Tag Archives: family

Your Caregiving Sister

Posted on November 21, 2018 by Barbara McAfee

Just this morning, I was thinking about my cousin Lynne. My aunt – her mother – died last week after more than seven years of Alzheimer’s. Lynne has been there every step of the way. Her mother was housed in … Continue reading →

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Wheels

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Barbara McAfee

Today my brother and sister-in-law are picking up Mom’s car. They will clean it up and sell it in the coming weeks.  I don’t know why this is making me so tender, but it is. Mom hasn’t driven her 2001 … Continue reading →

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Respectful Transitions – A Tale of Family, Trees, and Healing Beauty

Posted on November 17, 2016 by Barbara McAfee

We don’t have a choice about losing people and things we cherish. It’s a big part of being human. One of the most precious lessons I’ve learned from singing at the bedsides of people in hospice is this: beauty can … Continue reading →

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Pickles

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Barbara McAfee

Three pots are boiling on my stovetop. There are towels spread on my counter and piles of small cucumbers in a basket at my feet. Steam condenses on the window and trickles down. Ditto the perspiration on my brow. It’s … Continue reading →

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Get ‘Er Done – A Tale of Work and Family

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Barbara McAfee

My mom – now nearly 91 – frequently quips, “All three of my children are workaholics.” (She has actually started calling us her “old people.” The three of us are now in our 50’s and 60’s.) Although I don’t lay … Continue reading →

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