A few weeks ago, I visited the James A. Michener Museum in Doylestown, PA. One of my earlier posts focused on the Eric Carle exhibition. Today, I want to focus on the extraordinary wood pieces on display. While I enjoyed exploring the paintings, the wood pieces kept drawing me in.

I love baseball, so I imagine how delighted I was to see this creation! Although these bats are all designated as “rejects” from the bat factory, I wonder what stories they could tell. From their different materials to their shapes and sizes, I found them so interesting.

“Baseball is in an uproar over the latest in bat technology, but art is way ahead of the conversation with Bucks County woodworker Mark Sfirri’s “Rejects from the Bat Factory.” This is a signature series from Mark Sfirri, always on view here at the Michener and with other sets included in collections at @smithsonian and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.” (from the museum website)

While I am awed by all of the woodworks housed at the museum, this door is my absolute favorite.

“In 1966, Philadelphia-born designer, sculptor, and craftsman Phillip Lloyd Powell (1919-2008) traveled extensively through Spain, Portugal, England, Sicily, and Morocco, where he was inspired by the carvings and decorative elements he encountered. Powell particularly loved the intricately carved doors in Morocco, which inspired this brightly-colored, carved doorway made for one of his residences located outside New Hope, Pennsylvania.” (from the museum website)

When the museum acquired the door in 2009, it was covered with layers of blue and green latex overpaint, obscuring the original colors and crisp carvings.

People who remembered the door from its time in New Hope said it was originally red and orange. The museum then worked with a furniture conservator who carefully analyzed the layers of paint and restored it to its original splendor.

I sat for quite a while looking at and thinking about that door. Doors symbolize the transition from one state of being to another, leaving one part of life behind and moving on. Doors can also represent making decisions, such as ‘should I stay or go’ or ‘choose one path or another.’

We all go through many doors in our lifetimes, both literally and figuratively. For the past 45 years, Chuck and I have jointly decided which door to open and which ones to close. The last big decision we made together was that I would retire at the end of this school year, and I am sticking with that decision – closing the door on the 5:30 alarms!

Now, I am opening the doors on my own. While I do have many supportive family members and friends to consult with, ultimately I am the one making the choices. There are many doors waiting for me to open, I hope they are all as beautiful as the refurbished Powell Door.

My weekend “to-do” list is remaining mostly undone, but that is okay. I think I had high hopes, but not enough bandwidth to tackle the list.

This weekend, I spent time with my grandchildren and other family members either in person or via telephone calls. These interactions were definitely more meaningful than any household chores.

Right now I feel like I am in survival mode, and that is okay, too. Life is hard right now trying to figure out what my new normal will look like. I am caught between two lives – the one I had prior to September 2025 and the one after. My mind knows what I need to do, but my heart is unwilling.

The quiet voice inside my head is saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

Last week was rough – lots of sadness, lots of tears. Yesterday morning was the release of the damn although it was not planned. My supportive colleagues lifted me up and stepped in when I could not. I am so grateful for their love and compassion.

Last night I got the opportunity to see my grandson play in the middle school jazz band for the first time. An added bonus was that his uncle, my son, was directing the high school jazz band at the same event. This was a treat considering they are in two different school districts. Chuck would have been so proud! I know I was.

Also, last night, one of Chuck’s high school friends texted me from where he lives in Florida. It was nice to hear from him, and his words reminded me just how much Chuck would want me to keep going and enjoying life. It’s not that I don’t know that, but when someone else who knew him well reminds me, I take it at a little nudge from above. I woke up today feeling a little lighter.

Today’s a new day

Look to the future and still

remember the past

The weather here is having an identity crisis. Yesterday, when I left school, the temperature was 83°! Today, when I leave school, it will be 41° with a feel-like temperature of 32°! Welcome to “False Spring” in Pennsylvania!

A storm moved in overnight, and the barometric pressure dropped faster than the ball on New Year’s Eve! Today will be a mix of rain and snow. Besides being a mood buster, the storm is wreaking havoc on my sinuses!  A sinus headache, congestion, post-nasal drip, and facial pain are my constant companions. I am trying to follow suggestions for sinus relief, like staying hydrated.  Staying hydrated isn’t easy when you are a teacher. (IYKYK)

Hope the weather where you are is behaving better!

On my drive home from school yesterday, the center display panel, which looks like a mini iPad, started flashing. At first, I thought it was the sun shining through the trees as I drove, but then I realized something was wrong with the screen. How could this be?!? It’s my first brand-new car ever, and after eight months, there is a dashboard problem?

I am not going to lie, the first thing I did was cry. I cried because normally, I would call Chuck even though I would be home in seven minutes. But nothing is normal anymore. When I got home, I turned off the car, waited a minute, and restarted it, hoping that would solve the problem. Unfortunately, it did not. I dug the owner’s manual out of the glove box, but no help there either.

Still a little teary, I went into the house, sat down, and thought, “What would Chuck do?” He would ask Siri, but I deferred to Google. In under a minute, I had a possible answer to the flashing. Apparently, it could be a software glitch, a recall, a system overload, or physical interference – take your pick. I decided to see if it was still flashing in the morning, then call the dealer. I was proud of myself for not calling my kids or siblings and for handling the problem myself.

Of course, this morning it was working perfectly!

Chuck was not new to attending high school concerts. He told me his whole family went to watch his brother play trumpet in high school and college concerts and musicals, but I think he thought his concert days were behind him. Little did he know he would be an audience member for life!

Chuck was my biggest champion and cheerleader. He was present for my high school performances at St. Hubert’s and All-City Orchestra, where I played string bass. Then it was on to Chestnut Hill College, where I studied music. Chuck was present for every concert and my senior recital, always supporting my endeavors.

1974-1976 St. Hubert’s High School Orchestra and All-City Orchestra in Philadelphia

1976-1980 Chestnut Hill College Orchestra and Senior Recital

He must have breathed a sigh of relief on my graduation day, thinking that his concert-going days were behind him. But… once I began teaching music, Chuck attended my Christmas and Spring shows at whichever school I was teaching. He patiently sat through the singing and “acting” of K-8 students he did not know. This continued for the 25 years I taught music. Chuck couldn’t have been prouder.

1980-2012 Christmas and Spring shows at the schools where I taught

After we had our own children, it was dance recitals, elementary band concerts, and then eight straight seasons of marching band competitions and high school concerts. Chuck couldn’t have been prouder of his kids.

1984-1995 Angela’s dance recitals

1995-2003 Concert Band, Marching Band, and Indoor Drumline competitions for Angela and Charlie

He must have breathed a sigh of relief on graduation day, thinking that his concert-going days were behind him. But… Charlie studied music at Mansfield University. We took the three-hour trip to see as many concerts and events as we could. Chuck couldn’t have been prouder.

2003-2007 College concerts, recitals, and marching band shows

He must have breathed a sigh of relief on his graduation day, thinking that his concert-going days were behind him. But…Charlie became a music teacher, and we went to as many concerts as we could, especially when his jazz bands were performing. Chuck couldn’t have been prouder.

2008-2024 High School Concerts, at the various schools where Charlie taught.

But… then came the grandchildren. We would go to as many concerts and recitals as we could. Chuck couldn’t have been prouder.

2018-2025 Dance recitals for Emma and Isabella

2023-2025 Chorus, orchestra, and band concerts for Parker and Emma

Chuck was a lifer when it came to being an audience member watching his family perform or lead performances. I am sure he had no idea what he was signing up for 50 years ago, but I know he supported us and was proud of us.

Chuck may not be physically present for all the concerts to come for Parker, Emma, Izzy, and Nolan, but I am sure he will be telling everyone in heaven, “Hey, look. That’s my grandchild!” And I am sure he still couldn’t be prouder!

Napping is my superpower! I love taking naps, whether it’s a long, leisurely one, a purposeful power nap, or an unintentional “resting my eyes.” Imagine how surprised I was to find out that there is a National Day dedicated to celebrating napping!

“National Napping Day falls on the day after Daylight Saving Time starts up again. Every year, on the second Sunday in March, we “spring forward” by setting our clocks ahead an hour. In doing so, we lose an hour of sleep. The next day is Monday.”

Napping can be good for your health. Do you need a quick recharge? Then a short 10 to 30-minute nap is for you. Just be sure to set an alarm! Are you fighting an illness or trying ot catch up on sleep loss? Then a full 90-minute nap is what would serve you best. That way, you get a full sleep cycle.

The great thing about napping is that it doesn’t require any special equipment. You can nap in your bed, on the couch, or in the recliner. A blanket and a pillow are nice additions to a nap, but not a necessity. I am notorious for napping in the passenger seat of the car. A car ride used to lull me to sleep in minutes, but once I sought treatment for my sleep apnea, I was able to stay awake in the car much longer.

If you are a napper, you are in good company. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Leonardo da Vinci all indulged in power napping. So let today be a reminder to recharge and prioritize rest!

It has been a long day, but a good day. It was a beautiful day, with temperatures in the 60s, and it felt delightful to shed the jacket.  

My sister and her husband took me to see a matinee of Starstruck at the Bucks County Playhouse, which sits on the banks of the Delaware River.  I hadn’t been to the playhouse in years and had forgotten how beautiful and peaceful it was to look out at the river. There is nothing like seeing and hearing live performances.

Dinner was at my son’s house for a postponed 12th-birthday celebration due to snow, with my oldest granddaughter. I enjoyed spending time with my kids and their families, my son’s in-laws, and their children. The kids’ laughter is infectious.  

The later sunset had me staying a little longer than I would have on a school night, but then I may have missed the chance to take pictures of the glorious sky!

I can’t lie: the ride home was bittersweet and ended in tears because I was missing Chuck.  Each time I attend something that we would have done together, it is a challenge.   But since I am working on finding joy each day, I did my best to focus on happy memories of the times we spent together.  It’s a work in progress.

Today is yet another example of how grief and joy walk side by side.

Nothing takes me back to childhood like cereal, especially the sugary kinds. Growing up in the ’60s and ’70s, commercials during Saturday morning cartoons shaped my cereal choices.

Do any of you remember these classics? Some endured, others faded away.

Frosted Flakes (Tony the Tiger)

Fruit Loops (Tucan Sam)

Wheaties (The Breakfast of Champions)

Total (“100% daily value of 11 essential vitamins and minerals.”)

Cap’n Crunch

Quisp (a propeller-headed alien character)

Quake (a miner superhero)

Cocoa Puffs (Sunny, the Cuckoo Bird)

Kix (“Kid Tested. Mother Approved”)

Count Chocula (a cartoon vampire)

Cocoa Pebbles (Flintstones)

Sugar Smacks (Dig ‘Em Frog)

These are the brands that come to mind, but I wonder whether my siblings’ cereal memories would differ from mine. In those days, the cereal was floating in whole milk. These days, if I indulge in a bowl of sugary goodness (definitely not heart-healthy), the milk bath of choice is lactose-free!