The Hermits' Rest

For the past week, I have awakened each day to good news. Another tight race has been won by a candidate not owned by Big Business and old cronies. Another bit of optimism about equality and justice. Another genuine criminal dealing with the consequences of their acts. Another formerly powerful individual revealing their true self.

Schadenfreude is self-satisfacti...

What is one thing you can’t live without?

If I were younger, I’d say I couldn’t live without my phone. But Boomer Lady that I am, I assert that I can’t live without writing implements and paper. Sure, that may look like two things to you, but in my lexicon, “pen and paper” is a collective noun. Don’t argue with my brain. It’s getting old, too.

I especially l...

What’s a small moment from your past that you still think about years later?

I often think about my father, who was one of the people I loved most deeply in my life. The last time I saw him was after his 80th birthday party, and it was time to go home. I was the last one out of his apartment, so we had a brief moment of just us, something we always treasured. I hugg...

How do you define success in life?

I’m successful by my own definition, anyway. My friend, Diana West, once wrote a book about breastfeeding after breast surgery and called it Defining Your Own Success. I’ve always thought that idea applied to many other aspects of life. Success is not some finite status you attain when you earn X amount of money or achieve...

It was a much calmer day here at the Hermits’ Rest. The dogs were all recovering from their hard day yesterday, and they already seem less itchy. Alfred barely moved all day, but did come out and visit with us in the driveway this evening. Boy did he pee a lot!

I was looking at the back of the house and noticed that the water tanks blend in well.

Lee was visitin...