The lead story of my 2025 was unquestionably the exact midde of the year, June 30 - July 3. June 30, I moved from Salisbury NC where I had lived 33 years (more than half my life) to the Shenandoah Valley of VA, which had been my second home for more than 20 years. July 3, I closed on my Salisbury house, on exactly the same date I had closed buying it 30 years earlier.
July 2, as I drove down 220 back to Salisbury for the closing, I was literally hit by a tractor trailer - and lived to tell you about it. My red Civic was totaled, and I had to be cut out of the car, but I literally walked away with only a couple of scratches. (More here)
Church
Church is always a lot of my story, and this year I need to divide it into two stories: before and after moving.
January through June, at First Presbyterian Salisbury where I was a member for 13 years, I continued serving my second term as an elder and on the Personnel & Policy team, serving as a Stephen Leader and a Stephen Ministry care giver, rotating as leader of the Outlook Sunday School class, and serving as a confirmation mentor. I continued to be active with the Race & Justice Ministry Team and was instrumental in adding an African American History Trolley Tour to the local Juneteenth celebration. I continued to participate in the RJMT book studies while still there and even after I moved, thanks to Zoom.
I had visited Covenant Presbyterian may times over the years and, upon moving, officially joined August 10. I liked that the prospective new members met that morning with Session to introduce ourselves and share a little of our journeys, and that we were each given a pictoral directory, which I use a lot! I have been participating in Sunday School, Presbyterian Women, and a reading group that calls itself Novels & Needles, and I attended the annual weekend retreat and participated in the annual Christmas caroling. And speaking of Christmas, I love that Covenant writes its own Advent devotional, with members invited to volunteer for each day. Of course I signed up!
Writing
I cannot not write, It's an intricate part of my being. I journal. I muse aloud to Facebook. I blog, mostly this year from my Facebook posts. And occasionally I share somehing for public publication.
January 9 this year was the day of President Jimmy Carter's memorial service. The Salisbury Post printed my 2015 blog about traveling to Plains GA to his Sunday School class.
In February I wrote a "Dear Neighbor" article for the Salisbury Post about how words can prejudice us.
For Covenant Presbyterian's Advent devotional, I wrote a daily devotion.
Blog Posts (mostly from Facebook posts):
B191. Is Truth Deeper than Words?
B192. I Called My Sister a What??
B193. Remembering Betty Fellows
B194. A Poem of Refocus
B195. Memorial Day 2025
B196. Flag Day 2025
B197. Life, Chapter 10, Page 1
B198. Christians and the War in Gaza
B199. My Five Churches
B200. Our Jim Jones
B201. The Smeller's the Feller (updated)
B202. God's Guest List
Random Remembrances
I had some big purchases: a house on May 21, a car (to replace the totalled one) July 23, a new laptop (because my old one couldn't upgrade to Windows 11).
I participated in "No Kings" and "The People vs Griffin" rallies, and a neighborhood yardsale to meet new neighbors.
I attended a "Dorothy in Wonderland" production my confirnand was in, and the Queen City Mischief & Magic (Harry Potter) festival, and I beta-read a book draft.
Travels this year consisted of several back and forths between NC and VA, and a trip or two to the coast.
In my leisure, I played/worked Words with Friends, online Scrabble, Puzzle Page, the New York Times puzzles, a jigsaw, and Facebook. And of course I read books . . .
Books
Religious Politics, National Politics, Historical Fiction, Biography, and Race were recurring reading themes this year. I listen to audiobooks via the Libby app while driving or cleaning. I read or listened to 56 books this year, listed here in order of their publication. Those listed in bold print are especially recommended, and those in red even more so.
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll, 1865, audio) classic children's novel
The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1925, twice, repeat) classic novel
It Can't Happen Here (Sinclair Lewis, 1935) dystopian novel
The Glass Menagerie (Tennessee Williams, 1944, audio) classic stage drama
The Pearl (John Steinbeck, 1947, repeat, audio) classic novel
Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler, 1993, audio) novel set in future 2024-2027
Passing (Nella Larsen, 1995, audio) fiction; African American
Those Who Save Us (Jenna Blum, 2004) novel; Holocaust
Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart (Kenneth C. Haugk, 2004) caregiving to hurting hearts
The Dead Fathers Club (Matt Haig, 2006, audio) fiction; boy copes w/father's death
The Sand Castle (Rita Mae Brown, 2008, audio) fiction
Olive Kitteridge (Elizabeth Strout, 2008, audio) fiction
The Mockingbird Next Door (Marja Mills, 2014 audio) nonfiction; Harper Lee
On Tyranny (Timothy Snyder, 2017, audio) 20 lessons from the 20th century
The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning (Margaret Magnusson, 2018) decluttering
The Moment of Lift (Melinda Gates, 2019, audio) nonfiction; changing the world by empowering women
The Power Worshippers (Katherine Stewart, 2019) nonfiction; rise of religious nationalism
The Man Who Lived Underground (Richard Wright, 2021, audio) written in 1940s' novel; black man in sewer
Shoutin' in the Fire (Dante Stewart, 2021, audio) nonfiction; personal black experience
Surrender (Bono, 2022, audio) memoir; U2
Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver, 2022, audio) novel, Appalachia, addiction
Memphis (Tara M. Stringfellow, 2022, audio) novel, African American
Reclaiming Two Spirits (Gregory Smithers, 2022) Indigenous American LGBT
The Postcard (Anne Berest, 2023 Eng trans, audio) novel based on true story; Holocaust
Being Henry (Henry Winkler, 2023, audio) memoir; Fonz and beyond
Chain Gang All-Stars (Nana Kwame Adjei-Brinenyah, 2023, audio) dystopian novel; prison death games
How We Learn To Be Brave (Bishop Mariann Budde, 2023, twice, audio) nonfiction
Wake Up with Purpose (Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, Seth Davis, 2023, audio) memoir; Loyola BB
The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy (Robert P. Jones, 2023, audio) nonfiction; Doctrine of Discovery
The Frozen River (Ariel Lawhon, 2023, audio) novel based on 1789 diary of Martha Ballard midwife
Mixed Up (Gordon Korman, 2023, audio) youth fiction; 2 boys switch memories
Overlooked (Amisha Padnani, 2023) NYT shorts on fascinating people who didn't get NYT obits
Celebrate Communion (David Maxwell, 2023) from Follow Me study series
Do Not Fear (David Maxwell, 2023) from Follow Me series
Talking to My Angels (Melissa Etheridge, 2023, audio) memoir
All My Knotted-Up Life (Beth Moore, 2023, audio) memoir; SBC, sexual abuse, mental illness
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here (Jonathan Blitzer, 2024) Cen Amer / US border crisis
The Spirit of Justice (Jemar Tisby, 2024) stories exhibitng racial justice
War (Bob Woodward, 2024, audio) Israel-Hamas War, Russia-Ukraine War, Biden, Trump
The Art of Power (Nancy Pelosi, 2024, audio) political memoir; exc chapter on Jan. 6
Cher: The Memoir, Part 1 (Cher, 2024, audio) autobiography
The Wedding People (Alison Espach, 2024, audio) fiction; romcom set all in 1 week
James (Percival Everett, 2024, audio) fiction; Huck Finn's story from Jim's perspective
The Women (Kristin Hannah, 2024, audio) historical fiction, romance; Vietnam nurses, PTSD
A Calamity of Souls (David Baldacci, 2024, audio) fiction; murder, court, 1960s racism
Life: My Story through History (Pope Francis, 2024, audio) autobiography
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science (Kate McKinnon, 2024, audio) fiction
Make Disciples (David Maxwell, 2024) from Follow Me series
Daughter of Mine (Megan Miranda, 2024, audio) fiction, murder, suspense
Bits & Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me (Whoopi Goldberg, 2024, audio) memoir
The Siren's Call (Chris Hayes, 2025, audio) nonfiction; technology's hold on us
Three Days in June (Anne Tyler, 2025, audio) fiction; a lot can happen in 3 days
Elphie: A Wicked Childhood (Gregory Maguire, 2025, audio) fiction; Elphaba's childhood
Atmosphere (Taylor Jenkins Reid, 2025, audio) noel; women astronauts, 1980s
Uncommon Favor (Dawn Staley, 2025, audio) autobiography, women's basketball
Advent: A Season of Expectation (Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2025) devotional
Movies and TV
I'm not a big TV watcher, but occasionally I will binge watch a season of something, and I love a good movie. At vaious months throughout the year, I used Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and Netflix.
On TV, I watched: Abbott Elementary Season 4, A Man on the Inside Season 1, The Bear Season 4, Wednesday Season 2, and The American Revolution Ken Burns documentary mini-series.
I saw 39 movies this year, listed here in order of release year. Those listed in bold are especially recommended, and those in red, even more so. I saw only two in the theatre this year: A Complete Unknown and Wicked for Good.
Alice in Wonderland (1951) classic animated Disney, based on novel
The Great Gatsby (1974) based on novel; Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Sam Waterson
The Kid (2000, repeat) Bruce Willis; meets 8-yr-old self
Big Eden (2000) romcom; gay man returns to hometown
Freaky Friday (2003) mom and daughter switch places
The Help (2011, repeat) black maids in 1960s white suburbia
Bridesmaids (2011) comedy
Selma (2015, repeat) civil rights, MLK
Suffragette (2015, repeat) British women suffrage
Zootopia (2016) animated; getting along, police
Mudbound (2017) WWII drama; race, poverty, Klan
On the Basis of Sex (2019, twice, repeat) Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020) based on August Wilson play
Land (2021) woman moves alone to wilderness
1946: The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture (2022) documentary; sexuality, Christianity
Outstanding: A Comedy Revolution (2022) documentary; LGBT comedians
The Fabelmans (2022) Spielberg drama
Perfect Days (2023) Japanese; cerebral, psychological, low action
Joan Baez: I Am a Noise (2023) documentary, autobiography
May December (2023) drama inspired by Mary Kay Letourneau affair
Wham! (2023) documentary; George Michael & Wham, 1980s
Lee (2023) drama; Lee Miller WWII photographer bio
Mary (2024) mother of Jesus
American Coup: Wilmington 1898 (2024) NC history; race massacre
The Six Triple Eight (2024, twice, repeat) WWII all black female batallion, mail
A Complete Unknown (2024, twice) Bob Dylan 1961-1965
The Piano Lesson (2024) based on August Wilson play
Diane von Furstenberg: Woman in Charge (2024) documentary, biography
Wicked part 1 (2024, twice, repeat) prequel to Wizard of Oz, wicked witch backstory
The Children's Train (2024) WWII Italy
Resistance: They Fought Back (2024) documentary, Jewish resistance, Holocaust
Anora (2024) Oscar winner; sex worker in NY
Saint Nick of Bethlehem (2024) filmed in Bethlehem PA
Conclave (2025) drama; choosing a new pope
Sally (2025) documentary; Sally Ride bio
The Life List (2025) romcom
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025)
Wicked for Good (2025) Wicked part 2
Eleanor the Great (2025) aging, grief, Holocaust
Health
Two health issues continue. The most bothersome is my torticollis (involuntary neck turn with spasticity), which affects my balance, posture, gait, and where I strategically sit when I enter a room.
The second is my apparent severe dairy allergy, along with intolerances for fried, fatty, or processed foods. I generally manage these well, being very careful what and where I eat - but about once every month or two, I accidentally eat something that causes me to vomit. Often I don't know what it was.
In April and May I had very successful cataract surgeries on both eyes, allowing me to stop wearing prescription glasses and only wear readers for reading.
The first half of the year, when I was in NC, I loved my Stretch & Balance class, and also experiemented with a Gentle Yoga class. I continued my OMT appointments, and I started work with a doctor for my neck and spine, who sent me to the best physical therapist imaginable for me. (I wish I could've brought her along on my move!) Also, weekly I walked a couple of miles in the park with my friend Barrie.
Since my move, I have not found my health connections yet. I have joined the Y and enjoy working out on the machines there. I tried an Adaptive Yoga class but am currently experimenting with online fitness classes. I still walk "with Barrie" weekly. She walks in NC, and I walk in VA, and we talk by phone. I love that continuity!
Loss
I'm learning that aging means saying a lot of goodbyes. Three in 2025 hit me hardest.
Betty Fellows was my "birthday buddy." Despite being 31 years apart in age, we shared the same birthday and celebrated together yearly. This year for our birthday I placed flowers at church in her memory. You can read more about our friendship in my Remembering Betty Fellows blog post.
Robin C Thompson was an elementary and high school friend. We lost touch until recent years when we reconnected on Facebook and became "new" friends, sharing deeply via Messenger or phone. Geographically we were separated by miles, but she re-became a dear friend, and I miss her.
Rolane Ramsey was a work colleague. She was in the Academic Programs office, and our relationship was friendly but strictly professional until she moved away to Atlanta. Similar to Robin and me, Rolane and I became close via Facebook, communicating through Messenger or phone, often sharing deeply and personally. I cherish the special memory of a wonderful day together in Atlanta touring MLK sites.
Looking Back: What I Miss in Salisbury
I miss my church work, my friends, my Stretch & Balance class, the avocolada at Juice Life, my bank, my doctors, blue cards at church and Epiphany stars and extending arms for the benediction, my Japanese maple tree . . .
What I'm Loving in My New VA Home
I love the view of the mountains from the back deck. Every daybreak and every dusk, the view is new. The clouds, fog, moon, snow, and stars magically repaint the scene, sometimes obscuring the lower or the higher mountains, sometimes shadowing the mountain, sometimes outlining the otherwise invisible crevices . . . (See top rainbow photo.)
I love my new church and the new friends I'm getting to know. I love the Sunday School discussions, and that my new church also has a reading group. I love spending time with old friends. I love the companionship - grocery shopping together, making lunch, watching a movie . . .
I love the unexpected magic of snow flurries on any given winter day. I love city trash pickup. (I lived outside the city limits in Salisbury.) I love the DMV - so organized and efficient. I like that registering to vote does not include choosing a party. I love my "cave," aka office.
I love the restaurants that can cater to my food allergies: Byers St. Bistro, El Jimador, Gloria's Pupuseria, Latin Soul, Farmers Market vendors like Chai Dhabi and Abundant Life Kitchen . . . And the nearness to Charlottesville and Harrisonburg. And speaking of grocery shopping, I still shop at Food Lion (headquartered in Salisbury), but I'm also loving Kroger for their many choices that fit my diet needs, like Amy's vegan pizzas, a large variety of Amy's soups, Cascadian Farm Organic Cinnamon Apple cereal, and several varieties of fun and healthy crackers and chips!
Looking Ahead to 2026
I look forward to seeing how my new home continues to unfold - making new friends; finding my place at church, in the neighborhood, in the community; and finding my medical team.
My biggest and most exciting plan is to write and publish a second book. More details to come.
I plan to rework my will etc, initiate my SS, and begin to learn about Medicare. Ah, the joys of aging!
My exercise plan (with a star chart - don't laugh): at least six stars per week, including at least one for the gym, at least one fitness class, and at least one walk. Stars can also be earned with house work or yard work.
My Deepest Prayer
My deepest prayer for 2026 is for national, state, and universal healing. For Truth above Tyranny. For Humanity above Politics. For Christ above Christianity. My dear friends, may we make it so. Selah.
Photos:
1. from the back deck, VA
2. packed to move
3. new home, new car
4. Welcome packet and bulletin from the Sunday I joined Covenant
5. Covenant's Advent devotional
6. President and Rosalynn Carter and me at their church in 2015
7. my writing in the Covenant Advent devotional
8. No Kings rally
9. Queen City Mischief & Magic festival
10. books
11. Wicked for Good movie
12. Kebab-Je (Lebanese / Mediterranean) in Matthews NC
13. flowers in memory of Betty
14. Rolane and me in front of MLK's childhood home in 2017
15. Bell Tower Green, Salisbury, with my church at top left (photo from Salisbury Post?)
