Since Last March: Slice of Life #sol18 1/31

Since last March, I’ve been to Oregon.

Oregon where my son saw the ocean for the second time

Oregon where we walked on the beach and collected driftwood and rocks and fragments of shell

Oregon where we watched whales from our living room window

Oregon where we ate cherries and blueberries grown just a few miles up the coast.

walking on beach

Since last March, my son turned fifteen.

Fifteen and got his driver’s permit

Fifteen and now I have a chauffeur every time I go to the store

Fifteen but decided he wanted to be fourteen again

Fourteen we’re calling him now. He’ll try fifteen again next year.

puck

Since last March, I’ve said goodbye

Goodbye to Puck, gentle giant, Mr. Oblivious, born therapy cat, photogenic recipient of many nicknames

Goodbye to two writer’s notebooks

Goodbye to morning routines that didn’t serve me

Goodbye to old resentments and misunderstandings, to doubts and hurt feelings.

puck in box

Since last March I’ve said hello.

Hello to four new kittens, a little feral family tamed over several summer months, now my constant companions

Hello to daily writing, daily reading, daily yoga

Hello to this new writer’s notebook, filled with pages of possibilities

Hello to 45, a good number, not young but not old either.

 

feralsyoga cats

I borrowed the Since Last March format from Fran McVeigh.

slice-of-life_individual


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23 responses to “Since Last March: Slice of Life #sol18 1/31”

  1. franmcveigh Avatar

    Love it, Elizabeth!
    Such a great use of this format.
    Thanks for the Shout Out!
    🙂
    I’ve never been to Oregon . . .

  2. luckygurl Avatar
    luckygurl

    Oooh LOVE!! You may have borrowed the structure but you’ve made it speak so much about your life as it is right now and the journey this year has brought you on. (I’m TOTALLY stealing this, too!)

  3. CHRISTINE SENIOR Avatar

    I’m a first time slicer so I’m stealing this format too. I liked how you transitioned from the loss of your cat in the good-bye section to the more positive letting go of resentments.

  4. mrsday75 Avatar
    mrsday75

    This is a great format! I always like finding out what everybody’s been up to in the last year. I glad you are here this year. Here’s to 30 more!

  5. elsie Avatar

    What beautiful cats! Love the way you used Fran’s format. Glad you are writing.

  6. Leigh Anne Eck Avatar
    Leigh Anne Eck

    I love this format! My favorite line is “goodbye to old resentments and misunderstandings, and doubts and fears.” That line is so freeing even us as readers.

    1. Leigh Anne Eck Avatar
      Leigh Anne Eck

      Even for us, as readers.

  7. Cristi Julsrud, NBCT (@Mrs_J_of_EAMS) Avatar

    Love the format! I’m a first-timer, so not this year, but I like the idea for next year! I am also trying to say goodbye to fear… by participating in this challenge. Worried about finding enough to say.

  8. margaretsmn Avatar
    margaretsmn

    Here we go! Happy March! So happy you are here. I’ve missed you. I love this format and how much it says about you, your family, and your warm heart.

  9. Juliana Ellington Avatar

    I always love your Slice-of-Life posts. The kittens-now-cats photos are great.

  10. arjeha Avatar

    The cats are adorable! This is a great format for reflecting on the year.

  11. Holly Nolte Avatar

    Thanks for sharing this! Loved it, so beautiful.

  12. Kendra Limback Avatar

    I love this reflection. Thanks for sharing it. I have been thinking about last March a lot today, as we all started writing. I may adopt such a format as well. Oregon…it’s on my to-go list.

  13. Catherine Flynn Avatar

    I love this format, Elizabeth! We spent time in Oregon several years ago when my son lived there. What a gorgeous state! Good luck with the student driver!

  14. franmccrackin Avatar

    I love the line ‘good bye to morning routines that didn’t serve me’,
    and the alliteration of ‘little feral family.’
    Thanks to you (and Fran McV.) for this nice format- I plan to try it. A nice way to reflect.

  15. Shari Daniels Avatar

    Oh, I love this structure idea, Elisabeth. One, among the many, things I love about the March slice challenge is discovering so many ways to write. Inspiration galore!

  16. carwilc Avatar
    carwilc

    I love this format! Sounds like you have had a rich and full year! Sorry to hear about Puck, but your new babies certainly are cute! Happy slicing!

  17. raynorrand Avatar
    raynorrand

    Sounds like it’s been a year full of …… life. Reading and enjoying your writing in, you guessed it, Oregon.

  18. Michelle @litlearningzone Avatar
    Michelle @litlearningzone

    A great format … beautiful memories to hold on to. Love the repetition and the photos. Happy you are back for another month of writing!

  19. Akilah Avatar
    Akilah

    I’m so glad you’re doing this. And enjoy the freedom that comes from having a teenager who can drive!

  20. Caoimhe Buckley Avatar

    Great idea for a first post! Retrospective – i like it!

  21. jarhartz Avatar

    What a wonderful update. A wonderful format. I’m not doing SOL this year but will be peaking in and blogging weekly. Go you!

  22. Tamara Jaimes Avatar
    Tamara Jaimes

    What a lovely post. So quiet and soulful, it compels me to contemplate my own Since Last March.

    I’m a fan of the structure. I have all kinds of questions about your process. I’ll be checking out Fran’s posts next to see how she has used it, and to think about how I might use it to explore my “Since Last March.”

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