This winter has been so stressful. But watching Alysa Liu’s GOLD skate really cheered me up.
WOWSA.
MILAN, ITALY – 19 FEBRUARY 2026: Gold medalist Alysa LIU of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating Free Skating at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 Milano Ice Skating Arena on February 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy Photo by YantsImages – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=184544074
Filed under Writing
Five months ago I wrote an update about my cats on the post “Kitty No-News News and Other Updates.”
I’m sorry that we are now one kitty less over here. Meesker has crossed over the Rainbow Bridge.
In September I wrote this about Meesker:
Meesker, the other one of my son’s cats. He’s shy and was bullied by Lily for years, so for the last couple of years he’s lived in the back of the house with Sloopy Anne. However, just recently, he decided he likes it out front with Perry. Lily doesn’t dare bully Meesker out here because Perry keeps her in line. Perry is the benevolent king. Meesker is so skinny (GI issues) that he slides between the bars of the gate we put up so he can come and go as he pleases. (Actually so can Perry when he really really wants to do it). All black with black whiskers and toe beans.
After I wrote the above, Meesker got skinnier and skinner. The veterinarian changed the dosage on his medications a few times, but an ultrasound had shown that there was something going on in his GI system. I had to go out of town for two nights, and after the first night the pet sitter found Meesker passed away.
I’m extremely upset that I didn’t take him in to be put to sleep before this happened, but he didn’t tell me he was done with it all–and the vet never said it was time or nearing time. I have never had a cat die in my house before. The trauma for the cat, for the other cats, and for the humans is too much. And a vet years ago told me that waiting until they die is cruel because they suffer and feel pain at home and that they should be put out of their suffering before that point.
Also, I feel terrible that the pet sitter had to go through finding him and grateful for my son-in-law who rushed over and took Meesker’s body to the vet for cremation.
Anyway, we are all upset and Perry and I are both sick with stomach ailments. And he looks so so sad.
I’m going to close comments because I don’t feel well enough to be online much, but I will treasure your “likes” as a sign of sympathy. xo
Filed under Cats and Other Animals
Elizabeth Gauffreau’s newest novel, The Weight of Snow and Regret is now available on audio book. I think this is a fabulous move. Some people have vision issues and want to listen to novels. Some people have long commutes and like to “read” along the way. In fact, years ago, that’s how I first read Joy Luck Club–on my commute. The audio version at that time was read by the author Amy Tan.
I posted a review of Liz’s novel in October. Here it is if you missed it: REVIEW
Here’s the link to the audio version:
Filed under #amreading, #bloggingcommunity, Book Review, Fiction, History, Novel
I once wrote a poem that ended with a man astounded at witnessing “a woman / blaze from the womb.” If ever an entire poetry book witnesses women blazing, it’s Carol Willette Bachofner’s new collection, Every Place I Look. Whereas I had only hinted at the phenomenon, Bachofner embraces it, even subtitles the group of poems, “women with embers at their feet.”
I’m sure it seems odd to start a review with a quote from my own poem, but I feel so connected with Bachofner’s new work that it’s as if the poems are siphoned from my heart—or, conversely, as if they fill my heart with their truths.
The theme of Eve and the apple runs throughout, as poem after poem documents what women have been had to deal with, starting with the mythology that she is created from Adam’s unimportant rib. Eventually, Bachofner has it out with the myth in the poem “Rib and Other Fantasies.”
We are not bone of anyone but ourselves,
not stolen property of biblical proportions.
My favorite lines are in this poem:
Why
think we are spilling used blood? We are cleansing
ourselves, making our inner home a temple.
For ages, men held to the notion that menstruation proved that women were inferior, even dirty. But, no, instead we are self-cleaning, creating something holy.
Brava to Bachofner for this thought-provoking, radiantly feminist poetry collection, Every Place I Look: women with embers at their feet. Drag your feet through the embers to find a copy for yourself!
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You can purchase a copy of Every Place I Look at the publisher’s website here:
First person (with an address in the U.S.) who responds in the comments below with the name of the poem and the page number (from Doll God) with the woman blazing from the womb, I will send you a free copy of Carol Bachofner’s new book! I will keep the comments open to give you plenty of time to find the poem (and the book–I realize it’s been eleven years)! (Hint: it’s not that hard to find the poem if you start at the beginning of Doll God).
Filed under Book Review, Poetry, Poetry book, Poetry Collection
I’m inviting you to my new side project, my Substack account. NO, I’M NOT LEAVING WORDPRESS. As if!!!
My Substack is for writing more specifically about writing, and I want to be able to keep WordPress more for my blogger friends and me.
The article I wrote is called How I Wrote about a Troubled Childhood, and Healed in the Process. It’s about the writing of my memoir Scrap: Salvaging a Family and how I was able to use the process for emotional healing instead of having it make it worse.
I’ll close comments on this post so that if you go over and check it out you can feel free to comment over there. And I would LOVE it if you subscribe, but if you feel overwhelmed by subscriptions, no worries, I still love you.
Yesterday was Hudson’s birthday party at an indoor gym. The kids from his class came and his older cousin who adores him. With all the adults I think it was close to forty people. The Gardener and I followed them home and gave Hudson his retro Radio Flyer tricycle and “racing helmet.”
Then . . . I collapsed on the couch in my nightgown. At 3PM!
Retro Radio Flyer tricycle WITH BELL
Filed under #bloggingcommunity, Substack
