Category: Uncategorized
Posted on April 27, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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I’m at the campground, sans reception, sans discussion, conversation, YouTube, “Los Angeles Times”, CNN, here by my lonesome, figuring it out by-my-lonesome, not-so-lonesome self. 67, close to 68, in the sun, in the gale force winds, in the yesterday afternoon’s Vineyard Drive Brecon Wine… Continue Reading “Figuring It Out”
Posted on April 20, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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Did I tell you, I’m working on a novel? I started it more than a year ago, but somehow, in my travels and wonky internet connections, lost the first five chapters. Which was a major bummer. So I ignored it, knowing I couldn’t recreate… Continue Reading “Did I tell you…?”
Category: #camping, #education, #gmashavingfun, #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, #teaching, @retirement, stepupandtakeaction, Uncategorized, unconditional loveTags: #cambria, #camping, #centralcoast, #solowomencamping, #solowomentraveling, #vanlife, #writing, book-review, book-reviews, books, fiction
Posted on March 15, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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The sun warms my shoulders as the ocean re-charges my gaze as the gregarious Snow White singing birds kerchief my ears as teeming black tea stimulates my soft-focus high school yearbook portrait ala 1970s brain. Adjust the lens and it becomes clear, sharp, bursting… Continue Reading “Lucky Enough”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #50threunion, #bestfriends, #cambria, #camping, #faith, #findinghope, #god, #godslove, #grandmashavingfun, #hope, #inspiration, #peace, #pleasureway, #retiredteacher, #ruhs, #solowomentraveling, #thebeach, #theocean, #vanlife, @grateful, @retirement, jesus, life, love
Home, not really. South Bay, not really. Schedule, not really. Ambition, not really. Stress, not really. Anger, frustration, blame, regrets, not really. I’m here, sitting on a camp chair overlooking the blustery sea in my sister and cousin’s unfinished Palos Verdes Estates home, a… Continue Reading “Really, not really”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #birthday, #grandma, #gratitude, #growingold, #home, #hope, #lifeizgood, #palosverdesestates, #pleasureway, #purpose, #rvlifestyle, #solowomen, #solowomencamping, #southbay, #thenextchapter, #travel, #travelingwithgrandma, #travellinggrandma, #whatsitallabout, #wisdom, @retirement, celebrations, comingtopeace, fallinginlove, family, gettingolder, grandparenting, momsok, traveling-grandma
Posted on February 17, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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Waking up to snow when you’re a native Southern Californian, not in your own bed, but in the bed you’ve modified to make your own, feels as if I’m gazing out the window of Apollo 13: the glistening, marshmallow puffs of new fallen snow… Continue Reading “A Whole New World”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #diversitycounts, #embracediversity, #grandchildren, #grandparents, #hope, #immigration, #inclusivity, #loveeverymoment, #lovenothate, #lovetheyneighborsasthyself, #nyc, #retiredteacher, #winter, #winterinnyc
Posted on January 13, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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You’ve caught me in a Hope Diamond moment: I’m alone. In the apartment. Windows and blinds wide open—high winds and 30-degree temps be damned. I’m in short sleeves. Showered. Hair brushed. Pink lipstick applied. Perfume generously spritzed. Funny how simple acts can make you… Continue Reading “Breaking Bad and other News of the Day”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #breakingbad, #children, #daughters, #grandchildren, #grandmas, #grandparents, #hope, #mother-daughterrelationshipss, #newbabies, #newmexico, #newyorkcity, #nyc, #parenting, #retiredteacher, #whenitstimetogo, family, love, mama, mom, motherhood
Posted on January 1, 2024
by JANET L BARKER
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It’s 1 a.m. and the apartment is quiet. The parents are taking their shifts, The Littles are in Dreamland and I’m two glasses into a new bottle of Rangeland Cabernet and the final season of “The Crown”. It’s raining outside and will do so… Continue Reading “Two weeks ago …”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #2024, #bestlifeever, #findingthegood, #god, #grandchildren, #grandma, #grandparents, #grassisntalwaysgreener, #hope, #joy, #parenting, #peace, aging, family, happynewyear, love, memories, newyearsresolutions
Posted on December 14, 2023
by JANET L BARKER
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7:10 a.m. November 28 The sun has risen and traffic outside Room 4 in Labor and Delivery at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan is officially jammed with taxis and Ubers and police cars and silly drivers honking their horns for God knows what reason.… Continue Reading “A Baby is Born”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #babies, #Christmasbaby, #daughters, #daughtersandmothers, #grandma, #grandmasboy, #hope, #lenoxhillhospital, #manhattan, #newbaby\]\\, #newlife, #newyorkcity, #pregnancy, #thechristmasstar, baby, birth-story, Christmas, labor, love, motherhood
Posted on December 7, 2023
by JANET L BARKER
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Nov. 27, 2023: 8:50 p.m. Full moon Monday in New York City My daughter yells from her bedroom as her husband drills-in screws to hold up a curtain rod for the new beachy curtains she recently purchased to soften the paint-chipped 1960s windows in… Continue Reading “Born again”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #babies, #blessings, #daughters, #findinghope, #fullmoon, #grandparents, #gratitude, #hope, #loveeverymoment, #newgrandma, #newmommy, #newyorkcity, #nyc, #prayer, appreciation, birth, Christmas, family, following-god, love, mothers, newbeginnings, newbornbabies, peaceonearth, photos
Posted on November 13, 2023
by JANET L BARKER
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Def.: to adapt or improve by adjusting or modifying something. Much has happened since getting off the road, which was inspired by a doctor’s appointment, which, thank God, turned out A-OK. Just one layer of basal cell nastiness had to be removed, so all… Continue Reading “Learning to pivot”
Category: UncategorizedTags: #bestfriends, #challenges, #faith, #god, #godlove, #goodnews, #heart, #hope, #loveeverymoment, #nevergiveup, #peace, #thankful, @grateful