Today

. . . is my grandmother's birthday, so I'm wearing her amethyst ring--the one my granddad and TRQ (i.e. the Young Nine-Year-Old Jewelry Queen) bought her one Christmas--to celebrate her life.

Yesterday at work Margaret asked me if I ever hear my dad's voice.  And I said no.  But I do feel my grandmother's presence at unexpected times.  Once, right before Christmas, I felt like she was sitting next to me as I wrote.  I was surprised because the feeling was so visceral and also why?  What was she doing there?

That Christmas my son and his wife revealed that they were having a baby.  My first grandchild.

My grandma and I.  Grandmothers together.

A Mental Health Agenda, Part Four

Here's what you do for Part 4.

You go to Kansas City, Mo with Ken Cannon and discover that it is your SPIRIT CITY because you eat bbq like a fiend.  You also go to a Royals game and a Chiefs game where you lose your mind cheering like you have been a Chiefs fan your whole life, even though you've actually only been a Chiefs fan since Andy Reid went there in 2013.

What else?

You go to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and listen to stories about how baseball helped initiate the Civil Rights Movement.

And you also listen to a full night of blues on the radio while you're driving around, feeling surprised that Kansas City, Mo is your Spirit City, because really?

Who knew.