Week 1 The second week of Secret Santa, and my person is someone with whom I work closely. So I had a small poinsettia for her. It’s kinda hard to hide a plant. So I arrived purposely early, parked the car, and saw her pulling in. Shiiiittt!!! I jumped out of my car and made … Continue reading Where I’ve Been: December, By the Weeks
#whereIveBeen
The New Adventures of Dean and Mrs
Early in the semester we were invited to a private viewing of a documentary produced and directed by one of Todd’s faculty members about pirate radio in Britain in the 1960s. Briefly, these were unlicensed radio “stations” broadcasting from ships anchored in international waters; however “legal” the broadcast from outside the territorial limits, it was … Continue reading The New Adventures of Dean and Mrs
Joy Among the Chaos
I remember sitting in Chemistry class, at my desk by the windows overlooking the courtyard, and I could see the reflection of the trees on the surface of my ring. And then a squirrel would catch my attention, and Mr. Garman would snap me out of my reverie to ask me what was so fascinating … Continue reading Joy Among the Chaos
I’m Okay, But I’m Not
At 12 weeks post-op, I was back to normal. I was feeling great. There’s been a lot going on in our lives lately. A lot. I’m now officially working more hours and I’m grateful. Work is where I can be normal, and not think about my personal life. I’m making more money and I’m grateful … Continue reading I’m Okay, But I’m Not
Todd and Me in OCMD
Labor Day weekend went too fast and the kids went back to school on Tuesday. I feel like we’ve just boarded Roaring Rapids, without all the water because of course I have plants on the deck that are in various stages of dead. Not to discount all the rain my friends north have been … Continue reading Todd and Me in OCMD
Exit Zero: Last Days in Cape May
Tuesday Morning. Veruca picked Uncle Bill’s Pancake House for breakfast and then she was pissed when she realized we were walking there because it’s so far. We were seated immediately at a booth by the window facing the street and beach. V had the waffle and woofed that thing down before I’d eaten half of … Continue reading Exit Zero: Last Days in Cape May
The Way to Cape May
Copyright Taraka & The Tara Chronicles 2018 Last week was the annual “Nannie trip” to the beach that, now that Opac has apparently aged out of vacations with granny, has become the annual Girls’ Beach Trip. Sunday afternoon my mom, Veruca, and I set sail for Cape May by way of everyone’s favorite highway – … Continue reading The Way to Cape May
Where I’ve Been: Recovery & Coffee-Mate-Gate
First, a technical update: Six weeks post-op two-level cervical arthroplasty. The post-op x-ray shows a textbook-perfect cervical spine with two shiny new titanium discs “well-placed.” The pain is mostly gone, except when I wake up in the morning or I do too much (still). I can’t remember the last time I felt pain radiating down … Continue reading Where I’ve Been: Recovery & Coffee-Mate-Gate
Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back
So, in case you missed it, I’m still in recovery. Todd says, YOU’VE HAD MAJOR SURGERY, at least once a day. He’s living life dangerously. Last week we had the septic system pumped out. I got up that morning and suddenly remembered the 3-foot-tall mint patch surrounding the cover, and knew beyond a shadow of … Continue reading Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back
Before
T-minus 18 hours and 55 minutes, as of this writing. I’ve had multiple phone calls from the hospital to update my information, my medications, my instructions, my expectations…. All of which are designed to help everyone else do their job while my anxiety tops charts unseen since the summer of ’13. ICYMI: I’m having artificial … Continue reading Before
The Tara Chronicles 