Rhyme and Reason from my Empty Nest

                                                                  Apartment #3401  For now, we call it home. Home Sweet Home. Apartment Sweet Apartment. I've found apartment living to be not so bad after all. After all, good things do come in small packages.   Four months ago, I wouldn't have predicted this positive response. Today, I can truly proclaim some of the benefits of apartment living. A big 'ole house is great but a simple 2-bedroom apartment has its merit as well.  No one in their right mind would choose to move 2x in 4 months. Right?   Ideally you would move directly from one address into another.  That's what we used to think. We couldn't so we didn't. Now we're glad we didn't. 😊😊  Packing and moving a large home of 24 years was exhausting and back-breaking. My aching back needed ...

                                                                        We have this dog.  This said dog is crazy. He's an old man at 12 years of age but acts more like a child. A spoiled child. This could be because we spoil him. More often it's my husband doing the spoiling but you didn't hear that from me.  He's cute as can be. I'm talking about my dog! Good for him. Cuteness is his most redeeming quality. His cuteness helped him rise to the position of the resident family favorite. No one is more loved in our family than our family member with paws. Everyone and everything are worthy of love - including our Murphy - but do we ever take it to the extreme? Yes, sometimes even oftentimes. Has our life gone to the dogs?! When we pause to ponder...Do we give more love and attention to our resident pet...

                                                                                                                                                                           I can't mince words. Nothing unusual there. I've gotta be real even if this one gets me into trouble. This one sits closer to home. Actually, it sits right next to me on the couch. It was a challenge. It wasn't easy. This was a test graded by pass or fail. I think we passed. At least we did for the first grading period. We passed by passing the half-way point in our arduous moving adventure. It's ...

                                                                    Most people, including the Jeffersons, strive to be "moving on up." I decided by choice to be "moving on down." Yes, downsizing has taken over my daily agenda and fully taken over my brain. Just to be clear...I'm not talking about downsizing in my pants size but it seems like I am lessening everything else. If moving has ever been a chore before, past moves pale in comparison to this move. Typically, in one's life you move into bigger and better each and every time. That's the whole point, right? Just deal with the extra stuff later. Usually, you can transport all you own because all you own will fit into the new space. This isn't the case. Not this time. I can't take now and worry about it later. Later is too late .  I have to decide now. We will ...

                                                                                                                                                       How many jelly-stained fingerprints have I washed from windowed glass? How many times have muddied footprints traipsed across my clean kitchen floor? Now, no more. Many, I would say since I have lived in my home for 24 years. Handprints all over my windows. Footprints walking all over my floors. Now, out my doors. Never to be fully eradicated.  Never to be completely erased. Jelly-filled fingers.  Muddied messy steps - all aggravations before to become byg...

                                                                           This could get awkward as if it isn't already. I might get in bigger trouble than I normally find myself. I don't want to cower and cover so here it goes... What's in a name? A lot. A simple thing as a name can grow to be not so simple after all.  Let me explain what I mean...When new family members join into our fold, what will they call us? The automatic and natural act of addressing someone by name can become not so free nor flowing. T o tell it like it is - It's been just plain awkward for me and for them. My sons call me mom, of course. Will their spouses call me mom too? I had high hopes that would be the case but no. Their spouses call every other extended relative by the same name our sons have lovingly given them...

                                                                         These days every place we go and every purchase we make seem to request a follow-up review. For some reason even when it's my 20th visit to my chiropractor, he emails me a link for another review again. Must I give him a review and also one to Amazon for those new cabinet hinges I ordered? Really? It can get to be a bit much. My supporters may have thought I was being a bit much as I repeatedly asked for reviews of my debut children's picture book. I had to ask a lot...kinda like my chiropractor. A valued number of reviews on Amazon is 50. Supposedly your book gains added exposure once you reach that target. I reached my target but had to do a good bit of reminding to get ur done. Is getting to our goal all we hoped it would be? Was ...