Notes from Jan

Picnic Sundays and Baloney Sandwiches

Yesterday was our annual church picinc. It was a beauty, after several days of high heat with humidity to match. Folks brought their best salads, desserts and appetites. Kids and some adults brought swimwear to enjoy the backyard pool in Levon and Cathy’s yard,…

August 15, 2022
Notes from Jan

The Unexpected Jesus

He paced the median strip, while cars idled at the red light in Revere. I was on my way to pick up my granddaughter, Lily, at Logan airport. So happy she was coming, which is part of why you haven’t heard from me since…

August 7, 2022
Notes from Jan

Hall of Famers

While the Red Sox fought for the bottom of the division, Big Papa entered the baseball Hall of Fame. On a beastly hot day, thousands travelled to Cooperstown to see one of theirs, a son of the Dominican Republic and a Red Sox lifer…

July 27, 2022
Notes from Jan

A Little Perspective

Poco said more than I confessed last week. Propriety won that round. But then I thought, why not tell the rest of the story. So, here goes. Poco, at the base of the stairs, added, “And some day if you piddle, or make a…

July 18, 2022
Notes from Jan

Precious ProXimity

Sunday after church I pulled up to Chad’s house, then headed around to the backporch. I love porches. Cozy, their dog, welcomed me. I love that dog. He wears his name well, unless you’re a squirrel. Chad fixed brunch for me, since they’d already…

July 12, 2022
Notes from Jan

A Cautionary Tale

Guess what? I don’t always feel beloved. While what I wrote a week ago was true, it’s also true that sometimes I’m befuddled, beleaguered, beholden, bedraggled and running behind, for starters. Today’s July 4th. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood. (Is that copyrighted?)…

July 5, 2022
Notes from Jan

Once Upon a Time

Yesterday Maggie and Poco took up residence at Camp Something-or-Other. The name’s escaped me. The day before I watched Maggie meticulously choose, fold and pack for camp. Poco probably shoved hers in a backpack, last minute, and hoped for the best. She’ll probably be…

June 27, 2022
Notes from Jan

Sweet, Sacred Summertime

Summer’s here. Yesterday I stopped at a farmstand to pick up some freshly picked strawberries. Nothing like New England strawberries. They’re smaller and sweeter, unlike ones shipped from faraway places in hope they’ll ripen some day. As I stood in line behind a woman…

June 22, 2022
Notes from Jan

Sometimes, The Impossible’s Possible

It could’ve been overlooked this morning. But it wasn’t. I paused and looked out my window at the sea. Then, tried to imagine the faith it took to step into something like the Red Sea. The Psalm read, “Your road led through the sea,…

June 16, 2022
Notes from Jan

When Throwaway meets Radical Mending

Did the title nudge you to hit “unsubscribe”? Well, even if I write only to figure out what I’m thinking, I’ll keep at it. For starters, the idea originated in a May 22, 2022 Boston Globe article entitled, Radical Menders Vs. Disposable Everything by…

June 7, 2022