“I am thankful that I didn’t wake up blind this morning as I did on November 28, 2012. Life goes on and isn’t that the greatest blessing of them all?” — Sister Rain  

I recently wrote about my mom-in-law’s best friend, “She Left Us Her Best”. And now it’s time to tell you about my dad-in-law’s counterpart. David was my dad-in-law’s best friend for 40 years. He was the first call my husband made when his dad died during an outpatient heart procedure….

As we pulled into the Philadelphia parking garage for some testing at Wills Eye Hospital, the old familiar anxiousness surged through ever fiber of my being. There was no reason for it, the feeling, there would be no results, scary or otherwise, we were on a fact-finding mission. Yet I…

“The best prices on kitchen products can be found in the back of your cabinets. In box, never used, mint condition. Possibly antique or “vintage”. Free. I like to think of it as ‘mebay’”.  

“Life can slow us down when it thinks we’re moving too fast, forcing us to see things differently. Notice I said slow not stop.” —- Sister Rain  

We all have had to put the past behind us in order to move on with a new normal. Seven years since my vision loss, I have realized that even when we stop looking back and focus on the future, what came before is still with us. The distance between then and…

“The clock is either for you or against you.” — an announcer during a football game It’s Monday. Try to catch everything that’s thrown at you. Run like hell. When necessary, take a timeout. Monday Night Football GO HAWKS  

“You can hide from the world, but the people who love you will always find you.” — Sister Rain

“The love changes us more than the loss. It’s so very difficult to remember this but so very important that we do. It just may be the key to survival.” — Sister Rain  

We have all seen photos of people where there’s a black bar across their eyes to protect their identity. Our eyes show the world who we are. When I just saw one such picture, I had the thought that my eyes have a black bar of sorts across them from…

  If I eat a chocolate chip muffin while wearing a Hershey’s KISS costume, does that make me a cannibal?

What is it about a takeaway coffee cup? Expensive and environmentally unfriendly. The baby bottle of adults. Holding one evokes thoughts of yoga pants, entrepreneurs and baristas who become friends. Community. So much better than your favorite mug at home. Rainy days. “You’ve Got Mail”. Seattle. Paparazzi. As if anyone’s looking…

As you read this, where are your shoulders? I’m guessing up around your ears where most of us find them. I’ve noticed lately while sitting with Piper, our parrot, or watching TV that my shoulders are in the locked and upright position, or should I say uptight, position. I catch…

Step 1: Find miracle workers   √ Step 2: Believe   half-√     * Quote author unknown  

I started this blog in 2010 when I was searching for a job during the country’s financial crisis. Back then, it was drilled into us that “It’s who you know” that will land you your next position. Recently I have realized that this doesn’t only apply to finding employment, it pertains…

Going out into our backyard to our trash cans around 9 p.m. one evening, it occurred to me that if I did not know the time I might have thought it was early morning before the sun came up. Any car noise was muted behind our house so that was…

  “I can lose that chapstick four times in one day, Tom.”  

My mom was a t-shirt and shorts or jeans kind of woman until her death at 79 and I have followed in her fashion footsteps. When she left this earth she left behind many tees proclaiming her love of her favorite sports teams, Ocean City, New Jersey and this country….

“None of us go to bed thinking that we won’t wake up in the morning. No matter what is on our calendar for tomorrow, those seconds before sleep are the most hopeful of our lives.” — Sister Rain    

One out of five people ask me if I can drive when they first learn that I’m legally blind and every time they ask, it’s like they slapped me. I don’t let them see my reaction, but my visceral response takes all my power not to flinch. Is this the…

We all want R-E-S-P-E-C-T. But there’s something else I have been thinking a lot about lately: E-X-P-E-C-T. It’s a tricky word and one we don’t discuss. We aren’t supposed to openly expect things from others, from life, but instead be a gracious receiver of whatever comes our way. When it…

I’m halfway through the book I’m reading, the latest by one of my favorite authors, and I have found the main character aggravating from the start. I considered giving up after a few chapters but I love this writer so much, I can’t bail on her or her track record. This…

The new season of one of my favorite shows started last week. I had saved the final episode of the previous season to remind myself what is going on before watching this premiere. That old episode had aired on February 28th. It struck me that so many big things have happened…

Like all 13-year-old boys, when his mom wants to take his picture, Piper wants to bolt.  

When my mother-in-law died eight weeks ago, she left a handful of close friends behind, who have always been like family to us “kids”. Her best friend of 65 years, J, was with us the week between mom’s massive stroke and her death. She had found mom in her bed…

I am taking care of my neighbor’s outside cat and every night around 8 o’clock I sit on the porch with her while she has a bedtime snack and headbutts me for loving. I have lived in this place for over 25 years but never sit out front at night….

“Are you still mad?”, the Uber driver said, when I told him about my vision loss. I have never been asked this and i knee-jerk replied, “Not any more.” I thought about it and realized I was never mad. I was sad and lost but never angry. I wonder why I wasn’t?…

Two months after foot surgery, this morning I returned to the exercise bike. It was like sitting down to my first meal with my new dentures. If the meal was deep-fried tarantulas, that is.  

“I wouldn’t wish my visual impairment on my worst enemy. But I would wish it on someone with no sight. There’s always someone with less than you. It’s not easy to see sometimes, but it’s there. That’s the thing about the truth.” — Sister Rain  

When I got sick as a child, my mom had a saying, “You always feel worse at night”. As I made my way through life, this Momism applied to so many things. Teenage relationships, both with girls and guys, the night before an exam, then job interviews as I moved…

Within a few months of each other, two different adult men have told me they would kill themselves if they ever became visually impaired. What the hell do you do with that? Friends say that I handle people’s reactions to my delivering the status of my sight with grace. The responses…

  Life goes on. It has to. But the day after our world changes forever, it sure feels like it shouldn’t.  

When my mom passed away, I kept anything I thought I may want, with the thought that I would go through the items when emotions weren’t running so high. I would lose my sight a few months later and the bin stayed closed until a few months ago. Mostly paperwork,…

Living 35 miles outside of Philadelphia, my hometown is not a booming metropolis. However, when I go to Lancaster or the mountains (which is generic for remote areas west of us, mostly wooded with big hills and lakes, a generic term used here like the beach being called “the shore”),…

My husband was going to take me to a doctor’s appointment and texted me to let me know he’d be home from work at 2:00 p.m. to pick me up. My appointment was at 1:00. I let him know and he came and got me at the correct time. In…

I no longer wonder about the amount of major challenges someone must go through while here on earth. What I have been asking myself, however, given the events of the last month, is how much kindness can one person receive in the course of her life? My closest friends are…

As we visit my mom-in-law’s empty house since her very recent, sudden death, her things are everywhere as one would expect. Mom (G) had a lot of things. She was not a hoarder, but had many decorations, knicknacks are everywhere and the walls are filled with photos, quilts and other…

I recently heard a boat captain say that every night they plot the course for the next day and check the weather. Good advice for all of us. On land or sea.  

As I entered the hospital for outpatient surgery, I carried nothing with me. No phone, no purse, no jewelry, not even my wedding rings. It was an odd feeling to be just me, but not an unpleasant one. As I got dressed after the procedure, habit had me looking for…

While getting my stitches out two weeks after foot surgery, my husband and I received a call that his mom had suffered a massive stroke. A few hours later, we learned she would not survive. A week later, she was gone. She was vibrant and healthy and had more energy…

“I woke up blind without warning and live my life with very little sight. And yet foot surgery has shown me that there are still so many lessons left to learn.”   * DL = Disabled Lessons

When you dodge a proverbial bullet, there is usually some type of injury from the warning shots that were no doubt fired (how else would you know to duck/run/take cover?) and the intricate maneuvering you’ve had to perform to avoid being hit (without time for stretching) by a bad business deal,…

My husband has suddenly developed the habit of leaving empty water bottles all over the house. After the three stages of old-married-coupledom: 1) Ask, 2) Tell, 3) Yell, I thought perhaps a story was in order. After all, that’s how children learn. The text conversation went like this: Me: In “Sex…

I recently heard the familiar slogan, “Dance Like Nobody’s Watching”. I always thought that was good advice. Now, because of my vision loss, I am both more inside my head than I ever was (and I spent a lot of time in there when fully sighted), and also completely focused…

I usually spend one day a week writing this blog, fleshing our ideas I jot down as they come to me. When the day comes to post a particular draft, I read through it and often find myself making changes when I thought it was done and ready to go. It’s…

Our local police chief passed away suddenly at an unacceptable age, and his family organized a motorcade carrying his body through our community, giving the residents he served an opportunity to pay their respects. I was among the many who lined our streets and the gray day seemed appropriate for…

I use my mind’s eye more than ever as I live my life with very little sight. It occurred to me recently that perhaps my avid reading since childhood was preparing me for my vision loss. When I read now, with the help of my Merlin electronic magnifier, I see the characters,…

I have a 5” scar on my ankle, a rod and screws lie underneath. I have been incredibly lucky in that aside from somewhat limited flexibility, I suffer no ill effects from the three surgeries that made that scar almost 20 years ago. Weather doesn’t bother it and unless you…

My husband and I went out to breakfast on Father’s Day and the restaurant was crowded as you would expect. We were seated quickly but it took awhile for our server to arrive. She instantly and profusely apologized and I assured her we understood and not to worry about us….

  “When you find someone who puts the “companion” in companionable silence, offer them a safe and comfy place to perch and hope they never leave.”

It is 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning in a residential neighborhood. The sole figure in town walks purposefully up the steep hill, the final stretch of her 3-mile walk. She is sweating profusely despite the early hour, her seemingly solid plan of getting her workout done before the heat…

At the coffeehouse I frequent, a woman asked me to watch her MacBook while she went to the restroom. She had set her things up at a table across the room from where I sat and I could barely see her things. I would, however, be able to make out someone…

As my husband helped three men and three women tear down old and build new outside aviaries at the rescue from where we adopted Piper, our parrot, I stayed out of the way. There were a lot of moving parts and an equal amount on the ground, I didn’t want to…

“I hope that I live long enough to be cold in an air-conditioned restaurant.” — Sister Rain (aka Sweaty Betty)  

In the 20 years that we have been close friends we had never gone on a trip together, but a weekend getaway remedied that. It was a chance for us to talk uninterrupted by the needs of husbands, children, feathered and furry kids, work and household management responsibilities. The two decades…

When I walk near my home for exercise, I round the corner at a busy intersection. There are always cars stopped at the traffic light and the sidewalk is so close to the road that I could high-five a passenger if their window was down. I head for home after…

There’s full and then there’s leaving the restaurant, getting in the car, reaching down to unbutton and unzip your jeans so you can breathe, only to realize you are wearing pull-on, stretchy pants.  

As I sat for several hours waiting to see a doctor, I thought about how a place can change your life. You go in as one person and you leave as another. A line of demarcation that once crossed, you will not ever be the same again. This is never…

Our next-door neighbors had several parties last weekend and as I walked by an upstairs window, I could somewhat make out quite a few items strewn across their backyard lawn. I can’t see well enough to discern what it all was so I grabbed a pair of binoculars we keep…

At one of the companies I worked at for a dozen years, there was a cafeteria with daily hot meals, soup, salad bar and made-to-order sandwiches. It’s been years since I thought of it but recently I remembered my favorite lunch there, a skinny cheese sandwich. It consisted of two…

As documented on this site many times, I love me some American history. I am fortunate to live near Philadelphia and visited often as a child. It is where my grandparents lived their entire lives and my mom was born and raised there. The people and places that birthed this…

One of the things that can make me sad is the fact that I can’t see Piper’s beautiful colors. He is our peach-fronted conure, which is a type of parrot, and we adopted him from a rescue a mere three months before I woke up blind. I don’t really think…

  There are diehards and then there is my husband. He is a man of loyalty, conviction and commitment. And a girl’s just lucky to come in second.          

One of my favorite shows of all time, The Big Bang Theory, aired its final episode last week. My husband and I have watched the show since it first aired in 2007. We, of course, are not alone but there is a very special place in my heart for this…

“They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But what if you don’t like lemonade?” — Sister Rain

If you’ve ever stood on a beach looking at the ocean, listening to its waves pound and roar, you have no doubt experienced the feeling of smallness in the grand scheme of time and the universe. As I did just that recently, I was overcome by the sensation of the…

“The drama that a bride can experience when it comes to choosing her bridesmaids’ dresses is the perfect preparation for marriage. She learns to compromise, pick her battles and when necessary, throw a hissy fit.” — Sister Rain  

You have your own birthday on your iPhone calendar because: a) you are organized b) you are a narcissistic c) you are forgetful d) you think of your birthday the same way you think of your yearly mammogram and GYN appointment  

An electrician came to my house to fix my washing machine, and as my husband walked him to the door after the work was done, the gentleman noticed Piper, our parrot. He asked to take a closer look at the feathered Lord of the Manor, telling us his grandmother had…

Hopefully you have some wonderful dreams, both those that appear seemingly out of nowhere in the dark of night and those you consciously create in your waking hours. Many of our dreams will remain just that, thoughts that we conjure up from time to time to take ourselves out of our…

Piper is molting. It’s the time of year when he loses old feathers and new ones come in. When he sheds a feather, it doesn’t hurt him. It’s similar to when our hair falls out. The incoming features are a different story. They don’t cause him pain but it can…

As I entered the Apple store, I expected my iPhone to light up and start vibrating. I had this vision of all the devices there welcoming my 6+ back to the Mother Ship, communicating with it a la the Furbies of the late 90’s. All was silent though and as I…

I hate working out. Hate it. I don’t derive the euphoria that you hear about, but I do it 5-6 days a week because I know it’s good for me physically. As I mentioned in a recent post, I have been having a hard time emotionally since the beginning of…

“Scuff your shoes when you go out.” You have been gone 6 years, 10 months and 0 days and although I still find it incredibly difficult to think about you for more than a few minutes, you are with me in everything I do. As soon as my new shoes…

I woke up blind without warning at 47, at the point where getting older had started to change the way I looked at life. It was a double-whammy of sorts but in retrospect, what better time to have your world turned upside down than when you have just begun to…

If you could easily obtain one of the following, which would you choose? Which one do you need more than the others? Love Forgiveness Faith Patience Freedom Peace Strength Inspiration Understanding Confidence Healing We are all struggling with something. I certainly am. As I look over the list to consider…

Piper went through a lot in his first six years, at one point he was part of a family with three other parrots, then surrendered to a bird rescue caring for over 200 birds. He was hatched in Florida and lived in New Jersey and New York, and these are…

My husband and I watch House Hunters International together and always try to guess which house the buyers will choose of the three they are shown. In a recent episode, the husband wanted the property on Mars, the wife preferring the one on Venus. My Martian and I were in…

I recently discovered that my great-great-grandfather served in the Civil War and although he was not at Gettysburg, his brother was. My two-times-great-uncle’s name is listed on a plaque affixed to the base of the Pennsylvania monument located on the Gettysburg battlefield, along with his regiment and all the men…

“If you are an avid reader, each book on your shelf is a chapter in your biography. And what better way to show the word who you are?” — Sister Rain  

“Morning’s bad, nighttime’s worse It’s usually front, not back. An unexpected knock on either door always gives me a heart attack.” — Sister Rain  

Ladies, have you ever had a tender spot for a guy your parents would hate, a rule breaker, perhaps wearing a leather jacket, smoking a cig, hair greased back, riding a motorcycle? I entered the dating world in the 80’s but obviously I’ve seen Grease one too many times. Whatever…

“While it’s true there are things you never forget how to do, learning how to do them in a whole new way can be daunting and exhausting. But once you figure it out, the freedom and feeling of the wind in your hair is worth it.” —- Sister Rain  

For as long as there’s been daily life technology, computers and other devices, every software update can make you feel like you’re learning a new language when only hours before you were fluent. And getting a new cell phone or tablet, the transfer of power, and let’s make no mistake about…

“When we stop comparing ourselves to yesterday, the possibilities for today are endless.” — Sister Rain  

“If I have to be studied, I’d rather it be while I’m sleeping than while I’m awake.” —- Sister Rain

My best friend and I each spent Sunday with our moms, she hosting a surprise 80th birthday party, me going through the bin of things I kept when mine passed away six years ago at the age of 79. When I had to quickly clear out her things from her home…

We’ve all heard the question: If you could have dinner with three people, living or dead, who would they be? I was recently asked this and I had a thought: What if the three were all yourself, at different ages? The fourth person would be you at your current age and…

If you share your life with a feathered or furry soul, you’ve probably wondered what they are up to when you’re not home. Cams aren’t just for nannies anymore, so if inclined, you can easily find out. Of course I wonder, but I’ve never taken advantage of the technology. For…

In those early hours, long before the alarm setting, in the first seconds of consciousness, thoughts bubble to the surface, reaching a boiling point more quickly than the fastest tea kettle. It’s seems that every worry, fear and task we have to accomplish the rest of our life waits for…

As I rode the exercise bike, I looked out the window and was shocked that the neighbor’s yard was covered in snow. It was not forecasted and none of my friends had mentioned the overnight snowfall in their morning texts. A few seconds went by, then I realized that it wasn’t…

My in-laws were best friends with another couple, Mr. and Mrs. M, raising their families together and traveling as a foursome once their children were grown. My father-in-law died suddenly a few years ago, and last week Mrs. M passed away after a lengthy illness. Although they are both in…

What is the thing that you do to an intense level? Whatever it is, I’ll bet your friends and family tease you about it. In my case, my passion for organization and my ability to remember an apparently unusual amount of the last 30 years are the cause of the…

While waiting at the grocery store deli, I asked my husband how far down the produce aisle the carrots were located. It’s difficult for me to find items on a shelf due to my impaired vision, the lack of clarity and color making locating a can or package equal to…

“When it comes to decorating your home, if it brings you joy every time you look at it, it is ALWAYS the right choice.” — Sister Rain   *** Whale Tissue Box Cover available here  

At the orthopedist’s office, I first met with an athletic trainer who was spending a few weeks there for the purpose of his continuing education. We discussed the issue I was having in both shoulders and reviewed prior bone and their accessories’ problems I’ve had in the past. As I…

pI was born and raised in a smallish town, 40 miles outside of Philadelphia. Everyone else who shares my DNA is from that city, I am the only country acorn in the family tree. Although my mom lived more than half of her life in the ‘burbs, she never stopped…

For me, this week brought March and a cold, one the lion and one causing me to lie down, proving once again that two roars don’t make a right.    

As I’ve shared with you many times, my husband and I are opposites in how we look at things, think about and approach them. One of the lighter differences is the way we drink our coffee. I like mine extra hot, as soon as it turns warm, it’s too cold…

I went to pick up a purse I ordered online at a mall department store and when I arrived at the courtesy desk, I pulled up the email that had alerted me the handbag was ready. I had a heck of a time locating the bar code within the message and…

It’s fascinating to me how one area of the country can be experiencing a snowstorm or other severe weather conditions, while other states have clear radar and clear skies. My wondrous interest can be directly connected to my lack of scientific knowledge, despite The Weather Channel being the background noise…

Fear. A four-letter word if I ever saw one. Yes, even a blind girl sees fear. For all of us, fear lies beneath the surface, waiting for the moment it can make its violent attack and grab us with its pointy, unforgiving teeth, shake us until we don’t know which…

I have never held up a lighter at his concert. I have never cheered him on in the bottom of the 9th. I have never celebrated his Super Bowl win. But I cannot tell a lie: Wearing this t-shirt, purchased recently at Mount Vernon, really floats my boat . ….

Last Friday, while at lunch with my friend, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to find an elderly gentleman at the table behind me handing me something as he said, “Happy Valentine’s Day”. We were close enough that I could tell that he was probably in his…

“Art is hard. But it’s important.” —- reply by a Michael’s framing associate to a customer’s apology for taking a long time to choose a frame.  Have you ever agonized over how to perfectly present a photo or other image in your home? I’ll bet you have, me too! Art…

“When you shut down, board the windows and lock the door, you prevent others from exploring, enjoying and learning about and from you. And chances are they’ve travelled a long way through all sorts of weather to do just that.” —- Sister Rain World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock Sugarcreek, Ohio November 2018: Closed for…

Walmart is a black or white place. Before you call the NAACP, what I mean is that you either love Walmart or you hate it. My husband and I love the prices and do the bulk of our grocery shopping there each week. Never my favorite chore, since my vision…

As I got ready one morning to tour a manufacturing facility with my friend (see Craftmanufacturingship), I thought about what the experience would be like. I’ve always been a planner, but since losing my vision I find I’ve taken it to a whole other level. I’m always thinking ahead in…

If Heaven does exist, it will have a coffeehouse, where my dear friend and I will go together to work and laugh. There’s no such thing as too much coffee or time spent with friends. Even in eternity.

Today is February 1st and Santa has a deep, dark tan by now. We keep our tree and decorations up until about this time each year, enjoying them as winter truly takes hold and the stress of the season has left us and our wallets. As I put the holiday…

Since I lost my vision, paperwork I would have filed has accumulated in a box. Not paid bills or medical documents or anything important, those were put away by my husband. I’m talking about receipts for large purchases, owner’s manuals, all the printed material we keep for reference or proof…

“Your future can seem insurmountable. Until you stop and recognize that you’ve already done the impossible.“ —- Sister Rain  

“Don’t sweat the small stuff. Love it. Appreciate it. If it weren’t for the small stuff, the big stuff would not be possible.” —- Sister Rain  

Would you rather be acknowledged for your “usual competence” or your “unusual competence”? The former, of course, right? It’s great when your abilities have a good reputation. The latter is just plain insulting. Exploring this a little further, though, with some sort of competence (hopefully), would you rather be underestimated…

One of the most difficult of many, many things to wrap my head around on September 11th was the fact that the Towers had people in them. Of course I know there were people in those buildings. I just could not conceive of the amount of people on each floor,…

“Words can hurt. But they can also heal. Let’s all play doctor more often and be sure to practice on ourselves.“ —- Sister Rain

While at the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio, my husband, nephew and I entered a theater to experience their A Game For Life exhibit. With holographic images and 360-degree sound, we learned how great the odds are to make the Hall of Fame, direct from football legends themselves. It quickly became…

“A hoodie keeps daddy’s head warm and is a fun place for Piper to perch. Sometimes you’ve got to use what you have in new and creative ways.” —- Sister Rain

It has been awhile since I’ve toured a manufacturing facility. During my corporate career I’d spent a considerable amount of time on a production floor, my marketing positions requiring trips out into “the plant”. I was a tour guide at one company, showing visitors the process of making ceramic tile. This…

“The people we remember for doing great things are those who feel obligated to share their ideas and inventions. Could success be as easily explained as that?” —- Sister Rain  

Over the holiday I spoke with a man who is enrolled in a master’s program and he told me that it will be five and a half years until he graduates. “You do it to learn, not to finish,” he explained. We’ve all heard the expression, “It’s all about the journey,…

Sitting in a doctor’s office waiting room, I paged through a magazine more out of habit than the ability to see to read it. A large, bold title, “Death By Yogurt” caught my eye and I showed it to my husband, joking that this was obviously an issue for the…

This morning, I woke up to light after what seemed like a lifetime of darkness. I couldn’t believe it, it must be a dream. Everything looked different and I felt like my life was starting anew, way beyond the day 2 of a new year. My limitations were gone, my…

It’s not original content but I couldn’t help myself. By what name would I call you If you were indeed an elf? —- Candy PeppermintBuns  

Life goes on. It’s the only thing I know for sure. You leave the hospital after holding your dad’s hand as he took his last breath and people you pass on the road have just picked up a pizza for dinner or are on their way to meet friends to celebrate…

While test driving a potential new vehicle, the salesman, seated in the back, explained that we would be taking the approved test drive route and directed my husband accordingly. Varied enough to get a feel for how the automobile handles in different situations, we got a little hill and highway,…

This time of year is . . . A lot of things. Well, it’s supposed to be anyway. For spending time with people you care about. For giving. For counting the blessings of a year almost over. For looking forward to a clean slate, a new twelve months full of promise….

I hope I’ll still have my very own teeth And be the very same husband’s wife But the one thing I wonder more than the rest: Will my cell number be with me for life? —- Sister Rain  

Grousing about how difficult returning to my daily neighborhood walks has been after a foot injury sidelined me for a few months, my husband suggested I take this particular day off and go the next since I had gone the day before. “The only way it gets easier is to…

What types of ornaments do you put on your tree? Elegant glass globes of red and gold? Balls in all the holiday colors? Maybe you have inherited your family’s heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps there is a theme: the Peanuts gang, beautifully feathered birds or only handmade creations….

You would think I would miss my mom most when at the beach, toes in the sand, waves crashing, or when in my car where she took up residence in my passenger seat in 1981 when I got my license. But I miss her most at noon during the week when…

“Your life can change in an instant without warning. You brush your teeth for fifty years, then one morning, toothpaste makes you gag.” —- Sister Rain  

This little guy was my only purpose when I got out of the hospital six years ago, finding myself blind without warning. Driving, my career, my ability to do just about everything as I always did was gone. Three months into his adoption from a bird rescue, Piper needed a full-time…

Today is six years since I woke up blind. Today is one year since I flew to Germany, my return to air travel after five years. Today I celebrate the anniversary of my trip to Europe, not my fall into darkness. “It’s not always easy to see the glass half…

My intent on this site is to post original content but sometimes I am compelled to share something I’ve learned. Today is one of those days. Thyroid cancer has doubled since the 1970s according to a segment on Dr. Oz’s show; click here to read the full article. But since you’re…

I make my nana’s recipe for filling. She never wrote it down, of course, but I learned by watching and helping her from the time I was a little girl. The first step is setting bread out to get stale for a few days prior to the Big Day. We were…

As I arrived at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on an ugly, grey-skied day, I made myself focus on who I was there to remember, who I was there to honor. Our car had been experiencing difficulties the entire four hundred mile road trip and it had just failed to…

“When your life is turned upside down, somehow the rest of the world remains rooted and upright. You must fight to find a way to stand tall again. And then the real work begins as you learn to see that world with new eyes.” —- Sister Rain  

Piper, our rescue parrot, is the most independent being I have ever met. Since we adopted him six years ago, I have tried to get him to allow me to cup him in my hands and hold him to my chest as I was able to do with our first…

Congressman-Elect and former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw tells us what veterans still need. Instead of saying, “Thank you for your service”, he suggests we say “never forget.” “We will never forget the sacrifices made by veterans past and present, and never forget those we lost on 9/11.” The calendar shows it…

My husband and I were watching football at a bar in New York City yesterday and I thought how much fun our nephew who is 13 would have had. Obviously, the bouncer at the door would feel differently as would the state of New York but it was such a…

My closest friends and I share everything, from the minutia of our day to larger issues we are facing at home or at the office. As I read articles this morning about the most recent shooting at the bar in California, I thought about the fact that we don’t really talk…

Salads. Nachos. I placed the order or made them myself, so I know the ingredients. And yet, every bite is a mystery when you can’t see what’s on your fork, unknown to me until the taste explodes on my tongue or my teeth make contact with texture. The delicious creation…

Friday night before 11 p.m. we had a tornado warning. I can’t remember ever receiving such an alert. There have been watches over the years, but less than twenty that I can recall in my lifetime. It was hard not to be paralyzed by fear as we made preparations to seek…

Starting a new professional endeavor as a realtor, a friend was given her first assignment: send one hundred mailers to her own personal contacts announcing her arrival into the real estate world. Of course, a small amount of vetting was required; she didn’t include her elderly aunt and uncle who…

“Getting measured for a bra is like waking up blind. It’s terrifying, shocking, carries a large degree of denial and makes you question everything you thought you knew about yourself and life.” —- Sister Rain  

It’s fascinating to me that we are able to live our lives without something we have lost and not feel the effects every second of every day. Of course a fresh wound is a different story, it requires a long recovery before even developing a scab, followed by it being…

Mammogram, g-y-n, dental and eye Tests and exams every year Time consuming and bothersome, always Some come with a level of fear. But nothing compares to one day each fall: Piper’s annual trip to the vet His well-check appointment is nerve-wracking to us His daddy’s and my palms start to…

I recently heard a reputable medical professional say that the human body is built to work for only 40 years. That explains why on the morning of that auspicious birthday, suddenly your knees crack, your lower back sings and you are exhausted from getting up multiple times during the night…

”That’s the thing about travel. It makes the globe feel so big and your own world feel so small.” —-  Sister Rain    

Cameras are everywhere these days. Everyone’s phones, traffic, web, surveillance, security and elevator cams capture our every move. Big Brother is watching . . . but so are the actual people in the footage with us. Much like a child we try so hard not to swear in front of,…

The bottom of my foot. My thumb. Twice. My knee. The top of my foot. Twice. If cortisone shots were tattoos, I’d be the hippest visually impaired wife, bird mom, friend and blogger in all the land.

I never really loved my house. We moved in a month before we were married and it was what we could afford at the time. My husband technically lived with his parents after graduating from college the year before we met, although not long after our first date, ironically, blind,…

Someone recently told me I couldn’t possibly be legally blind because my eyes don’t look dead. I was appalled, offended and shocked. I could have used the opportunity to educate or fire back an angry retort. Instead, my undead eyes just stared at them. Even seeing the words come out…

We post the happiest pictures on Instagram: everyone smiling, at interesting places, having a great time. We publish wonderful sentiments about people, events and occasions on Facebook. We Tweet about rainbows and unicorns in 280 characters or less. We are all loving life . . . and each other. At…

“I’m visually impaired and never see straight so it’s hard to know if I’m mad, drunk or awake.” —- Sister Rain  

Five years ago today my husband, in his mid-forties, was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. There were discussions of a heart transplant. Eleven months prior, I woke up without my sight. A little cane back, not much, and I miss it every day. This morning my healthy husband lays sleeping…

We are redoing our home office so I have been cleaning out the old to make way for the new. I spent some time this morning going through some papers using my Merlin electronic magnifyer, including the cards I received when my mom died. The plan was to keep just a…

My husband’s beloved Seattle Seahawks played the Arizona Cardinals yesterday. As we watched the game all I kept thinking about was the relationship between the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald and the recently passed Senator John McCain. Dear husband, I was, of course, intensely focused on the game as well. In case you don’t…

“When you know with every fiber of your being that you’re doing the right thing, don’t let anyone unravel you until you are left threadbare and wrong.” —- Sister Rain  

We all spend time “between”: between jobs, relationships, meals, hair appointments, books, and the dreaded rock and a hard place, to name a few. These instances are at once before and after, so different from everything else in our life that is either one or the other. There is a guarantee…

“When the score is 27-1, not in your favor, there is plenty of time for introspection.” — Sister Rain  

This is what it looks like before the blog is written. White. Empty. Daunting. I usually don’t even log on until I am ready to put finger to keyboard because staring at a blank space waiting for my creativity to happen is depressing and frustrating, causing my head to fill…

What is it about the eyes of our feathered and furried friends? They seem to hold the secrets of the universe, old souls with wisdom we humans can’t begin to comprehend. Moments before this picture was taken, Piper was throwing his toys off the table then squawking until his mommy…

“The rain came. It came down hard. I had no choice but to close the windows.” —- Sister Rain  

The new cast of Dancing with the Stars has been announced. Don’t know the difference between a paso doble and Viennese waltz? No problem. Stay with me anyway. One of the contestants this season is Danelle Umstead, an alpine skier. I became familiar with Danelle when I was riveted to…

“It is through the kindness shown to us by others that we can learn to be kind to ourself.” —- Sister Rain  

I had this dream on Saturday morning. I don’t blame you if you stop coming around after this. I’m thinking of avoiding this site myself! ************************** I meet a friend’s girlfriend at our local library. At this point in the dream I can drive but it comes out later I’m…

I recently got together with an old colleague I had not seen in over fifteen years. She was aware of my vision loss as she’s in touch with a mutual friend. We had a great time catching up and at the end of the night, in her ultra-direct manner, she…

Choosing a paint color can be tricky for anyone. Not all of us have the designer gene, but if we are lucky, we know what we like, how we want our home to represent us and what brings us joy. My husband is color blind and I don’t really see…

Piper It is as if my heart has left my body and is now encased in mischief, gentleness and feathers. And where it once beat inside me, there is a cavern that expands and contracts with love. — Sister Rain  

I am reading a book and its main character, a woman in her thirties, often flashes back to her teen years. During those remembrances, she speaks of a good luck charm she always carried with her, the chamois bag that held it safety pinned inside her pants. At night, it…

If your next-door neighbors cut down three trees at 7 a.m. do you hear it? Dam right you do.  

While cleaning out the bathroom closet, I came across a box that I instantly recognized. It held a few pairs of contacts, the last of their kind that I had never gotten to wear once my sight became impaired. They had a long expiration date on them at the time,…

When Your Mommy Is Sister Rain   OUTTAKES FROM THE PHOTO SHOOT Sometimes you have to bribe the talent with a treat inside one of the props!  

I was talking with someone the other day who is dealing with a new loss. They told me they had read somewhere to ask yourself the following question to help put things into perspective. I will use my mom’s death and my vision loss to demonstrate: If I knew I…

My nephew qualified for the next round of a home run hitting contest and my husband and I went to cheer him on. He’s a good ball player but he is not ever going to be the next Hank Aaron. He knows it, his parents know it, his biggest fans,…

Upon finding out that I have a bird, the first thing people ask is, “Does he talk?” This always bothers me because there is so much more to Piper and his brethren in feathers than their being able to speak our language. After receiving this fortune in my cookie, my standard response…

Although no longer in corporate America, many of the behaviors I employed during that chapter of my life are still a part of my daily routine. Truth be told, they have been with me since childhood: to-do lists, self-imposed deadlines, planning and organizing. What I have found, however, is that…

Answer: Who is Sister Rain? My gifted gift-giver friend gave me an Echo last Christmas. She also sells seashells by the seashore. Alexa has become a great addition to the family. I have yet to explore all her many features but I use her for common requests on a daily…

“Sometimes when I’m home I realize I haven’t pulled my yoga pants up all the way to my waist and I wonder, Am I that lazy? Have I completely given up? And then I assure myself those questions are ridiculous. After all, I AM wearing pants.” — Sister Rain  

My visual impairment causes the world to appear muted and dim, lacking in detail and color. My memories, as well as my dreams, however, are bright and clear. Both the internal slideshow of my past and my nocturnal images are vivid and crisp and it’s always a surprise to me…

Like all me, Piper is fascinated by the wonders of the contents of a woman’s purse.  

“If I had to choose between the past coming back to haunt me and a ghost, the ghost wins. Every time.” —- Sister Rain  

These days, most of our matches are made via the Internet. From home decor to clothes to jobs, travel locations to restaurants, blogs to people, you enter your criteria and with a light press of one key, you are presented with a selection of possibilities to meet your needs. Although…

I am tired and overwhelmed at the start of this week and trying very hard to assure myself this means there is nowhere to go but up. It was a busy weekend with the normal errands and chores, plus home improvement projects long overdue. We also needed a new car…

We have been sprucing up some rooms in our house. It’s all cosmetic work as the only thing my husband and I have ever “contracted” is along the lines of congestive heart failure and visual impairment, respectively. The bathroom was the first to be completed and I could not be more…

Somebirdy in this family was hatched from a shell And it wasn’t his mom or his dad So why are they the ones sleeping On an egg carton mattress pad?  

Friends are with us through all the genres of our biographies: mystery, romance, drama, satire, action and adventure, health, travel, horror, children, history, comics, cooking and fantasy. I share all subject matter with several fantastic women, all major characters, both literaturely and figuratively, in my non-fictional life.  There are  also…

As he reached the summit of Mt. Sofa, Piper couldn’t believe how easy the climb had been. He had never scaled the black behemoth before but had been studying it for six years. He had been hesitant to take the first step, not sure where to start or if he…

We recently purchased this canvas print of Monument Valley, Utah, a destination stop on the last vacation my husband and I took six weeks before my vision became impaired. It is a beautiful piece of art and represents so much. Travel is the last holdout in my healing process; I still…

“This too shall pass” is a common truism offered when going through a difficult time, both to others and to ourselves. It really does apply to most situations, though when in the thick of it your heart wins over your head every time. If we can somehow hold on to…

How many people do you talk to on a weekday morning? Ten? Twenty? On a typical day, my number is 1.5. That’s one and a half, not fifteen. And you’d think the half is my parrot, Piper, when it’s really my husband, who is not much for chitchat before he…

“Whoever coined the phrase ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’ never had to blow dry their hair in an unairconditioned bathroom in 100% humidity.” —- Sister Rain  

I was a Girl Scout when I was a young girl. I remember coming home from elementary school and telling my mom I wanted to join my friends on Monday nights in the basement of the Lutheran Church in town, learning campfire songs I still know to this day and…

“Although my present shows itself to me in static, disconnected dots, so muted that color cannot get in, the dreams for my future are more vivid than they ever were when I was fully-sighted.“ —- Sister Rain  

“I am second-generation American, my grandparents from South and Central America.  I was hatched in Florida and moved to New York where I was surrendered to a bird rescue in New Jersey by a family who could no longer afford to keep me. After two years, I was adopted by my…

As I walk my neighborhood on Monday morning, I see no one nor houses where it looks like anyone is home. What I do see, even with my limited vision, are bags set out by the curb for trash pick up, full of lawn clippings, branches and weeds. The manicured…

It brings me joy to find the right gift for the special people in my life. Anything I come by, though, is no match for the happiness they bring me every day. There is one special someone in my life whose use of the things I’ve chosen on their behalf makes…

We are supposed to live in the present. Being stuck in the past isn’t healthy or what life is about and nothing about tomorrow is guaranteed. All we have is this moment. But what if you are creating something that will be your future, a passionate endeavor that requires a lot…

People’s reactions to my informing them that I am visually impaired has been one of the greatest surprises of my life. You cannot tell by looking at me: I am able to enact eye contact fairly well, I walk unassisted unless in difficult terrain and my eyes move the way…

I’ve always been a tomboy, my older-by-eight-years brother’s hand-me-down toys some of my favorites. G.I. Joe went on as many, if not more, adventures than Malibu Barbie and Suntan Ken did. Surprisingly, though, I never went fishing, as many of the kids I grew up with did and seems the…

“I knew we had crossed a line when my husband started referring to me, Alexa and Siri as his sister wives.” — Sister Rain  

Amy C. My first overnight at a friend’s house that couldn’t be seen from my own. It was 7th grade, my first year in junior high, when your world explodes beyond the fifty kids you’ve known since kindergarten. I don’t recall what her mom made us for dinner but I…

“There is so much more to being a dad than DNA. Including being a safe place to land.” HAPPY FATHER,S DAY!!! —- Piper    

Recently I’ve heard about a lot of couples sleeping in separate beds for the sole purpose of them both getting a good night’s sleep. Personally, I think it’s not a bad idea and it hasn’t been implemented here primarily because we don’t have another bed and the futon in our…

When I meet someone going through a rough time, or a person in my life is struggling, I want to help by offering some of the things I have learned since the within-five-months’ losses of my mom and my vision. But lately I have begun to worry: When does passionate…

I had been in the hospital two days when the decision to operate came quickly on a Friday night. I had not yet eaten dinner and lunch had been about six hours earlier. The skin abscess was not improving and the staph infection was so desperate to leave my body…

As much as I love to read, I have begun to obsess about long chapters. I don’t like them. And I don’t know why.  Reading, to me, is both the desire to never have the story end, to not lose the characters you have invested time and interest in, and also…

“It’s not the actual wound that’s the challenge. It’s the healing.” — Sister Rain  

It is the most common form of identification, accepted everywhere and other than our phones, the item we are sure to always have with us. It proves to the world that we are who we say we are and represents freedom and independence as it serves as the legal document…

I had been so looking forward to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, planning a morning in bed with my iPad and coffee. But three days before the royal nuptials, I was admitted into the hospital with a serious infection. And on the evening before the Big Day,…

I spent the night in pain with a new injury, feeling knife stabs every time I rolled over. This morning I woke up really angry about it, and tired, manifesting in an I don’t give a crap about anything attitude. I have written something other than this blog and connected with a…

During my senior year in high school I got on a plane for the first time, destination: Spain. Thirty years later, I vividly remember sitting at the kitchen table doing homework while my mom made dinner and mentioning to her that the trip had just been announced. I had no…

Pushing the cart through Walmart last Friday night, hearing the song “Hot Hot Hot” playing throughout the store, I was transported back to the deck of a cruise ship. My husband and I went on four voyages with friends in our twenties and thirties and the disparity of where I was now…

“Just because the original has us naked, crying, eating non-stop, going to the bathroom on ourselves, throwing up, looking like we spent way too much time in the bathtub and not remembering a minute of it doesn’t mean we should spend the rest of our birthdays in the same way.”…

“Life has a way of tossing you around like clothes in a dryer. But unlike my clean apparel, I never come out of it unwrinkled . . . or smelling better than when I went in.” — Sister Rain  

Do you love tracking packages? I do and I am obsessive about it. Once I get notification that an item has shipped I begin compulsively checking its progress. And once I see “Out For Delivery”, efforts are ramped up despite the fact that all I have to do is look…

I have been sharing my story and business plans with more and more people as I network and seek their expertise. And every single one of them has asked me why I don’t have a guide dog. I love animals and it is true I am eligible for a service…

I never understand when people say they can’t cook. Climbing high atop my kitchen step stool, rolling pin held high over my head for emphasis, I proclaim, “If you can read you can cook!” Oh, how the soufflés have fallen of late! A few recent first time tries turned into…

“The crippling sadness of letting go of the past is but a mere twinge compared to the paralyzing fear of what will take its place in the future. Do not give up. And one day you will find yourself standing fully in the present, full of nothing but gratitude.” —…

When you have a goal they say you should share it with people so that they can support you and hold you accountable when your own responsibility meter goes on the fritz. But once you put your plans out into the world, into the ears of others, things can get…

I’ve just finished all my annual check-ups and testing, a dozen check-ins at doctor’s offices and outpatient centers. I have been really surprised and disappointed by the receptionists’ reactions when they hand me a clipboard holding paperwork to be filled out and I inform them that I am legally blind and…

“I am one brain MRI away from finding out if my mother was, in fact, a bale of straw.” — Sister Rain  

Not long after I found myself with little vision I purchased some wooden letters from a store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They were the first name initials of my husband, our parrot, Piper, and our first bird, Cato, who was with us for fifteen years, and myself. My friend helped me…

Sometimes Piper reminds me of a guy in a bird suit. Sometimes Piper reminds me of a great bald eagle. Always Piper reminds me that when love comes and sits on your shoulder, you stop what you’re doing, you acknowledge it and you are grateful. You have no idea how long…

It’s difficult to know when you should stop preparing and when you should just jump in. Due diligence is always wise but sometimes the research and learning can go on and on and there seems to be new information around every corner, leading to even more questions. Is this really…

I decided to start my week by going to a local coffee house so I would have dedicated time to write and not be distracted by never-ending household chores. Fueled by a cappuccino and a warm blueberry muffin I jumped right into my work, subconsciously enjoying the unique sound of…

 “My blog is a dot-net yet its content is my life without one.” — Sister Rain  

Even though it snowed on Monday, I have started my spring cleaning, beginning with our window blinds. We have a total of four in the house and that is four too many. I use a cleaning rag and soapy water and wipe each slat, feeling my way from one end to…

Shame on you! This is a FAMILY blog!  

“Hope came in and my world shifted on its axis. I cannot allow her to seduce me. And yet I begged her to stay.” — Sister Rain  

I fell Monday night. I got up. This morning I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t have. Everything hurts and my knee is more colorful than the most beautiful rainbow I can no longer see. Which is how I fell. There wasn’t actually a rainbow but a small pile of snow. Which…

I was given this heart by my therapist. A number of them had been left in her waiting room and knowing I couldn’t see them there, she had chosen this one for me. The organization responsible for these hearts is The Peyton Heart Project, The name on mine is Sean Michael…

Trust. We have less of it these days and with good reason. Dangers have increased and we are much more aware of them then ever before. It’s necessary to be cautious but it’s incredibly sad that it has come to this. I remember an innocent time when we played with…

We are in the throes of our fourth nor’easter and I had this thought: just because you’ve weathered one storm doesn’t make the next one any easier. Yesterday I received the results of a skin biopsy I had done last Thursday. The four days between the test and the outcome…

. . . are for hiding under the covers. (Look closely and you’ll see bird feet and a beak!)   For Piper Fridays, click here.  

. . . feel as good as scratching an itch.   For Piper Mondays, click here.  

My nephew gave me this sign after he saw it while he was out shopping with my mother-in-law. When I opened the package, I was a bit confused. I knew he chose it for its literal meaning but I didn’t know why. But he reminded me that during our trip…

Several rooms in our house need painting. Badly. Neither my husband nor I have any experience in this DIY realm and have decided to start small with our bathroom. A tan color will go on the walls to match the existing tile and flooring and a green on the trim…

Don’t watch to be inspired. Watch for the elite athletes. Watch for the competition at the highest level. Don’t watch to be inspired. But you will see it everywhere.    

As children, a doll, a stuffed animal or imaginary friend provided us security and constant companionship as we braved the dark and the monster under the bed. As adults, we give up the emotional support tokens of our youth in preparation for becoming the comforter instead of the comfortee. I…

Due to the winter storm we had last Friday, my friend was unable to fly home to Philadelphia from the Caribbean. The plane departed the tropical locale on time, only to be diverted to Miami somewhere east of North Carolina. She finally arrived home last night. During those unexpected 48…

Piper, in direct opposition to his mom, loves the laundry bag. He gets so excited when he sees it. He always wants to sit on its side and has tolerated me setting him in on the top of the clean wash. He goes crazy with excitement when I dump the…

Some people believe there are no such thing as limits, others that there are limits but they can be pushed through and past. And there are those who believe in and allow limits to keep them stuck. I have been wondering about the fine line between empowering ourselves and knowing…

A dear friend recently experienced a devastating personal blow which initially ravaged her emotionally and mentally. Because of that, even the most mundane daily activities were almost impossible. I hope that you’ve never been in this situation but if you have you know exactly what I mean. Brushing your teeth…

I grow attached to my feathers, When they are attached to me, And when they molt* from my body, A hard habit to break it can be. It’s strange to be holding my feather, I’s not where it’s meant to belong, But I find myself preening it anyway, It’s nature…

“Backup” has become such a part of our world that we take it for granted. I first learned in 1988 the importance of backing up during a stressful marketing budget planning crunch at work, aided by my first computer, a Leading Edge. Thirty years later you would think it would…

Last week was an especially trying week with the only thing going right was that everything went wrong. Even the weekend was plagued by incidents. This morning, feeling heavy-hearted and stomach-sick over the disappearance of this blog last week as a result of an update, I got dressed. As I…

I go by our local hospital often and I always make sure I look towards it and think about the people inside. I was born in this hospital, have had several surgeries in its operating rooms, visited the emergency room for several minerare (minor to moderate) something-suddenly-came-ups. But is has…

I asked my husband for a plug adapter for the space heater I sometimes use in the bathroom and requested that he put it on my iPad which was charging on the dining room table. Hours later, I looked for the adapter on the table but it wasn’t there. Neither…

I have always capitalized the names of my contacts when entering them into my phone, starting with my first device back in the mid 90s. This has served me well since my vision loss when bigger and bolder is better for me to see with, my dear. But any time I…

I recently dreamt that I was throwing out the first pitch at a Major League Baseball game. And I was scared to death. Although I had impaired vision and couldn’t see the catcher, that wasn’t what terrified me. The fact that I had no idea what I was doing and…

“If my younger tomboy self, playing in the empty neighborhood lot with her friends, knew that forty-five years later she would be paying over $100 to have hot stones rubbed on her, she would have told the biggest kid in the group to throw stones at her.” — Sister Rain

My husband and I took our nephew to drive go carts at an indoor track. It was the younger of the two’s first time and he did great, beating his uncle’s time and leaving him in his dust twice. I LOVED to drive before my vision went on a one-way trip…

Do you have an old address book lying around somewhere? Perhaps it’s with your landline telephone, kept only because it’s cheaper to bundle it with your internet and TV cable than to do away with it, even though you never use it. I had to dust off my relic “Contacts”…

Trying to beat the impending snow, I headed out for my daily walk earlier than usual, as cars and school busses made their own morning treks. Bundled up like the Unabomber, constantly blowing my ever-running nose, eyes trained down on a sidewalk I can barely see, I found myself at…

On a rare night out for dinner, my husband and I found a place to sit in the restaurant’s lobby while we waited for a table. My husband reached towards the ottoman across from us and handed me a menu. He handed me a menu.  To look at.  I can’t…

Piper is a good eater but only when it comes to his birdie food: his blends of dried fruits and nuts and his oh so important pellets which provide him with critical nutrients. Since the day we brought him home from the rescue I chopped up fresh greens and made…

“I’m not sure how much more I can take but I’m sure I’m going to find out.” — Sister Rain  

Writing this blog, I am constantly on the hunt for material. Sometimes it’s an obvious idea but in other instances I find myself mining for a nugget hidden deep, waiting for discovery. I never stop searching and my husband and friends often recognize a viable gem when we are together…

After a difficult challenge my friend and I were discussing the next tough task coming our way. “We did what we did. We can do it.”, she said. That’s the great thing about accomplishments. They give you the strength and confidence to take on the next thing life throws at you….

What we believe about death shapes how we live our life. Whether we believe that when it’s over it’s over, that we will reunite with our loved ones for eternity or be reincarnated heavily influences our conduct and decisions every day. But does what we think about life have this…

  Piper ★★★★★ He can’t drive me but I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.  

Over the past week, I have had disastrous results after updating two different applications. As my friend J will quote me, “I love me some technology” comes out of my mouth and fingers often. I always have been a fan and the accessibility and connection to the world that my devices provide…

From Instagram of Carrie Green, Founder of the Female Entrepreneur Association, @iamcarriegreen.

“I’m so happy for you!” We always want the best for people, never more so than those we love. I am so fortunate to have great persons in my life with whom I have years of history, experiencing horrible times, wonderful times, and everything in between. It’s not realistic to…

In an article about someone who lost his leg in a car accident, the gentleman said “you are only as old as your amputation”. I understand what he means, for when your life changes so drastically everything is new. The way you do things is completely altered and although you…

Piper spends his days playing and hanging out with me, alternately causing chaos and commanding cuddles. I love when he sits with me while I read or watch TV, usually on my shoulder or hand, but sometimes burrowed in my hair up against the side of my neck. My favorite position…

Arriving at the international terminal of Philadelphia airport, I wore a Seattle Seahawks shirt. The night before, the Seahawks defeated the Eagles and I got into some good-natured back and forth with a young airport security guard. I continued on to Customs and after a brief wait I was guided…

. . . this makes winter a little more bearable: Secret, a three-year-old Australian Shepard, from Sioux City, Iowa loves sledding so much she will do it fifty times a day.  

I see a therapist every other week and in between sessions I keep a list of things I want to discuss with her. After the appointment, I move those items we covered down and add things as they come up for the next visit. After a few months had passed…

A wintry mix on a Monday afternoon What a way to begib the week There truly is only one way to go When things start out this bleak. — Sister Rain

Flying from Philadelphia to London, then on to Hamburg, Germany a month ago was exhausting. Don’t get me wrong for one second: the trip was incredibly wonderful and the return to air travel for me after five years was a true joy. Rich people problem’s I ain’t got and I…

“It is disturbing to me that it’s as easy to do something that can’t be undone as it is to do something that can.” — Sister Rain  

“If you don’t think the common cold can kill, you’ve never taken care of an allegedly grown man while he’s sick.” — Sister Rain  

Sitting down with a new book is a somewhat spiritual experience for me. There is joy and excitement and great reverence for the author. The journey from thoughts and ideas to a published book that strangers will buy or borrow from their library and hold in their hands all around…

As I write this final blog of 2017, I’m feeling like Piper. Not quite ready to turn my back on this current year nor ready to face 2018 straight on. This is always an odd time, the week between the two holidays, recovering from the first while waiting for the…

Two best friends walk into The Container Store. One has never been. Three hours and two carts full later, a flatbed is wheeled out to their parking spot with a file cabinet on it packed in a large box. It doesn’t fit in the car. It is left behind for pickup…

Spending most of my days at home, I am sans makeup, hair in a bun, wearing slippers and yoga pants. When I head out to lunch with a friend or an appointment, I rig up all the ropes and pulleys necessary to make me palatable for public consumption. These outings…

After stumbling upon Louisa May Alcott’s family home, Orchard House, while in Concord, Massachusetts this summer, I have wanted to see the movie Little Women again. I was finally able to record it on Christmas Eve and watched it early Christmas morning before husband and bird woke up. The Civil War timeframe, the…

We don’t speak each other’s native language. We travelled a long way to find each other. We reminded each other what love, trust and hope mean. And every day, when we meet again, it’s Christmas morn. Piper and I wish you the happiest of holidays, filled with peace and the…

‘Twas the day before the office Christmas party . . . While having breakfast this morning, I flipped through the channels of Sirius XM and found a talk show I was not familiar with. The host was taking questions and a caller asked for ideas for an office White Elephant gift…

It’s easy to feel superior when your husband says “high fluent” instead of “highfalutin”. Until the next day when you tell him you have “cat-like refluxes”.  

You know how “Rose and Thorn” is now a thing, where you say the best (the rose) and the worst (the thorn) thing that happened during your day or a trip. While in the Hamburg, Germany airport for the beginning leg of our journey home, my best friend and I experienced…

Ironically, the name of this bar is Biggie’s.  

Math has never been my strong suit but after being home from Germany for twelve days and still waking up at 4 a.m., there is only one thing to do: Go back six hours to counteract the six hours ahead that have messed me up. Christmas in Hawaii. It’s only…

While at a holiday party,  after cocktails, a wonderful meal and unique entertainment, the dancing began. Sensing a gentleman surveying my friend I said, “Avoid eye contact at three o’clock”. She replied, “I know where to look and not to look”.  She was, of course, talking about this particular social minefield. But what…

Struggling to finish my first blog after two weeks away, I couldn’t help but wonder: “Does menopause mean even your creative juices run dry?” — Sister Rain  

The last evening of my trip to Germany, my suitcase sat on the floor of my hotel room and I sat on top of it. Having purchased quite a few Christmas gifts while in Hamburg, I was going home with more than I had left with and so all my tricks…

The year 2017 has seen many five-year anniversaries for me, which I have documented in several blog posts. They include the adoption of Piper, our orange-fronted conure (a type of parrot) and the death of my mom. And finally, the day I woke up to total darkness on November 28th….

  Monday morning: the middle ring. You can either go up or down. Piper made a good choice. May we all do the same.  

I know no one who likes to pack and I would put myself at the top of that list. Even when I travelled regularly for work and had it down to a science, I still hated it. As I prepare for my first big trip in five years, I am…

  Over the last few months I have started each day with gratitude, reflecting on all that I have. Doing so has made every day better and today no less special. And for that I am really grateful. HAPPY THANKSGIVING?  

It’s said eating turkey makes you sleepy But I propose it’s something more It’s not the tryptophan that will get you It’s all the prep the day before. — Sister Rain  

This morning my husband informed me that I had a bad dream during the night. I then vaguely remembered him waking me up but have no recollection of the nightmare. I asked him how he knew I was in the grasp of some unconscious struggle and he replied, “You said, ‘I’m…

When I worked fulltime, traveling and also attempting to keep everything running at home, all I ever wanted was time to myself. I know no woman my age who doesn’t long for an empty house every once in a while. Who am I kidding? They want it often. Now, I find…

When I was taken by ambulance to a Philadelphia hospital from our local medical center the day I woke up blind, I wore a hospital gown and my own white athletic socks. When I was admitted by the city hospital, I was given a pair of non-slip socks which I put…

“They say it’s about the journey and not the destination. But sometimes, when the journey is especially difficult, it’s ENTIRELY about the destination.” — Sister Rain

My mom loved our first bird, Cato, who was a Lutino cockatiel. When she was at our house she would joke that he was a “time-waster” because we would end up playing with him instead of whatever our intentions were. Sometimes in the morning, Pioer, our parrot, is sleepy and…

As I have written about many times, my friends are my family. I have never spoken of it here but I have a brother eight years older than me and a father who both live about five miles from me. The how’s and why’s are a long, long story but…

When I sign on to this blog, I have three chances to get the logon right before I am blocked out of it. I have never made more than one wrong attempt and believe me when I tell you that the first unsuccessful effort puts such fear in me that…

Today is the anniversary of the day I met my husband. His sister set us up. I remember it like was yesterday, the way he walked into my apartment. I now share with you the heartwarming celebration of the occasion that occurred this morning: Me: Blue and white Oxford. Hands on…

I needed to get new clothes for an upcoming trip and also for the mere fact that I have not shopped in five years, other than picking up a shirt here, a pair of yoga pants there. If you looked at my current wardrobe you would think I was a…

During my walk I came upon this sign. And to me it looked like an actual person. Imagine my surprise when I got close enough to see that his head wasn’t attached to his body.  

It’s Municipal Election Day and as I returned home from voting I thought about all the people working at the polls and everyone taking time from their busy lives to make their choices known and to help shape the community in which they live. And I wondered: How many of…

Why did the legally blind woman cross the busy road for the first time in five years? Because she can.  

Piper has been through a lot in his eleven years: hatched in Florida, lived with a family for a few years, was surrendered by them to the rescue in New York, then moved with it to New Jersey, where I found him. And yet from the first morning after we brought…

I had an amazing day yesterday which I will share as soon as I have a little time to process it. I did something I haven’t done in five years, the first time since my vision loss and without my mom who was often with me in thSee endeavors when…

This hair dryer no longer works. It stopped one day as I was getting ready for an appointment so I ran to where I keep my travel supplies and luggage and grabbed my old travel hair dryer, purchased during those long ago times when a hotel didn’t supply one for…

At my hair appointment today, the receptionist came and asked my stylist while she was shampooing me if she had time later today to cut a new customer’s hair who was on the phone. The client’s name was Candy. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  

In thinking about sharing my story, I consider myself a typical person. I had a family and friends, a career I loved and hobbies that required eyesight: seeing all parts of this beautiful country, devouring books and driving my car. I am not the inspirational representation we often see, I am…

Parents today often implement chore charts for their children, offering them the opportunity to learn responsibility, pride in their work and the feeling of being a contributing member of the household. My kid is more of an I-make-the-mess-around-here kind of participant in the running of our home but trust me…

Have you ever had a favorite local restaurant change its ownership and name, yet you continue to call it by its original moniker years later? Or have you ever known someone since your school years and two marriages later still think of her by her maiden name? And in my…

A friend was recently telling my husband and me about his trip to Disney with his wife and daughter. He is in his late 40s, a fearful person, afraid of flying, cities and amusement park rides, among other things. We had heard that his family had somehow convinced him to…

While thinking about what I wanted to get done today, my internal dialogue said something funny, followed immediately by “LOL”. Yep, the voice inside my head said L-O-L. What’s next? The poop emoji when I think to myself that something is crap? And would that make me bilingual? How can I authentically “tsk” and…

I am able to read using an electronic magnifier, Merlin. I was an extreme reader before my vision loss and in the first three years after, I had neither the sight nor the technology to do so. But now I can once again devour title after title, and often wonder how…

The same day I cracked my iPad (Broken Up But Still Together)  we had Piper’s annual checkup with his avian vet scheduled for that evening. As I attempted to calm myself down about the damage to my device I referenced the upcoming appointment to myself. The good outcome of the day…

I was reading online today the conspiracy theories that the First Lady is using a decoy at public appearances. I would love a body double . . . half my size.  

Reading the statement “Limits begin where vision ends” on social media, I knew that it was made metaphorically, but it spoke to me also from a literal perspective. I will admit that when I initially suffered the loss of my sight it felt as though I had nothing but limitations. But…

Yesterday while packing up some bird toys that Piper will never use to be sent to the rescue where he once lived, my iPad fell off the kitchen counter and landed a perfect belly-flop on the tiled floor. I am so used to dropping my phone with no disastrous results I was…

While at an outdoor event I had to go to the bathroom and the only option was a porta potty. My husband and I stepped up to a set of four, standing alone and empty. My marital fully functioning eyes opened the door for me as I removed my folding…

. . . he’s on the phone.

After a spring spent focusing on my new career: researching, studying, creating, I find myself in a new spot. No, not my new business. And not longing for my past work life as I was for a long time after my vision loss. Instead, I find myself the last few…

” I knew what I was doing until I actually did it.” — Sister Rain  

Why is it you can look at a place one time and know without a doubt it is your new home but you can live somewhere for years and not be able to choose a paint color for a room?  

Depending on where you’re from, you may not have heard of Tastykake, a line of snack foods founded in 1914 in Philadelphia. Click here for their website. I grew up on these products and one of the last things my mom wanted before she died was a box of their Powdered Sugar…

. . . But this green bird is even better.

Today while out for my walk I listened to Howard Stern interview Miley Cyrus. I danced to her father’s Achy Breaky Heart at my wedding so I am not exactly her demographic. But I have changed my opinion of many celebrities as a result of Stern’s discussion with them. And I…

I recently visited the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia. I am a huge lover of American history and was excited when the museum opened a few months ago and couldn’t wait to visit. Although you can easily discover the contents of its collection online, I believe that my going into…

The traditional gift for a 25th wedding anniversary is silver, just like the color of our hair after a quarter of a century of wedded bliss. Today is that milestone for my husband and me and we really can’t believe it. We both remember October 3, 1992 like it was yesterday…

. . . cannot stay in Vegas. It happened to us all. Like many homes across our country, Sundays are about numbers: our fantasy and favorite NFL teams. We are glued to the TV, our devices, willing our players to put points on the scoreboard. A mere six hours after…

No knees, no controversy.

In a doctor’s exam room a nurse takes my vitals and reviews my medical history. My vision comes up and I recite the facts as if they were just another position on my resume during a job interview. Then this: Nurse: “How do you get around?” Me: “I can walk pretty well…

When my nana began to lose her hearing, I was in my thirties. My mom and I discussed it a lot, how when the family got together my nana would smile and nod her head but it was evident that she was missing a lot of the conversation. I would…

“Having breakfast with a best friend right before a doctor’s appointment is like having the most delicious dessert before an inedible, overpriced meal.” — Sister Rain

My husband recently painted our porch and the railing of our many steps also needed some tender loving color. I don’t know why but I really wanted to tackle this project. I can’t see anything clearly, let alone in detail, from a light standpoint it’s as if I’m always wearing…

One of the first questions I am asked when someone learns that I have a bird is whether he talks. I find myself replying that he mimics, which is true, but I do it in a way that is almost apologetic. I explain that he was in a bird rescue…

If you use the Notes app on your iPhone and iPad, I want to share with you the great features that I knew nothing about until one day I was convinced there had to be a way to use bullet points in the app and made the discovery. I was…

During a TV show about Houston and recovery efforts there after Hurricane Harvey, a woman was asked by a reporter how she and her family had fared as a result of the storm. Her response was immediate, honest and real, “We just lost one house and two cars.” She went on to…

Recently I mentioned to several people that when I call a business, I document the time, date and name of the person I speak to. I have done this for so long I don’t remember how or why I started doing it, but when I was just talking about it…

Driving by a local business, my husband saw a sign for an upcoming event. He told me about it when he got home and I commented that I walk by this place a few times a week and, of course, never saw the sign. This was an actual sign but…

Loving books since I was a little girl, new releases are like Christmas morning any time of year. Every month I go online and review the hundreds of new titles that have been published since I checked thirty or so days before. Doing just that today, the number of bound…

Yesterday while in church before a funeral service began, I removed a Bible and opened it, paging through it as if looking for a particular verse. My husband watched me with a quizzical look on his face. I leaned close to him and whispered, “If it’s going to happen anywhere, it’s…

Hopefully, better than mine.

Recently I described myself as motherless in an exercise where I listed who I was before my vision loss and who I am now. My mom died a few months before I woke up without my sight. Thinking about that later, I realized that did a huge disservice to the…

I took this picture of the Freedom Tower through the sunroof of our car as we drove by it recently. Terrorist attacks. Hurricanes. We stand up and we stand tall. Life can be extremely to the nth degree difficult, something, I believe, we aren’t really taught growing up or if…

When I use my iPad, I am unable to see if is right side up and so I feel the screen border to find the Home button. As I did this very thing today, with The Weather Channel and its Irma coverage on the TV, my thoughts were of everyone’s…

While driving to dinner, my friend and I saw a billboard (well, SHE saw it) announcing a new Escape Room in the area. You know, where you are locked in a room with hidden clues that will lead you to the key to escape? When she told me about it,…

I am jealous of you. There, I said it. If you have your full sight I am envious. Sure, that is perfectly understandable. Of course I want that for myself. And yet it is not a good feeling, especially when it originates from people I love and who have always…

. . . and a lesson I need to learn.

To read more about Jake Olson, click here.  

There are cardiologists who tend to our medical needs but who do you entrust your heart to when it is 90 grams of feathers or 45 pounds of fur? It is a huge concern and if you don’t know someone willing and able who you would trust with this life,…

My husband just turned 50 while we were on vacation in Boston. We took our nephew, who is 12, to tour and see a game at Fenway. When the Birthday Boy woke up on his special day, I gave him a gift I had packed for him: He is always…

They say there is no learning without reflection. Ever since the shock of my vision loss wore off, I began to assess myself, my existence and the meaning of life. You know, the little stuff. And although I may have figured some things out and have grown and healed because…

I know we shouldn’t sweat the small stuff. Instead we should celebrate the little things. I try to abide by both but am not always successful. Recently, however, I had a big day due to three little things. First, I added a new block to my walk outside, traveling a…

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” — Unknown  

Rest easy, everyone. Piper and his partner are on watch.

During Kurt Warner’s speech at his induction into the NFL Hall of Fame, he said, “. . . which moments would best define me? I would have said, like most of you, the accomplishments . . .” I instantly thought of my own defining moments and the one I thought…

*Lao Tzu This is my one thousandth post. I started this blog while searching for a new job during the recession when my company shut down. I continued writing through the long, tortuous hunt, through several jobs up until the terminal diagnosis was given to my mom. A three-year hiatus…

Have you ever noticed we ask others how they’re doing or feeling when they have a cold or an injury or if a difficult event has just occurred but when it’s a persistent situation we tend not to bring it up? If my friend falls and sprains her ankle I…

You can’t get away from the solar eclipse talk today. I know some people who are very excited about it and others who couldn’t care less. As for me, although I have some vision, it always appears that the lights are off: a daily eclipse of my own. I don’t know…

Helping me through a mammogram scare, I profusely thanked my amazing friend for being by my side for the follow-up ultrasound and the agonizing 24 hours in between that second test and the call that the mammogram showed something suspicious. Her response to me was, “This is what we do”.  She…

While cleaning this morning, my allergies were in full revolt from the cleaning products. It is also a muggy day here and I couldn’t wait to finish my chores and get in the shower I had just scrubbed. I reached for the clean tissue I had set on the sink…

We are so fortunate to have so many choices in life. There are the ones we make every minute: what to have for lunch, how we wear our hair, what we read (if we even chose to read), where we go and what we do when we get there and…

I like to post original content on this blog but I saw this video this weekend and had to share it. Let’s commit to a week of ZERO FEAR. (Video courtesy of mateuszm.com)

Five years ago today my husband and I drove 90 minutes to the bird rescue to meet Piper, an orange-fronted conure I had found on petfinder.com. Brought into the large room and placed on a play gym he did not step up on our offered fingers and so we let…

While on my walk this morning, a woman in her car stopped and asked me for directions to a nearby highway. I have lived in this area my whole life so getting her where she needed to go was no problem. It is comical, though, that she had no idea…

I have been thinking about our passions and what happens when they become work. I don’t mean when they become a job, for example, if your passion is singing and you become a professional performer, but when you love something so much you are compelled to do it every day…

“Sometimes you are so focused on the future you don’t have time for the present. But at least you’re no longer consumed by the past.” — Sister Rain  

Yesterday Darren Daulton died. He was a catcher for the Phillies in the 80s and 90s. My husband gave me the news when he came to bed last night. We were both avid Phillies fans during Daulton’s playing years and although we never met the man we felt like we…

Sometimes when I’m at the library I have to ask for help in finding a book. I always tell the person I am visually impaired and I wonder what the librarian thinks about someone getting a book who cannot see well enough to locate a particular title on the shelf. I…

In a world where we can easily order anything online, competitive companies market their “hassle-free returns”. But here’s a secret: The best return is having to send back an article of clothing because it’s too big.  

Sitting in a booth with a cherished friend of over twenty plus years is one of the greatest joys of my life. I cannot see her face across the table, but I would know her anywhere. We are connected by sharing, laughter and love and somehow knew each other before…

2012 was the most significant year of my life as I would lose my mom and my vision within five months of each other. Therefore, 2017 brings many five-year markers and I have been documenting them here as they arrive. Today is not only the fifth anniversary of the beginning of…

Walking my neighborhood is a welcome change from my daily ride on an exercise bike and strength building exercises. It’s difficult for me to traverse the uneven sidewalks but I don’t let that stop me. This morning being a trash day, my already challenging environment included trash cans and recycle…

“New things may be scary at first, but before you know it you have found a favorite new comfy place to perch.” — Sister Rain  

I heard there is a new movie out about Pandora’s box this made me think about how we all have access to our own releasing of things we shouldn’t but do: the internet. There you can self-diagnose a paper cut as the first sign of a rare and incurable disease….

My husband and I were watching a TV show where the couple was asked to say which body part of their spouse was their favorite. I turned to my husband and said, “My favorite part of you is your back. You know, when you leave in the morning.” You may…

If you had to sum up in one sentence your message to the world what would it be? Not who you are in relation to others, not your occupation or a list of your hobbies or other favorite things. I’m talking about a statement you would make based on your…

We love our farm stand. When we drive by the lot in the dead of winter I always implore my husband to stop for corn or peaches and he sternly informs me it’s not summer. He is mean. On Saturday we picked up the farm’s first corn on the cob…

Upon getting her first iPhone, I offered assistance to my friend as I welcomed her to Apple Nation. I should tell you right from the start I am not a paid spokeswoman for the company, but I will tell you that without my iProducts my darkened life would be less…

Last year I was having trouble with my knee — it was painful and swollen. After weeks of limping it along, I went to the doctor and learned I have significant arthritis in both my knees. After a cortisone shot and weeks of physical therapy, it has been doing really…

“Trusting somebirdy means feeling so comfortable and safe with them that you can show them all your sides.” — Sister Rain  

Getting older brings a whole different kind of belly fat and that requires additional abdominal exercise. So does the ice cream and donuts but stay with me here. Getting older also brings more frequent urination. So if you’re doing crunches and the like and you have to pee, but you just want…

Like a kitten with a ball of yarn Losing this plastic pull opener from a container of grocery-store macaroni salad Can keep my visually challenged self busy for hours. And by busy, I mean ENRAGED.  

Since I stopped working, it has been very strange to not be accountable to anyone. There is no boss in my life, other than the one who thinks he is in the form of my husband, no figurative or literal time clock, no deadlines, no dress code, no annual performance review….

Today I went for a pedicure with a good friend and after getting our toes spruced up, we stopped at a local coffee cafe for sugary treats and iced versions of coffee and tea. High humidity is here in its oppressive glory and cold beverages in an air-conditioned hot spot…

If you are an avid reader like I am, you have your favorite authors and never miss a new book of theirs when it comes out. I am always excited to dive into the latest story, written by what feels like a trusted friend. Quite often I don’t even read…

Visually challenged versus self tanning lotion. Let the games begin.  

Changing out some spring decorations for summer themed accents, I worked in the attic, packing and unpacking items in and out of their boldly labeled bins. Opening the summer container, I saw a large drawing of a Snowman and checked the label on the outside again to confirm this was…

One of our favorite football snacks is tortilla chips with melted cheese on top. I was craving them and decided to make some today, although my t-shirt and shorts tan, as well as the thermometer, clearly scream baseball season. I knew we had Tostitos in the cabinet but I also…

Trying to beat the heat and humidity by heading out for a walk early, I left home without having a cup of coffee, the thing I do before all else when I wake up every morning. I always text my husband when I start my walk and when I return…

This was a special at the diner this morning in honor of the holiday. I didn’t choose it, but I could have. And that’s what our Founding Fathers wanted for us, the freedom to make our own choices. Obviously the fight for independence was about more important things than the…

When this ball was manufactured by Rawlings, it was just one of millions made by the company. But yesterday it became the ball my eleven-year-old nephew hit for his first home run. I heard the crack of the bat, my sister-in-law and the crowd yelling and waited for my play-by-play announcer,…

He’s got a big basket full of toys but give him a box, a roll of toilet paper, an empty antacid bottle and a towel and Piper is one happy bird. And nothing makes this bird mom happier than Piper at play. What makes dad unhappy? When mom gives Piper the…

Have you ever gone through a stressful time surprisingly easily and seemingly unscathed only to feel a few days later as though you’ve been hit by a truck? That’s what I have been experiencing all week, after my husband’s heart procedure last week, the sudden disappearance of my website the…

Giving my name and date of birth at the pharmacy, I was surprised to hear they had not just the one medication I needed but two others. I took them all, having them ready on automatic refill meant I would be needing them soon. As this was our last stop…

Three years after being implanted, the lead wire of my husband’s defibrillator became faulty and had to be replaced. No surgery is easy for the patient or family waiting for word, but when the part of the anatomy being worked on is the heart, everyone’s pulse quickens a bit. I…

On April 14th of this year, I posted “Shore-Ly Good Fridays” when the first of many five-year markers occurred for me in 2017. Today is another: the fifth anniversary of my mom’s death. Five years. Old enough to go to kindergarten. I don’t remember my first day of school but I know…

I love this saying but I also recognize that being proud of ourselves is something we don’t think about very much, if at all. We are proud of our family and friends, for who they are and what they persevere through. We are proud to be Americans. But proud of ourself? That…

A beautiful morning without the humidity that has been plaguing us like, well, the plague. I don’t really want to go out for a walk but I want to ride the exercise bike even less. Sometimes less really is more. Sneaks, workout shorts and a cool top. check  iPhone and headphones. check …

After twenty-five years of washing our dishes, I placed an ad and this showed up. He said he has experience but I told him bathing in his water dish doesn’t count.

You know the week has completely kicked your butt when you put on jeans despite the heat and humidity because you are too damn exhausted to shave your legs.  

After months of working with a wonderful website designer and years of wanting this blog to look a certain way, SisterRain.net’s makeover was complete. Vowing to learn more about WordPress and make changes to this blog myself moving forward, I added a Contact Form on Monday all by myself. I…

I don’t see colors, really, except certain shades of blue, especially royal blue. I will be walking somewhere, everything muted, then catch a flash of color: someone wearing a royal blue hat or shirt. Not being able to see Piper, our orange-fronted conure’s (a species of parrot) beautiful orange, blue…

I believe you must explore every opportunity, seeking it out, researching and following through. A key piece of the analysis is trusting your gut as to what is right or wrong for you. That doesn’t mean you should act impulsively but rather listen to what your heart and mind have…

Yesterday during my annual appointment with my neuro-ophthalmologist, I had images taken of my optic nerves. The technician taking the pictures asked me what had happened (to my vision) and I told her and she replied, “I would rather be deaf than blind.” I don’t know sign language but I…

Hershey Box Happy* Finding Piper at the bird rescue, with so many wonderful birds in need of a forever family, really was like the Forrest Gump famous quote, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” But Piper was the first result to pop up when…

As I work in the starting phases of several business projects, it seems to be one problem after another: technical issues, people not getting back to me, doing research and finding no good results. It’s reminiscent of my three decades in corporate America and I’ve found it a bit shocking…

In my recent post titled “Signing For Our Lives“, I wrote about what our signatures mean to us. And so when I was deciding between a new logo in script font and a plainer, non-script font, there was really no contest. Next to writing my name in cursive, this blog is the…

As I put my ideas into motion and create a new purposeful life for myself, I have been inspired by amazing women who have taught me so much, both via their books and social media. Although we don’t know each other personally, I spend time with them everyday and they…

Piper’s Happy Hour

Since my eyesight went out for a run and never really came back, I have ridden an exercise bike at home five or six days a week. As you can imagine, even with the addition of workout videos, it can get pretty boring. With the arrival of spring, I have…

Sitting at my dining room table working on some things, I heard the birds outside, my bird inside crunching on his pellets, the occasional car passing by and the ever-present Weather Channel on low in the living room. Although I am home a good part of the time, I keep…

When you’re so hurt by someone that you can’t even look at them, this visually challenged situation really comes in handy.  

Appointed: Auntie Term of Office: 2005 – Forever Location of Office: Behind Backstop, My America Thank you to all who have served. For without you, My America looks very different. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!  

Trying to find the end to,start the roll of toilet paper can be a difficult task when you can see properly. Add in a vision problem and you’ve got yourself a real misadventure. Luckily, I have a secret weapon:  

 “Are there scarier things than asking for help? There are. Are there dumber things than NOT asking for help? There are NOT.” — Sister Rain

My friends are so very important to me as I have written about many times on this blog. And although we are in constant contact via text, there is nothing better than getting caught up on each other’s lives in person. Every get-together has a holiday feel to it, beginning when we…

My mom was a stay-at-home mom, although in those days she was branded a “housewife”. Whatever the title du jour, I loved her being there after school and her chaperoning field trips. I, however, wanted a career and for twenty-five years worked in corporate America. Since the loss of my…

Reporters keep commenting that President Obama looks so happy when he’s driving a golf cart, speculating it’s due to,the fact that he hasn’t driven anything in eight years. I know how he feels. I think driving is the thing I miss the most since my sight became compromised. Imagine not being…

A webinar for me . . . . . . means R&R for Piper. As I listened to the webinar host list all the participants’ states and countries, I wondered how many others had a parrot cuddling up against their necks? In 90º temperatures, I might add! I hope the…

When I was a part of the workforce, conference and client calls as well as webinars were a daily occurrence. Like my maternal grandmother, I have always been a doodler, and these meetings were when I practiced my craft. Yesterday, while participating in a webinar about growing your online audience,…

I am on fire these days, working to grow this blog, become involved in other projects and bring my purpose to life. I am educating myself, researching ideas and flexing muscles that have been atrophied for the last five years. As I was going over my To Do List this…

The one instruction always missing on a brownie mix box is how much of the batter goes in the pan and how much goes in your belly.

While walking around the neighborhood this morning, I stopped under a tree so that the shade would allow me to see my iPhone screen well enough to,change to another audio clip. Less than a minute later, back to my workout, a man coming towards me on the sidewalk stopped next…

Mother’s Day without a mother is not just another day. Even if you are a mother yourself, when you have lost your own there is an important piece missing from this designated Sunday in May. Once a daughter, always a daughter. The greeting card industry escalates an already difficult holiday…

Thinking about the fact that I need to return a pair of shoes I recently bought, the expression “Walk a mile in her shoes” came to mind. We are taught or learn, hopefully, not to judge someone if we haven’t been in their exact same position. With genuine desire and…

Growing up thirty miles from Philadelphia, with everyone in my family born and raised there, spending time downtown shopping with my mom, sightseeing, visiting my nana, the City of Brotherly Love is not only woven throughout my childhood memories and my own adult traditions, it is part of my DNA….

It took a few days but Piper has returned to one of his favorite perching spots after the addition of a Fitbit to both of our lives. I never know what is going to spook my feisty little man. I have worn a brace on this left wrist for recurring…

For a decade, my husband and I would travel with a group of friends to Las Vegas every other year. We enjoyed gambling but also did a lot of sightseeing and took day trips to places like the Hoover Dam and the Bunny Ranch. Just checking to see if you’re paying…

May 7, 2011:  Took an early flight home from Atlanta where I had been for a week, managing a pharmaceutical company meeting. May 7, 2012: Stood in a hospital corridor outside my mom’s room, with an oncologist I had ju