Category: #gmashavingfun

With new eyes

Posted on September 22, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

Celluloid images—about family, friends, departed loved ones—flash, flash, FLASH across my mind’s movie screen. When I walk. When I drive. When I talk to people. When I’m at the grocery store. When I read. When I listen to music. Run, run to the laptop, my… Continue Reading “With new eyes”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, coastal camping, stepupandtakeactionTags: #bestfriendsforever, #blessings, #bucketlist, #cambria, #goodfortune, #harvesthost, #love, #pleasureway, #thesunwillcomeuptomorrow

The Gift of Change

Posted on September 13, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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My new, next life begins today. I’m sitting at the edge of San Simeon Creek alongside the best campsite I have ever had watching the ducks and native birds enjoy the early evening sun. I am in my happy place. Another happy place. I left Happy… Continue Reading “The Gift of Change”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, coastal camping, stepupandtakeactionTags: #breconwine, #California, #cambria, #centralcoast, #harvesthost, #hope, #lifeizgood, #myhappyplace, #newlife, #pasorobles, #portofinoapartments, #rvlifestyle, #sojourn, #travelinggrandma, #writing

On the Verge of Tomorrow

Posted on September 1, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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“There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining at the end of every day, there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow’s just a dream away.” I hummed along to that tune every time I walked from Disneyland through Downtown Disney to our hotel room.… Continue Reading “On the Verge of Tomorrow”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #teaching, @retirement, unconditional loveTags: ##portofinohotel, #centralcoast, #change, #disneyland, #grandchildren, #newyork, #redondobeach, #thenextchapter, #timepassestooquickly, love

Surrounded by Fireflies

Posted on August 2, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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Life IZ Good. Sometimes, you just need to pivot to realize it, you know, the half full vs. half empty kind of thing. Drama happens. The toast gets burned. I lose a $100 bill. Skin cancer is detected. My blurry vision isn’t the scratched… Continue Reading “Surrounded by Fireflies”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #teachingTags: #faith, #peacebythesea, #portofinohotel, #redondbeach, #redondobeachmarina, #retirement

The Grandma Chronicles

Posted on July 3, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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They’re not with me right now. One is at Redondo’s CDC summer program and the older, pre-middle school grandson, is hanging out with friends. Even Yogurtland, an after school treat we indulged in on his ride home from fifth grade, wasn’t enough to lure… Continue Reading “The Grandma Chronicles”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #teaching, @retirement, stepupandtakeaction, unconditional loveTags: #act3, #bestisyettobe, #change, #grandmas, #grandsons, #growingup, #lifeizgood, #loveeverymoment, love

Phases of the Moon

Posted on April 15, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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It’s complicated. Predictable. Like phases of the moon. The other day my second baby turned 43. The night before her birthday, I couldn’t sleep. I kept flashing back to the morning she was born, how after our water bubble burst I tried to squeeze my legs together… Continue Reading “Phases of the Moon”

Category: #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, @retirementTags: #adultchildren, #birthdays, #forgiveness, #grandparents, #hope, #loveeverymoment, #mothersanddaughters, #regret, #singleparenting, #timetoletgo, @retirement, love

Gotta have faith

Posted on March 17, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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In sickness and in health. ‘Til death do us part. I’m pretty sure I edited those lines out of my first wedding vows. Given that I’d been divorced from a man I didn’t want to marry but was society and family-pressured into doing so… Continue Reading “Gotta have faith”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #teaching, @retirement, UncategorizedTags: #California, #faith, #georgemichael, #grandparents, #hope, #loveeverymoment, #teachers, @retirement, love

Staying put—for now

Posted on February 22, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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Dove grey satin ripples toward me, shifting suddenly like a water snake skimming the surface. The breakwater-caged-sea ebbs and flows as I attempt to absorb this graceful, milky dance. Sunset. Without hoopla, without Academy Award-applauding fanfare—Nature—with some modifications by clever engineers, does its thing… Continue Reading “Staying put—for now”

Category: #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, @retirementTags: #California, #dontworrybehappy, #grandparents, #havingfun, #hope, #lifeizgood, #love, #loveeverymoment, #retiredteacher, #retirement

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