Burnt Chocolate Stories

When I was a little girl, I never fit in with the popular crowd. My sister Sandy was ten years older and Eleanor six years older. They didn't give me the sibling support that they gave each other which made me something of a loner. There were other reasons of course. I was skinny and wore glasses from the age of two. My right eye turned in every other day which was something of a surprise to the many ophthalmologists my parents sought out. My mother could plan photography day for me weeks ahead, knowing which day my eyes would be straight. Finally, around my seventh birthday, Dr. Theodore Zekman agreed to operate and fixed that problem. But it was too late to stop the taunts from other children. I heard "four eyes" and "crazy eye" from other children which fostered caution in me. And a self image that has stayed with me, regardless of the facts. Childhood is a powerful experience that needs to be respected. A few weeks ago, I visited the nearby eye clinic to get...

Today is a celebration of sorts. I've posted every Saturday since August 9, 2025. No matter the weather, visitors or travel, I've kept my commitment to myself and by extension to you. Pondering what to write, what photo to select, whether what I have to say matters to anyone else are thoughts that flicker through my brain during the week. This fall, Saint Johns will implement The Eden Alternative to help alleviate loneliness, helplessness and boredom for those in my generation who find their purpose diminished. And, in spite of a healthy schedule of activities, I find this true for myself for which I have little patience. I learned, early on, that there was no feasible way to stop a toddler's temper tantrum. I just had to wait it out and then mop up the teary cheeks and fortify myself to say no, calmly, to whatever the tantrum was about. Likewise, managing teenagers requires buckets full of patience. But, today, impatience with myself and my capabilities has grown exponenti...

 My commitment to write a post every Saturday for a year, without fail, is coming to a close but I'm having too much fun to stop. I look forward to these mornings, pondering what I should share that others would enjoy reading. So I'll continue for the duration. Today marks a small milestone in my life. Three years ago, when Steve was still with me, we leased what was easily our tenth car. Once you start leasing, it's hard to switch to a purchase and Steve loved the new car appeal. But I thought, at the time, it might be a good idea to just buy what we'd been leasing and drive it into the sunset. But the young man who was helping us thought differently. "You are both in your 80's. In three years, you may not even want a car. Why don't you lease again and see how you feel in 2026."  At the time I thought that was a ridiculous notion. Of course I'll always want a car at my disposal. Why wouldn't I? I've had one since I was 21. A car felt like ...