “The Usual Wager”
Like Nothing We’d Ever Done
Dearest Rachel – Believe it or not, I was half-expecting to spend all of yesterday cooped up at home. Think about that; I never spend any Sunday like this, and here I was, planning to stay home for the whole of Easter, of all Sundays? But with the plans for the family to get togetherContinue reading “Like Nothing We’d Ever Done”
Not Quite Independent, But…
Dearest Rachel – Yesterday, as I was returning from the gym, I ran into Logan as he was taking his first break of his workday in order to slap together some breakfast – well, technically, he’d “slapped it together” on Sunday, along with similar pre-prepared meals for the entirety of his work week; all heContinue reading “Not Quite Independent, But…”
Future Past
Dearest Rachel – I hadn’t expected to be cooking for my own birthday dinner; but then again, that’s not what yesterday evening was supposed to be, in any event. The idea actually stemmed from Erin wondering in our ongoing group chat whether the six of us could get together at her place for a change,Continue reading “Future Past”
Up To A Point
Dearest Rachel – One of the odd situations of my particular task at Sparks, as I record attendance and progress, is that I’m not exactly busy during the time everything else is going on, but rather before and after. We get to church early, since neither Daniel nor I have job commitments, and set theContinue reading “Up To A Point”
And This is Why We’d Rather Not Bother
Dearest Rachel – Since these letters usually go out in the morning, when all I’ve been able to take care of is my morning routine before heading out to the ‘office,’ I often make reference to things that I have coming up, and then put the brakes on going into detail about them, because I’dContinue reading “And This is Why We’d Rather Not Bother”
Glassing Over
Dearest Rachel – There are some moments in life which I can’t describe to you as they’re happening, just by dint of what they are. You’ll notice, for instance, that I describe many of my mornings to you – because that’s often when I have energy and inspiration, not to mention the desire to getContinue reading “Glassing Over”
Shrieking Into Traffic
Dearest Rachel – I can still remember your shriek from the night Aki-san was mortally wounded. I had come downstate to visit you while you were back home at your folks’ house over one break or another. The date escapes me at the moment, I confess; I want to say Christmas or late January, butContinue reading “Shrieking Into Traffic”
Nod Over… Celsius?
Dearest Rachel – There are certain mornings when I wake up with an idea to talk to you about, and all the time in the world to get it written down for you before I head out to the ‘office.’ Not often, but occasionally; most mornings, I have the time, but nothing in my headContinue reading “Nod Over… Celsius?”
Someone Else’s Comfort Food
Dearest Rachel – For all the Japanese (and other Asian) restaurants we have scattered throughout the local area within a fairly reasonable drive, most of them tend to be of what the natives themselves would consider to be restaurant food. This sounds like a tautology, I realize, but here’s the thing; what we can findContinue reading “Someone Else’s Comfort Food”
Back on the Treadmill
Dearest Rachel – The title of this letter was originally meant to only be taken literally, but after the morning I’ve had thus far (and seeing that it’s already after noon, that’s saying something), it might just be a metaphor for something a little larger than that. If I didn’t know better as to whatContinue reading “Back on the Treadmill”
What Might Otherwise Be Junk
Dearest Rachel – Well, I’ve gone and done it; we’ve gotten ourselves a new car. Only has some four thousand miles on it, bought straight from the dealership, for the first time in my life. I might even have to do this again relatively soon, albeit this time for Daniel’s sake; I’d rather he notContinue reading “What Might Otherwise Be Junk”
Once I Get This Taken Care Of…
Dearest Rachel – I’d say something to the effect that life is a series of plans that “gang aft agley,” as Robert Burns’ fieldmouse discovered, to its dismay, except that that’s not really quite accurate. Yes, we make plans, and yes, they will sometimes go awry (as Burns’ phrase translates to), but really, the ‘goingContinue reading “Once I Get This Taken Care Of…”
Three Times Too Late
Dearest Rachel – I’ll be honest; upon returning home from our trip, I was starting to think I was going to be able to transition seamlessly from Japan time to Central time. While Daniel nodded off in his recliner next to your side of the bed, I was more hungry than sleepy; enough so asContinue reading “Three Times Too Late”
Falling Apart
I busted a mirror and got seven years’ bad luck, but my lawyer thinks he can get me five. Steven Wright Dearest Rachel – Barely a day or so back from being overseas, and only having driven the car once or twice since returning, and this has to happen… I have no idea what happenedContinue reading “Falling Apart”
Asking About Autos
Dearest Rachel – Compared to the last couple of days, there’s not a whole lot going on today. I mean, there’s enough to keep me occupied, even busy, for that matter, but nothing particularly out of the ordinary that would be worth telling you about, and which you couldn’t point out that I’d told youContinue reading “Asking About Autos”
Not So Attached as All That
Dearest Rachel – For some reason, your family had a habit of naming most of your vehicles. I don’t remember all the name, to be sure – Sweet Fawn comes to mind, as that was the one you and your mom were in a fiery wreck with when you were only two or three, butContinue reading “Not So Attached as All That”
After Dark, But By Choice
Dearest Rachel – At this point in the calendar, you’d think this would be less of an issue; we’re already much closer to the vernal equinox than the winter solstice. We’re not limited to a bare handful of (mostly cloudy) hours in any given day before night falls back again, and I find myself drivingContinue reading “After Dark, But By Choice”
Cooking, For Once
Dearest Rachel – It’s not like I haven’t done this before – even preparing this specific dish, for that matter – but of a Monday evening, Daniel and I rarely stay home and fix ourselves dinner. As a general rule, we head out a little after four, and hit some place up between home andContinue reading “Cooking, For Once”
Embarrassed by Mom
Dearest Rachel – We were boarding the shuttle to one of the remote parking areas around church yesterday afternoon (we’d decided to attend the last service, since it was the most sparsely attended; not that that’s saying much, as it was pretty crowded in there as well by the time the sermon started). The onlyContinue reading “Embarrassed by Mom”
On the Subject of Breadmaking
Dearest Rachel – For once when we met to go walking in the woods this week, Lars didn’t quiz me about any developments in my love life, like he usually does. To be sure, there really weren’t any to speak of – there never really are, these days – just an interesting moment tangentially relatedContinue reading “On the Subject of Breadmaking”
Chasing Numbers
Dearest Rachel – I’m telling you, honey, if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m a numbers person (like you were), I think I would have given up on this weight loss journey some time ago. Not only have things tapered off in terms of actual weight loss over the past year and a halfContinue reading “Chasing Numbers”
My Answer to Sudoku
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been told by some folks who have a habit of reading over your shoulder that doing so feels like reading someone’s diary. And I can see why; if for no other reason, the fact that there’s something said to you every day gives it that quality right there. Then there’s theContinue reading “My Answer to Sudoku”
Socks in Bed
Dearest Rachel – For all that our bedroom was an addition tacked on later (and cheaply, we both had to agree) to the building, and therefore not connected to the main house’s HVAC system, and therefore quite cold in the winter without the wall-mounted space heater running (which would occasionally cause the room to getContinue reading “Socks in Bed”
Not Meant For Us
Dearest Rachel – Back when I still had dreams of making a YouTube channel, and trying to settle on a topic, I considering discussing the Nacirema which, for all that I remember reading about them when I was much younger (although now I’m starting to think it was a bit of the Mandela effect), IContinue reading “Not Meant For Us”
A Cold Atop The Cold
Dearest Rachel – I had fully intended – and had even begun – a second letter to you for yesterday, regarding the fact that I wasn’t dealing with a case of the ‘Sunday Scaries’ that some of the others were anticipating upon their return from Honduras. I think you know what I’m talking about, evenContinue reading “A Cold Atop The Cold”
The Last ‘Warm’ Day
Dearest Rachel – So, yesterday was the last ‘warm’ day before I leave town. From here on out, the highs – the highs, mind you – will be in the single digits Fahrenheit, if not at or below zero. I’ve heard talk about schools closing, despite the fact that it’s actually going to be tooContinue reading “The Last ‘Warm’ Day”
Uninstalling the Plan
Dearest Rachel – It was a week and a half ago when Lars and I wrapped up our usual walk through the woods with lunch at our favorite gyro place (they make their own in-house – and you can really tell the difference from one of those places that use the commercial providers like KronosContinue reading “Uninstalling the Plan”
Piled High
Dearest Rachel – It’s been so long, and I’ve had to do this for myself for these past five years, that I can’t remember what, if any, system you had regarding laundry. I know you separated colors from whites – every college-bound male is warned about mixing them and winding up with pink socks fromContinue reading “Piled High”
Money-day Morning
Dearest Rachel – It’s Monday morning; the day and time that seems to bring dread to all. The restful period of the weekend is over, and we have to get back to school or work or whatever our weekly routine looks like, whether we’re ready for it or not. Despite having gone to bed beforeContinue reading “Money-day Morning”
AC-DC and the Beach Boys
Dearest Rachel – No, I didn’t wake up with either of these groups’ (and doesn’t the combination sound like an interesting band name in and of itself?) music in my head this morning, like a proper earworm. But I realized that I’d started off the day – ended last night, in fact – by givingContinue reading “AC-DC and the Beach Boys”
Christmas Cake
Dearest Rachel – Over the weekend leading up to Christmas, I needed to go out to get various ingredients for the cooking assignments I’d taken upon myself for both the family party on the Sunday prior and Christmas brunch itself. As is my wont, I can never go through a grocery store and only getContinue reading “Christmas Cake”
Healthy at Home
Dearest Rachel – I think part of the problem with this past weekend was that, when I previously would attempt to fast for the entire length of a given Sunday, I would grab a reasonable lunch on Saturday before showing up at church for rehearsal. This time around, I basically had breakfast – a bowlContinue reading “Healthy at Home”
Double Header
Dearest Rachel – To address the question you wouldn’t have to ask if you were actually present – since conversation with a live person doesn’t require adding titles to one’s topics – yes, this is about sports in general, but no, this doesn’t have to do with baseball, from whence the term itself hails. You’dContinue reading “Double Header”
Not Sure We’re Gonna Make It
Dearest Rachel – I have this sneaking suspicion that you’d be so disappointed in us all… Tomorrow, as you may or may not know (since I have no idea how time works on your side of the veil, and whether you even keep track of it, when there’s no point to in the middle ofContinue reading “Not Sure We’re Gonna Make It”
Be Here All the Earlier the Next Morning…
Dearest Rachel – You’ll recall Scrooge’s admonition to Bob Cratchit after reluctantly giving him the day off (with pay!) for Christmas. While some versions have Bob reminding Scrooge that he can’t conduct business on Christmas, as all other businesses he would otherwise deal with would be closed, it wasn’t as if the practice of ‘holidayContinue reading “Be Here All the Earlier the Next Morning…”
Enforced Sabbath
Dearest Rachel – This was going to be titled ‘Peace on Earth(?)’ or some such, with an extended acknowledgment that the earth isn’t necessarily peaceful on this day any more than any other (although the fine print on the angels’ proclamation about peace and goodwill to men specified that it applied to those ‘with whomContinue reading “Enforced Sabbath”
Strange Fire on the Candle
Dearest Rachel – As with so many stories I try to relate to you about the happenings around me, I’d like to think this would amuse you. It’s always better to see the humor in the misadventures of life than to be annoyed (or angered) by them; if nothing else, the latter doesn’t solve anything,Continue reading “Strange Fire on the Candle”
Thoughts on Christmas Adam
Dearest Rachel – I had to go back through all the titles of all the letters I sent you to make sure I hadn’t reused this one (although this site seems willing to allow for duplications, I still consider it bad form to repeat myself, even after all this time). It turns out that thisContinue reading “Thoughts on Christmas Adam”
The Season of the Swan
Dearest Rachel – They say that the swan, for all its apparent grace as it glides atop the water whenever one sees it, is churning its webbed feet furiously underneath the surface, where the frenzy can’t be seen. Such is the way things are at this time of year for us all, honey – orContinue reading “The Season of the Swan”
A Change of Terrain
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday saw me and Lars meeting for our usual walk in the woods. Nothing particularly out of the ordinary, apart from the exchanging of Christmas presents that is part of the current season (I was rather pleased about finding something for him, as it was something that’s always been made inContinue reading “A Change of Terrain”
Slightly Naked
Dearest Rachel – This is the sort of thing that would have freaked you out in the moment – because it’s so out of character, and begs at least one significant question – and then given you something of a laugh afterward, once everything had resolved itself. It certainly did as much for me, onceContinue reading “Slightly Naked”
Frozen In
Dearest Rachel – It so happens that one of the members of the praise team at the church is from Florida – in fact, she’s Brian’s niece, and therefore a relative of ours, albeit a time or two removed – and isn’t used to the weather here (to be sure, no one gets used toContinue reading “Frozen In”
Sitting On the Pain Scale
Dearest Rachel – The problem with emotions and feelings is that it’s difficult to explain what one is feeling in a way that another person would understand exactly. Oh, we might be able to give a general idea to an audience what something feels like – and usually, that’s the best we can hope forContinue reading “Sitting On the Pain Scale”
Screwing Up the Schedule
Dearest Rachel – No sooner did I hit ‘publish’ on yesterday‘s letter when two things happened to upend my day. First of all, “Riri” wrote back, right after I got through telling you all the reasons why she wouldn’t. I still promise to tell you more about that, but on top of her explanations (someContinue reading “Screwing Up the Schedule”
The Questions That Go Unasked
Dearest Rachel – This morning – although when it’s this dark, if feels strange to call it such, even if this is just the way things are in the winter – as I got up and braced myself to head out to the gym, it occurred to me that the folks didn’t bother to askContinue reading “The Questions That Go Unasked”
Don’t Tell Me How Cold It Is
Dearest Rachel – So yesterday, I met Lars to go walking through the woods, as we do every week. This, despite the fact that it was below freezing and there was the threat of snow that day – in fact, for most of the time we were out there, we were dealing with a fairContinue reading “Don’t Tell Me How Cold It Is”
Not Me, Virginia
Dearest Rachel – I hardly need to remind you about events like Crazy Hair Night at Sparks; it was one of those ‘theme’ nights that you always used to make a point of participating in… As for myself, I didn’t throw myself into these theme nights with your level of abandon. Part of this wasContinue reading “Not Me, Virginia”
The Lists We Still Need to Deal With
Dearest Rachel – Well, it’s just how things work in the American holiday calendar, I suppose. We no sooner get through with one that, by name and nature, reminds us to be both content and grateful for what we have, than we begin on the one whose whole purpose seems to be the diametric oppositeContinue reading “The Lists We Still Need to Deal With”
Half the Holiday
Dearest Rachel – I was getting serious flashbacks from 2020 yesterday morning, honey. You remember that year; we’d all been tested for Covid before Thanksgiving, for the sake of the folks (and, I think, at the recommendation, if not requirement, of the government when it came to such gatherings at the time). Yours and Daniel’sContinue reading “Half the Holiday”
Not a Time to Experiment
Dearest Rachel – The holiday season is upon us once again, honey, and as the sun takes that much more time off than it did when we were in Israel (where it’s so much more noticeable, since we can’t sightsee in the dark. Here at home, there’s still plenty to do when evening falls, andContinue reading “Not a Time to Experiment”
Still Not There Yet
Dearest Rachel – I’ve been writing to you a lot this past week about our difficulties in getting ourselves acclimated to our home time zone; it’s just under a week now, and we’re still not there yet. Compare that to our trip out, where we basically fell in line with the local time after aContinue reading “Still Not There Yet”
The Missing Third
Dearest Rachel – Another day, another evening of falling asleep on either side of the bed in our separate recliners while watching YouTube together, and another morning that essentially starts at one a.m., whether I mean for it to or not. We’re not still on Israel time, I don’t think, but we’re probably on GreenlandContinue reading “The Missing Third”
Not Ready for Central Time
Dearest Rachel – Setting aside that he’s dealing with the cold that he caught on the last day or so of the trip (which I may very well catch soon enough, and is why, despite it being Thursday, we won’t be over at the folks’ place for dinner this evening. Dad is getting more andContinue reading “Not Ready for Central Time”
Early Morning Epilogue
Dearest Rachel – Travel is like this sometimes; flights take off at the weirdest hours, and one has to be up and out in order to catch them. So it is with us; after writing you last night about the activities of yesterday, Daniel and I bundled ourselves off to bed (at nine-thirty, which wasContinue reading “Early Morning Epilogue”
So Many Random Little Thoughts
Dearest Rachel – Some days, I wake up in the wee hours of the morning with no desire for anything but to roll over and go back to sleep. I thought this morning was going to be the same – especially given that today is a Saturday; who wakes up early on a Saturday? ButContinue reading “So Many Random Little Thoughts”
Letters to Rachel 