Sunset at the beach.  Seagulls never miss it.  How many do you have in your life? Usually you're on the brink of being cold, but you don't care.  You're sandy and wet and hungry, but you have to stay till the end.  When the sun falls off the edge and you know the day is gone forever, you're smiling cause you know you will come back and share it again.  Except that one time.  The time you sat and talked with your stepfather.  It was the last time.  He told you of all the sunsets on the beach in his life.  There were so many, but they seemed to have rushed by so fast.  That was the last one with him.  How many will I have with my granddaughters?

Uganda: Morning Routines

The alarm goes off at 7am. I open my eyes and am staring at the Pacific Ocean. I walk five seconds to the bathroom, use the toilet, wash my face, brush my teeth, and run down stairs. I fill up the teapot and turn on the stove.

Sitting down to a nice bowl of cereal with fresh berries, juice, and tea, I turn on my computer and look at this picture.


This little boy woke up when the sun warmed his face and walked into the bushes to pee. Then he walked for a half hour to the river to fill his container with a gallon of water. He carried it back on his head another half hour and made a fire with sticks to boil the water. Now he is ready to wash up, cook his breakfast, and start his day.

It took him two hours to accomplish what it took me fifteen minutes to do.

This is why I went to Uganda. A dear man is building a system to catch the rain and turn it into a fountain of usable, running water for this orphan to use. Right outside his door.

Now this is something I want to write a check for. Know what I mean?

My First Blog Post - A Little About Me

Blog is the most ridiculous sounding word I've ever heard. It sounds like something a dying frog would say.

So, aside from the word, I guess it's important to share our thoughts once in a while. I love to talk to people and find out their story. You can look at them and make one up yourself before you know them, which is something I always do, but it's great when they tell you the real story.

My story is this . . . I am a 52 year old woman with 6 offspring-- two mine, and four as a result. No husband, no brothers, no father, no sons, and no grandsons. So I am manless. And I'm not complaining. I love men and keep a dozen or so around for perspective. They make great friends, even though "When Harry Met Sally" disagrees. I have two homes, two cars, two careers, and two personalities. (One only shows up once a month. She doesn't have that many friends.)

I was married for 20 years and raised a family and was in a carpool. Now I live alone and eat cereal for dinner if I want and no one would know if I hopped on a plane and went to Hawaii for a week. Two lives. It's fabulous. I think more people live a single life and then get married, but I did mine backwards. And happily, I'm not too old to enjoy it. I have a Pilates instructor that keeps me in shape enough to still ski, which is my favorite sport.