Skinks For Lisa

Today is my dear friend Lisa's birthday and I hope it's filled with all the things she loves most in the world.

For you, honey. First, the skink we all know; look at the blue in his tail. Gorgeous.



And, the skink I discovered this spring, and am trying hard to love. Aren't they prehistoric? Itty bitty dinosaurs that stalk the garden.



As Britt would say "here leeezard, leezard..."

This Is What Is

Since Britt was killed, April and May have been hard. The anniversary of her death followed so closely by Mother's Day is a one-two sucker punch from the universe. I think about karma, and wonder what I am supposed to be working out. Where is the lesson? What is the lesson? I think about reincarnation and wonder what I could possibly have gotten wrong before that this is the answer to getting it right. I think about unanswered prayers and I wonder why it's surprises anyone that it's just easier to let go and not believe in anything anymore.

Every day is a colossal effort. Get up. Get dressed. Go to work. Focus. Be anywhere but inside your head. Smile. Maintain. Carry on. When people say 'Hi! How are you?' Say 'Fine, thanks! You?' Do not say 'Angry.' Do not say 'Losing my mind.' Do not say 'Have you lost your mind?!' Above all, do not say 'My heart is breaking a thousand times a day.' 'Fine, thanks! You?' is just easier for everyone. Because this is what is. She is gone and she is not coming back and there are countless, numberless days to manage.

There are gardens to plant and rooms to tidy. Laundry and dishes and floors that need attention. Decisions to make and plans to follow and all the flotsam and jetsam of life that continues to accumulate...regardless. And, June is coming.

A Short Announcement

You may or may not have noticed, but in the last few weeks there has been a lot of comment-spam here. In an effort to reduce it, I have enabled the word-verification feature on posts. I apologize for the inconvenience (my eyes aren't what they used to be, either) and hope you'll keep chiming in.