Barbara’s Riffs on Life

Widowed: I’m Planting a Secret Garden Outside My Office

My husband is gone, but I’m hoping that planting a secret garden outside my door will give me living things to keep me company as I work. Read more.

Have I turned into one of those stubborn old women who refuses to leave her house? Read more.

I worried that I would let Jon down. I worried that this last thing I could do for him would fall short and I would fail him. Read more.

How to grieve? I don’t know. I’m not ready to give up being broken-hearted, outraged, horrified at the sudden death of my husband. Read more.

As I see it, there are two big, big things to do before you die. Take photos of yourself, lots of them. And write your own obituary. Read more.

Dancing makes me cry. When I joined a Zumba class the other day, I stayed at the back of the class, because I knew there would be tears. Read more.