Where There's Smoke

A rare guest blog today, by Diane Boeglin Mayes in honor of her long-time friend who conquered cancer and has joined the Spirit of all the loved ones who've gone on before us... 7 things you should know about my friend Helen: 1.      Helen was a renowned kitchen cleaner, particularly other people’s kitchens. I was pregnant with Charlie when my mother passed away. Helen came over and made me sit down and visit with her while she cleaned my kitchen. It was the nicest thing that anyone could have done for me at that moment. It wasn’t until later that I realized she pretty much cleaned everyone’s kitchens whenever she visited anyone. 2.      Helen is the reason that Charlie will have to marry someone who has perfected the back scratch. 3.      When I got divorced Helen was the only person to successfully stay friends with both of us. Anyone who knows us realizes this was a great accomplishment. H...

Dear Florida, It’s not you, it’s me. I think we’ve both known for a long time that this day was coming. We got together twenty-seven years ago and it has never been a good fit. Even though we reunited after my six-month relationship with Alabama and my year with Tennessee, we both knew it wasn’t going to last. I mean, you did know that…right? You have people flocking to you so I know you’ll be fine without me. In fact, you’ll probably not even notice I’m gone. As I said, it’s me. I was just never able to adjust to all the things that make you uniquely you. Some people love the feeling of breathing liquid air and discovering sand deep inside various recesses three days after visiting the beach. I’m just not one of them. Oh, sure, you have certain charm. Some parts of you are breathtaking, like your Emerald Coast beaches. The water is actually green! But to be fair, that’s not really you; it’s just the area around you. And that I think is the real issue. You ...

Riding up the elevator at work today a friend asked me, “So…how’s married life?” “It sucks.” She looked momentarily startled. Clearly not the response she was expecting. “Um..OK. Why?” “Because we live a thousand miles apart!” Clearly that minor detail has had some adverse impact on the overall marital experience. Obviously being married to Diane doesn’t suck. I love her very much and we grow closer every day. Well, emotionally and spiritually, that is. The physical distance hasn’t diminished one iota. We love each other very much and could not be happier to be married. But the reality is that following our wedding we essentially returned to our respective pre-nuptial lives. We were married in a beautiful ceremony (thank you, Suzi!) in an idyllic setting (thank you, Susan!) surrounded by family and friends, some who travelled 12,000 miles (literally…thank you, Nick and Della) and some whose presence was simultaneously surprising and greatly appreciated (thanks, Mom). F...