Category Archives: Wordless Wednesday

Wonderful Vacation! Now Back to Life in Paradise!

Family, Friendships, Fun Stuff, Gratitude, Wordless Wednesday • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Washington Monument as seen from National Mall in front of Smithsonian Castle

Vacation is a wonderful thing and returning to life post-vacation is always hard. Throw in a six-hour time difference, eighteen days away from home, and the beginning of the school year, and you’ll have an idea of where my head has been the last few days.

The trip however was well worth the jet lag! I got a chance to visit with my oldest brother and his family, to spend time with old friends, and to explore D.C., Boston, and Maine, along with a little of New Hampshire with the kids. They rode their first subway. We explored four of the Smithsonian Museums and toured the national monuments via of moonlight tour. We walked the Freedom Trail and we drove down to Plymouth, then up to Maine, where we met friends and hiked in the White Mountain National Forest. All in all a wonderful vacation! I took a thousand pictures, but don’t worry, I am not going to bore you with that many.

First Smithsonian Museum Visited

Lincoln Memorial at Night

Old Mother Goose was real! Who knew?

Did you know Old Mother Goose was based on the real person? Apparently, she was! I walked the Freedom Trail decades ago, but somehow I missed this tidbit until I went with the kids.

Boston, MA: The Old State House

Two of my favorite things!

A Reminder from Plymouth, MA: Thanksgiving Isn’t Thanksgiving for All!

View from Bradbury Mountain State Park in Maine

Hiking in White Mountains National Forest

Taking Time to Smell the Flowers, Watch the Clouds, and Photograph Nature 7

Gratitude, The Oxygen Mask Project, Wordless Wednesday • Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

I know some of you have noticed I am posting less. I am taking time for family and health as I promised when I joined the Oxygen Mask Project. I will continue to do my monthly posts for Special-Ism.com, and the occasional post here, but mostly, I am taking life slower for the summer. I guess you could call it being on Hawaiian Time.

I will try to connect on Facebook and Twitter more often as I have neglected you there lately too. I am not giving up on blogging and I am continuing to pursue speaking engagements. I will be speaking at a Hawaii Autism Society event in July and I will be back in August when my son returns to school.

Mahalo for your understanding! Please share yesterday’s post and enjoy today’s pictures! I promise I will respond to comments again soon.

Hope all of you are enjoying your summer or winter for those few who follow me from down under!

Beginning Cal’s Story 8

Books, Bully Free, Bullying, Family, Gratitude, Wordless Wednesday, Writing • Tags: , , ,

It is still wordless Wednesday here, but I need to say a few words as I share the outline below for the first chapter of my next novel. Much of Cal’s story takes place among the trees and birds of Hawaii, so today I am grateful for capturing a Japanese White-eye or Mejiro hiding in the banyan tree that overlooks Cal’s school. If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you might see a little green bird.

Cal is Mia’s little brother and his story begins when Mia is in fifth grade and he is third. He too has problems related to his sister’s anger after the bullying. Bullying not only affects the victim, it affects the whole family. This is what my son and I both want you to know. This is why there will be a second novel.

Chapter I: Angry Times

I. Anger

A. Mia’s not the only angry member of the family

B. My thoughts

II. Pleading my case

A. To Dad

B. To Mom

III. Venting and Acting Out

A. Getting in trouble at school

1. My friends don’t understand

2. I cannot explain

3. It sucks

B. Mom deals with it

1. Talks to teachers

2. Talks to Dad

3. Talks to me

4. Arranges for time just for me

IV. They get me and I get them

A. Support

1. From family

2. From friends

V. Light bulb Moment

A. Mia does not have this support even after Mom talks to people

B. I give Mia support