Fri, Feb 3, 2012
Benjamin Bradbury Peterson: 1995-2012 Beloved Cat/Companion/Friend
My cat Benjamin died in my arms this afternoon. A long time ago, I promised Ben I would always do whatever I could to keep him from misery.
Thu, Jan 19, 2012
I’ve long thought that the anticipation of a happy occasion is a gift in itself. Anticipation lets the imagination roam, creating expectations, floating along on excitement that builds every day.
Thu, Jan 12, 2012
Sometimes too many days go by without opportunity to see my small grandchildren in West Seattle. I get lonesome. Then I call daughter Lisa and offer to stay with Adam and Abby while she and husband Eric enjoy an afternoon or evening out.
Thu, Dec 29, 2011
In my kitchen, I keep a hand-lettered sign on the door of a cupboard. “Do the Worst Thing First,” it commands. Most people who step into my kitchen notice the little sign. Often they read it aloud and comment on it. “Is that what you do?” a friend asked me. “The worst thing first?”
Thu, Dec 22, 2011
Here it is Christmas week, and I am sitting by my tree, feeling the warmth from my little electric fireplace, thinking about the events of this Advent season.
Thu, Dec 15, 2011
Edging into mid-December, I am prompted to write again about shopping locally. I’ve driven recently past the jammed parking lot of a huge chain toy store, cars trolling slowly up and down the rows, drivers hoping someone will vacate a parking space.
Thu, Dec 8, 2011
Every year when I think back to my childhood Christmases in Edmonds, I long for my parents and grandparents and the holidays we shared. This year, I walk the same sidewalks in the same crisp December weather, past the familiar bakery, park, theatre and the old Carnegie building that used to be the library. My library.
Thu, Dec 1, 2011
Working in my daughter’s kitchen on Thanksgiving day, helping put the final touches on dinner, I heard my small grandson Adam suddenly call out, in the midst of his play in the living room, “Where’s Grandma?” He appeared in the kitchen doorway, frowning. “Hi sweetie,” I said. His frown disappeared. “Oh, there you are!” Reassured, he went back to his play.
Tue, Nov 22, 2011
It’s nearly Thanksgiving, and The Beacon has early deadlines this week. I need to get a column in today, and I don’t feel in the mood to write. I’d really rather bake banana bread or read a novel. I considered looking through some holiday columns from past years, polishing one of the November ones a bit and using it again. But Thanksgiving is not a time for recycled words, replayed emotions.
Thu, Nov 17, 2011
Reacquainting myself with grandchildren
My grandson Adam at two-and-a-half is sweet and funny, independent and happy. Not surprisingly, his mom reports that some days he acts “a little two-ish”—a term not necessarily intended as a compliment.
Thu, Nov 10, 2011
A difficult thing about cruises is choosing what to do when the ship makes port calls, when vacationers can choose from an array of (mostly expensive) on-shore entertainment.
Thu, Nov 3, 2011
I sit surrounded by scraps of paper, pages torn from small notebooks, words scribbled on receipts. That’s not much different from the scene in the corner of my home office most weeks when I write my column. Here’s the difference: I am a few thousand miles from home on a cruise ship.
Thu, Oct 27, 2011
A great start to a grand cruise
There's something about taking a trip with a childhood friend—after retirement. My friend Mary and I pretty much lost touch with one another for a few decades in the middle of our lives, and that's a shame.
Thu, Oct 20, 2011
Planning a trip takes time and energy, whether the travel plans are simple or complex. I’ve spent weeks planning for a Panama Canal cruise with a childhood friend, sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale, following a pre-cruise stay in Virginia with her son and his wife. What a wonderful opportunity.
Thu, Oct 13, 2011
Edmonds Library – get involved
The annual Edmonds Library Open House next Monday, October 17, at 650 Main Street, is a free community event aimed at showing local citizens their library, entertaining them and increasing their knowledge of what the library has to offer. The 5 to 6 p.m. Open House at the library is hosted by the Edmonds Library Board and funded by the Friends of the Edmonds Library.
Thu, Oct 6, 2011
Every year I look forward to the Write on the Sound Writers’ Conference, held in Edmonds the first weekend in October. This year, more than 230 participants attended the conference at the Frances Anderson Center, coming from as far away as New York, Florida, California, Colorado, Hawaii and Canada. Forty participants listed Edmonds addresses.
Thu, Sep 29, 2011
Finding memories in stored boxes
I’ve been finding all sorts of treasures during my too-lengthy project of sorting through boxes I’ve stored—and ignored-- for half a dozen years. My favorite finds? Yellowed newspaper clippings, unexpected reminders of the past. Their worn edges poke out from between layers of less significant items.
Thu, Sep 22, 2011
I’ve been working my way through some boxes of paperwork I’ve been ignoring for way too long. As is true of many chores I put off until I can’t avoid them any longer, now that I’ve started, I’m surprised to find that I don’t really mind the job.
Thu, Sep 15, 2011
It’s no secret that volunteers have a good time working at the Edmonds Food Bank. The Carol Rowe Memorial Food Bank at Edmonds United Methodist Church seems to bring out the best in those who volunteer. I’ve never worked with people more dedicated to the jobs they were doing.
Thu, Sep 8, 2011
Not long ago, my brother and I drove to Rathdrum, Idaho, to spend two nights with my son and family. I was eager to see granddaughter Annika, who just turned eight in July.
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