Shifting Seasons

Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

~ Fleetwood Mac

Early this month I began retirement. Leaving the working world was long planned for and anticipated, but there is a feeling of unreality to the event when it finally arrives. It is exciting, though, and quite fun--so far, so good.

It's delicious to wake up and not have to leap out of bed. I can loll for a while, listen to the news, and only get up when my internal coffee meter tells me it's time. There has been a lengthy round of festivities celebrating this new life chapter with family and friends, which has kept my days and nights wonderfully busy. Now there's upcoming travel and special occasions crowding the calendar.

So, I'll be taking a break from posting and hope to resume next month with reports of new adventures and experiences. After all, it's time to make way for a brand-new season.

Our People

Dolly Parton has donated one million dollars to Hurricane Helene relief efforts. Her Dollywood Foundation is matching that amount, for a total of $2,000,000 in hurricane relief. As Dolly said, "these are my people."

And in the spirit of giving that is built into our national DNA, millions of Americans are donating what they can to help their neighbors in need after this overwhelming disaster. When donating, it's best to verify that your money is going to a reputable charity. I'm partial to The Salvation Army (low overhead costs), but most of us have our own favorite charity(s) that can be relied upon to deliver the most relief to disaster victims for the amount that is donated.

Americans don't often sit back and wait for the government agencies to lurch into action following a national disaster or tragedy. We can--and do--take care of our own. This is the USA. The victims of Hurricane Helene are our people, too.

The United States Constitution