The Final Friday Roundup

at long last, something special for my paid subscribers

This post is long, by my standards, but there's much to cover: the magic of meeting with kindred spirits (and how my new chat will help us do that more often), the fears and worries I'm holding, how I'm soothing with feel-good TV and restorative reads (also: I was gifted a Kindle!), and a too-bland one-pot chicken recipe (why do they never have enough spice?). Oh, and please forgive all the mentions of my on-the-way granddaughter. I'm a first-time grandma, and my excitement cannot be contained.

Going forward, the Final Friday Roundup will be shorter and for paid subscribers only, but for its first edition I'm going all out and making it free to everyone. If you have trouble seeing the full post in your inbox, please click "View entire message" at the bottom. If you love it and wish to continue getting these once a month, please upgrade your subscription.

One last item before we start: I will provide a link to my Final Friday Roundup chat at the end of this post, where I'll be sharing my first sonogram photos of my granddaughter. I invite you to download the Substack app (or use Substack on a laptop or computer) to see these photos and share your own photo highlight from the last month! Could be your pet, a flower, a new creation, anything. I hope to connect with you there.

Oh, and to my friends who voted for Trump, please read through to the end, as there’s a heartfelt message for you.

At this time, maybe more than any time in my life that I can remember, it’s imperative to connect with kindred spirits. We must be reminded that we are not alone, that our voice is important, and that we are powerful and loving beings.

It can be challenging to find a group that feels safe and welcoming. Some turn to support groups. Others might join a gym or take a class. But what if we just don’t have the time? Maybe our work days are long, or we have a young family that requires most of our free time, or aging parents? Perhaps we are shy and don’t feel comfortable mingling with strangers. Maybe I’ll let you fill in the blank.

When I began writing Tales, I had no idea if the community would respond and follow my newsletter. To my delight, it continues to grow weekly, and my readers bring such richness to what I write about, which is basically life. But what has developed, thanks to all of you, is that we have created a nurturing and old-fashioned sense of camaraderie here in the comments section. Something quite magical happens when kindred souls gather together, in this case, creating a sense of belonging and acceptance that we can all cherish.

I plan to nurture what has grown organically here at Tales and keep the momentum going.

Which brings me to: Final Friday Roundups

I will be devoting the final Friday of each month to my paid subscribers in thanks for their financial and emotional support, a goal I’ve had since I began on Substack, but I am finally now achieving.

I’ll be fashioning the Final Friday posts after the feeling I have when I chat with my friends out walking or playing MahJongg, enjoying a great meal together or sitting by the fire pit. Here, we won’t tune it all out, but we’ll still soothe our overwhelm. We won’t pretend injustices don’t exist, but we’ll steady our anger. We won't have all the answers, but we'll take the first steps toward finding them.

We’ll chat about a wide range of topics, from what’s in the news to our latest Netflix obsession, from our current favorite recipe to our deepest fears. We might talk about loss and do our best to support one another, or perhaps we’ll celebrate new grandbabies. We might joke and be silly or share a few tears that sometimes appear without warning. Maybe we’ll talk of great hiking spots or the best places to vacation. Whatever we bring, I want it to feel safe, nurturing, supportive, and a reminder of how great it is to be alive, even with all the hurdles. So, let’s begin, shall we?

Let me guess. Holy cow— no, let’s not blame the cows. They’re also under attack.

Holy shit, right? I don’t know about you, but I’m fearful about so many things I’ve lost count, which I believe is the intended desire. I’m taking a lot of deep yogi breaths and letting myself cry. At any given point in any given day, even if I’m feeling fine, perhaps teaching yoga or writing, maybe grocery shopping, if I stop and tune in, the tears are just under the surface. And if I am talking with a friend, and politics come up, the tears immediately surface.

What truly terrifies me is the thought of my grandchild, due in June, and what she might have to face in the future, not to mention our grown children. It’s a weight I can't seem to shake off.

I'm deeply concerned about the future of our nation and the impact all of these recent changes will have on our lives. I'm a native of San Francisco, need I say more?

I tell myself I’ve always been a worrier and prone to worst-case scenarios. I can’t help myself. After a 20-year career in the judicial system as a court reporter and working over 10 years as a peer counselor in a therapy group, I’ve heard A LOT of worst-case scenarios. But as I’ve aged, I’ve also learned that just because I’m prone to worry about something doesn’t mean it will happen. And I do believe in the power of positive thought. But gosh, what’s going on in our country is shaking me to my core.

My dear friend Trula calmed my senses a bit at coffee this week, confirming what I do believe, that all things happen for a reason and goodness always prevails given time. Her perspective along with her soft voice and calm eyes were a balm to my spirit.

Despite the challenges we face, I hold onto the hope that we can make a difference. We can’t cure all the world’s evils on one coffee date or in this Tales chat, but baby steps in time can help us to heal.

How are you doing? What specific events or issues are weighing heaviest on your heart this week? I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the chat.

I’m hopeful you are making time for what soothes you. For me, there’s nothing like getting out in the fresh air, especially if my hands are in the dirt, but even if they aren’t, getting outside instantly boosts my mood. And cleaning (I hear your heads shaking from here), but for me, it’s therapeutic. And sewing while binge-watching a Netflix series; my shoulders dropped an inch just writing that. And speaking of…

While quilting, I’ve been watching All Creatures Great and Small on Prime. It is absolute perfection, country living, animals, love, goodwill, and humor, and I can half-watch easily without missing too much while I stitch to my heart’s content.

Will & Harper on Netflix is a highly relevant and poignant film.

In all honesty, it started off a little slow for me. I wasn’t entirely convinced of the connection between the two friends. But by the end of the show, I was immensely enjoying myself, and I am so grateful to Netflix for creating this delightful glimpse into germane issues of this time in history.

While down with the flu, we watched Big Cats 24/7 on PBS Documentaries. Oh my goodness, it was an extraordinary documentary. The animals, as well as the filming crew, came to feel like family. We were sorry when the series ended. I can’t recommend it enough. I hesitated to subscribe to another provider to watch it, but since I could cancel after 7 days, I opted in. And it was easy to watch the series in 7 days. I could have canceled on day 7, but we decided to keep the subscription and check out other offerings because it was such a superb documentary.

And lastly, You’ve been Trumped Too is a film worth watching. I absolutely adore the feisty 92-year-old Scottish widow, Molly Forbes, who is the main character in the movie. Who says one person can’t make a difference? Molly teaches us that aging doesn’t need to stop us from fighting for what’s important in the world.

I mentioned in a previous post, but it’s worth repeating that The Salt Path by Raynor Winn is a must-read for putting life’s significant hurdles in perspective. I’d say we’re in a major hurdle mode, agree?

Thanks to a recommendation from my friend Laurie Page, I just finished Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah. Much like The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy, Trevor Noah has created a children’s book filled with wisdom that adults can benefit from, and I’d have to say, especially during this time in our world. The ending was especially poignant, offering unexpected food for thought. It’s a book I will definitely add to the Grandmother’s library I’ve begun curating.

Speaking of books, Rick gave me a Kindle for Valentine’s Day, my first one. I know; many friends have been reading on Kindle for years. Somehow, I’ve managed to do without one. To be candid, my most significant motivating factor is only the ability to make the print larger instead of adjusting and readjusting my glasses every two minutes, in addition to the luxury of being able to read in bed with lights out if Rick has already fallen asleep. I love the feel of an actual book, though, so I’ve been a holdout. Reality check, I’ll likely fall instantly in love with the creature comforts the Kindle offers.

Reading can be such a restorative process. Anything you’ve particularly enjoyed reading recently? Please share, especially if the author happens to be a Substack writer. We have this excellent platform for supporting our fellow authors; let’s use it. I’m reading

Alisa Kennedy Jones

’ book Gotham Girl Interrupted currently. I’ll share my thoughts on the book next month.

Ever since the flu a few weeks back, my appetite has waned. I’ve also been teaching some evening yoga classes, so my schedule has precluded much cooking. I did make Chicken in a Pot with Lemon and Orzo by Nigella featured in Cook Eat Repeat when

Paulette Bodeman

and her husband Steve came for dinner. I enjoyed the flavors but would add more spice, especially the red pepper flakes because we like a little heat. But it was definitely comfort food worthy.

Please share any recipes you’ve been enjoying to hopefully jumpstart my appetite/cooking.

In a previous post and above, I mentioned that my first grandchild is on the way.

I… can’t… even …

The thought of holding that baby girl in my arms brings on instant happy tears. My lifelong friends Colleen, Terri, and Pam have been telling me for years, “It will happen, Suzy, you just wait.” I always knew they were right, and I was content to wait. But I must admit, putting fears aside about the world, I’m on cloud nine, imagining the day in the near future when I get to meet my little sweetheart.

I’m seriously not sure how I’ll get back on the plane to come home after that visit. It’s not gonna be pretty. But it won’t be the first time I’ve silently cried while sitting inches away from a stranger next to me. Luckily, Rick will be with me on this trip and can create a shield sitting in the middle seat, allowing me to sit next to the window and cry if needed. And who are we kidding here? There won’t be an “if.”

If you are a proud grandparent, I would love to hear your stories. Please share in the chat. You can now upload photos! The sonogram photos of my sweet girl await you in the chat. She appears to be a thumb sucker already. All good, a self-nurturer.

These quotes have calmed my senses this week. This first one I’m pasting to my vision board as a daily reminder.

“Do not allow your anxiety about the world to fill your heart. If your heart is filled with anxiety you will get sick, and then you will not be able to help.” - Thich Nhat Hanh

—our response can only be to

1. Pay attention and outrageously defend humanity and decency; and

2. To live as fully and beautifully as we can.

Everything we do now can go through these simple, essential, original filters. They also work perfectly in tandem, a package. Both are acts of defiance.

— Sarah Wilson

And this last piece by

Michael Moore

really resonates.

We are the TRUE fighters. It is the liberals and progressives that have won all the big fights throughout American history. We won the Civil War. We got women the vote. FDR (and the Soviet Union — 25 million dead) won WWII. Civil Rights. Gay Rights. Labor Rights. Again, the big battles have all been won by us. The losers? Slaveowners. Bigots. Homophobes. Nazis. Segregationists. Anti-Education Teacher-Haters. Union-busters. Child-labor Enthusiasts. Anyone who has tried to force us to say a prayer, to go to church, to salute a flag, to post the 10 Commandments, cut our hair, wear our skirt below the knee, get on our knees and bow to authority, “Every house in zee neighborhood must be painted white!” — this and so many other things have been met with historic and epic resistance. What is it that we say? Oh yeah, “THIS IS A FREE COUNTRY!” We learn that by the time we’re 5! Autocracy has always felt like poison. And yes, even now the majority of our people will not be force fed a meal of conformity, cruelty, obedience and apathy. Those who were Overwhelmed at first, those who know an Overreach when they see one... NO King is going to be allowed to overplay his hand. We don’t know how this will happen, but we should know how this will end. We’ve seen far lesser men — and far stronger men — brought down in humiliating defeat, crumbling under the weight of what we still call Democracy. We are lucky to be living in a moment where we get to be witnesses once again to the power of the people.

Lastly, I must acknowledge my Trump-supporting friends, of which I know there are a few of you in my reader base. I hesitate to state my political truth here because it could drive a wedge between us. But I can no longer leave politics out of my writing because there is too much at stake, and it would jeopardize the transparency I strive to create with my Substack. Regardless of our votes, we likely feel similar about some of the current events.

I take comfort in the knowledge that you are my friends because we share a chemistry that can not be disputed. I feel confident as we move through this difficult time, we will remain open to one another and supportive of our right to disagree, and hopefully learn together as there are always two sides to every story, and then get back to what we do best, which is enjoy one another.

Sharing a passage that resonates on this topic from the book Into the Uncut Grass mentioned above,

The boy looked back at the crossroads.
“Do you think it’s too late to go home?”
And one more time, Walter reminded the boy of what he already knew. “If you still call it home,” he said, “you can always go back.”

Let’s not venture too far into the uncut grass that we lose sight of one another.

Please accept my gratitude for allowing me to visit your inbox every week. From your kind remarks to your paid subscriptions, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I often remind myself that this would be no fun without my readers.

Namaste, my friends.