Tag: #gratitude

I Wrote a Poem

Posted on May 5, 2025 by JANET L BARKER

It’s been a long while since I blogged. I have so much to share and don’t really know where or how to begin. It’s all good. No worries there. But it’s been a jumble, a rumble, an unfolding, a sorting out—-literally—-of my entire life… Continue Reading “I Wrote a Poem”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #art, #beachlife, #cambria, #cambriacenterforthearts, #centralcoast, #dogs, #gratitude, #kauai #grandhyattkauai #summer #summervacation #georgeclooney #thedesendants #fullmoon #retirement #blessings #hawaii #advanture #lifeizgood #love #blessings #maitai, #livinglifetothefullest, #lovinglife, #maryoliver, #poetry, #poets, #retiredteacher, #thewritinglife, #writing, family, fiction, grandparent, life, love

Today, she is free

Posted on January 13, 2025 by JANET L BARKER

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Love is … Remember that 1970s back-of-the-newspaper, black and white simple line-drawn “cartoon”? That’s what I’m thinking about while I’m thinking about the trauma of the last week and the national politics of the forthcoming. What is love? And how can love sustain us… Continue Reading “Today, she is free”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #cambria, #cattledogs, #doglove, #dogs, #findingpeace, #gratitude, #grief, #hope, #loss, #lossofadog, #love, #loveandloss, #petloss, death, lossofapet, love

Nothing is an Accident

Posted on October 14, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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I’ve been traveling since August 8, returning to the South Bay briefly to attend my friend’s funeral. I won’t be back to my home turf until October 18 where I’ll visit, errand, and reconnect with family and friends before leaving on my Fall Sojourn… Continue Reading “Nothing is an Accident”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #apparitions, #bridgeport, #camping, #easternsierras, #faith, #forestservicecampgrounds, #gratitude, #hiking, #ilovecalifornia, #journaling, #lifeizgood, #love, #maytheforestbewithyou, #Nature, #peace, #solowomencampers, #solowomencamping, #theoppositeofpolitics, #travel, #trust, #twinlakes, #writing, fallleaves, love, nosuchthingasaccidents, outdoors

Post 50th High School Reunion Reflection

Posted on July 5, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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This time yesterday. It does and it doesn’t feel like yesterday. Mostly, it doesn’t because 50 years—half a frickn’ century—have lapsed between the day we ceremoniously ribboned down the metaphoric path from the Boys’ Gym toward Sea Hawk Stadium where, upon the conclusion of… Continue Reading “Post 50th High School Reunion Reflection”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #50threunion, #classof1974, #education, #faith, #findingpeace, #friends, #friendship, #gratitude, #highschoolreunion, #hope, #love, #RBUSD, #redondobeach, #ruhs, class-reunions, high-school, life

Family Vacation

Posted on March 31, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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I am the most blessed woman on Planet Earth. I embrace that, send praises to God and my unbelievably generous family. Eternally grateful. I’m beyond, beyond, beyond aware that if it wasn’t for my niece and her husband, I wouldn’t be here. No way, no how.… Continue Reading “Family Vacation”

Category: #grandparents, #hope, #lifeizgood, @retirementTags: #disney, #family, #familyvacation, #gratitude, #hawaii, #kauai, #love, #margaritasbythepool, #onehotel, #paradise, #springvacation, #travel, family-travel, hotels, vacation-rentals

Really, not really

Posted on March 2, 2024 by JANET L BARKER

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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

Born again

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

The Last Day

Posted on October 31, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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To say I’m in mourning isn’t exactly accurate. I’m Grateful with a capital G, but also stunned that so much time passed so quickly. Almost two months. Gone. Just like that. Snap! A trip I imagined for years and years and years. My dream of taking off… Continue Reading “The Last Day”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #cambria, #campervanlife, #centralcoast, #faith, #findingpeace, #godslove, #grandmacamping, #gratitude, #hope, #love, #morrobay, #retirement, #sansimeon, #selfcare, #selflove, #solowomencamping, #vanlife, lifeizgood

Southwest Sojourn

Posted on October 13, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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Week 5 of The Great Jan Z Solo Transformation Tour has me reverently writing in the veil of the setting sun here in Taos, New Mexico where I’ve lived for the last three nights at a pretty cool little RV park, Taos Valley RV. I never ever thought… Continue Reading “Southwest Sojourn”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #blessings, #findingpeace, #grandmascamping, #gratitude, #hope, #Ilovetaos, #newmexico, #pleasureway, #retirement, #solocamping, #taos, #taospueblo, #travelingsolo

May 16, 1956—Today

Posted on May 16, 2023 by JANET L BARKER

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When it’s your birthday and you’re 67… Don’t need a party. Don’t need presents. Don’t need to go out to dinner. Don’t even need to book a massage. Because everything I need and want, I have. I get to look at the ocean every… Continue Reading “May 16, 1956—Today”

Category: UncategorizedTags: #birthday, #friends, #grandchildren, #gratitude, #hope, #joy, #love, #mindfulness, #retirement

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