It has been a stay-at-home summer, and that’s ok. Each of the last four years my husband and I have enjoyed wonderful trips to new destinations—a choir tour to Ireland in 2022 and most recently, visits to different parts of the American West in week-long increments. But this year is different because we are caring for a blind, diabetic dog, and we’re simply not comfortable leaving her. I know there are those who would say, “Put her down, already, and get on with your life.”

For the last month, I’ve been getting up between 5 and 6 am to feed Stella. I pull on a robe, fumble my feet into slippers and toddle down the steps, using my phone to light the way. Sometimes I prepare her food first and then go back upstairs to wake her up. The first week or so, she was reluctant, looking at me as if to say, “What is wrong with you? It’s not time to get up yet.” Now, she’s gradually adjusting to this new schedule, going outside for a quick pee and then comi

I often pick up one of those regional “style” magazines when we’re at the beach. They’re giveaways filled with splashy advertising along with a few articles of local interest and often include pages showing new or recently renovated multi-million dollar mansions nestled in secluded bayside coves or overlooking stunning ocean vistas. One of the houses in this month’s issue featured something called a “cocktail pool” which is a shallow swimming pool with a built-in table and ch