Warm Cookies on a Cold Night

Here I am, in my house, where it smells fantastic because I just baked cookies. It is cold outside. Very cold for Houston, TX, with lows tonight in the 20's and the next two nights forecast in the teens. I needed to warm things up a bit, both because it was cold outside, and because it was a heck of a crazy day.

Today started with taking one of my sons to his therapy appointment. I had to discuss the latest saga in the chapter of the-father-of-my-children with the therapist to prepare for what could come up in conversation. The outcome? All this particular child seems to want is to learn to play the electric guitar. Ah, to be nine years old, and still in the age of innocence, at least in his case. The electric guitar is very do-able.

Second on the agenda was a surprise visit to a neurologist for me. I have been having trouble with my eyes, specifically my eye muscles, as well as some other muscle issues. When I tried to get an appointment, I was told the next available one was in April, a mere 4 months from now. I have a good friend who made some calls and I ended up in the office of this fabulous doctor this morning. So, what is going on? We have a couple of working theories. Myasthenia gravis
is one theory. Multiple Sclerosis is another. MS like syndrome caused by one of my other medications? Maybe. So, they took a bunch of blood, and set me up to have an MRI tomorrow. We shall see. Actually, I just really want to be able to see well again. I miss reading! I have fortunately figured out how to enlarge the font on my computer so I can read what I type, emails, and facebook just fine. I miss books, though.

Next was a conversation as a follow up on the ex-husband issues. Talking seems to almost always give me clarity, and having a wonderful person to listen and help me sort things out is a gift. I feel much more confident in my resolve after this conversation.

Then, I had to go to an appointment with a social worker who may have some help for me to navigate the social security disability system if the need arises. It was a good appointment, and I was very grateful for the suggestions she had.

So, I got home, went out to get kids, drop off kids, get kids, go to the library (not for myself) and give my 16 year old some driving practice. Dinner, homework, emails, phone calls....nothing like life to keep me from focusing on myself too much.


It is cold. I know I mentioned that already. Not that I need an excuse to turn on my oven, it is just more fun if something is cooking in it. I decided to make some smashed coconut macaroons with nutella sandwich cookies. My children and I enjoyed the process, the smell of good things baking, and the delicious product. Yum. Can someone please pass the hot chocolate?

More Than a Stream of Consciousness

This week, I had the opportunity to hear Scott Harrison speak. He is the founder of charity: water. I have, at various times in my life, wanted to work on clean water initiatives. The statistics are staggering. There are over a billion people in the world who don't have access to clean water. Their drinking water is unsafe. The very thing needed to sustain life, can end life instead. Women and children are not educated, because they can't go to school. Fetching the day's water for the family takes too much time. Walking miles with heavy containers, quite literally, breaks the spines of these people.

However, this is not the focus of this post.

It has been frustrating to me that every time I think that I am really going to do something, besides donate a little money, to be involved in clean water efforts, something in my life interrupts me, and stops the flow of energy, of passion, my need to leave the world better somehow than it was when I arrived.

Cancer, bad health, dishonest husband, bankruptcy, moving, divorce, being a single mom of 4 children, transitioning from home schooling to having all my children in school--life's bumps in the road. However, it was the latest blip than made me feel the need to take stock of things, and to finally pursue some things I have been wanting to do.

So, now the point of this post. (And you thought from the title this was going to be more than a stream of consciousness!) I have been talking about writing forever. However, successful writers all have one thing in common. They write. I'm done talking, I'm writing. I'm not quite sure how this will take shape, but I have a lot I want to share, so this will be a journey of discovery for me, and hopefully some entertainment for you, my readers.

Welcome, as we together navigate the babbling brook, or rushing river, that is life.