Lots of changes and surprises, not all good... in Tea at the Cabin in the Woods

I have been gone about 6 mos and working hard with courses and students, managing the department and getting ready for the up-coming accreditation shenanigans for the college.

My daughter lost the baby in late November and than broke up with the boyfriend. It was too hard for both of them. She has been working very hard to find peace with it all and to be comfortable with herself again. This may take awhile but she appears much better lately. She has been getting Rieki treatments and recently began healing sessions with a shaman. She has been told her gifts will only require some training and she will one day be the teacher instead of the student. That is no surprise for me. She has always had a string 6th sense and need to make spiritual connections. Last week she picked up her brushes again and began to paint. It has been a couple years since she painted anything other than walls. The paintings are very telling of where she is currently. I know she will get better soon. Just I say this the old boyfriend (the one who said he wanted to get married had to clear his conscious first - poor judgement on his part) has begun to pop up again. He goes to the brew pub she runs and hangs around, goes to all the political protests she helps organize and support and is all but stalking her again. He is even seeing the same shaman she is… too weird. I hope she can stick to her guns and not let him back in. We will see.

My mother is still alive and her mind is still good, although she runs out of steam very quickly and can no longer travel. I haven’t been home to see her since Thanksgiving and go this weekend. My sisters tell me she is frail and worry we won’t have her much longer. She’s only 87, so who knows. She told me last week she doesn’t think she has much more time. Frankly, I don’t know how to respond to that. We all get older but losing Mom isn’t something I want to deal with, at least not yet.

My son and DIL and little granddaughter are doing well. MI is almost 22 months now and walking, dancing, singing, talking up a storm. She plays on her piano with her Daddy as he plays his guitar and they sing duets together, which he sends me little videos of. I love the videos and look forward to face time with them. I will get down to see them after commencement in about 3 weeks, for about a week and will go again for her birthday.

In the past couple weeks I have had 2 friends die from brain cancer and this weekend 2 more had falls which have caused brain bleeds, one is alert and appears to be doing okay, the other, a young woman of 22, is still unconscious with potentially serious brain injuries. This semester I am teaching Neuro-psychology and have had to teach all about the brain and the damages that can occur. It has me more frightened than I want to let on. So I just tell the families I am there for them if they need me.

As of now, we have not moved out of the country. NH is full of independent and progressive people ready to attend marches for everything. I have become an active postcard writer and regular caller to my Senator and Congresses Women, as well at to the new Governor. I have been attempting to get my students involved as well - not going as I had hoped… young people just don’t understand what is happening nor do they care. Well, not all young people, but this bunch anyway.

I need to go, have my Professional Issues class to teach - you don’t want to know what I think of this group of students. Let’s just say not one of them will be getting a letter of recommendation from me. UGH!!!

This month I won an award for Good Stewardship and Community Service. I was shocked and humbled by it. Not sure how it happened but it was nice.

I am well, still fat and happy but a bit out of shape. Hubby and I have begun going for long walks around the towns by us and building up strength for bike rides this summer. The snow is finally melted (I hope) and some flowers are beginning to bloom. Not at the house yet but on campus and around the towns. Living in the woods is just too shaded and cool for spring to come as soon as other places.

I will try to catch up with all of you. I think of you often and hope you are all well.

Last updated April 24, 2017