I am so thrilled that we have new members joining our little community. While things have been quite here, I have been extremely busy creating some amazing material to support those that are doing Advance Care Planning as a career path. Very soon I will have all the new material loaded here for easy access and download by those who are ACP students. I truly appreciate everyone's patience, and I promise that soon Kettle and Candle will be bustling along with new materials and some great offers for everyone!! So, hang on just a little longer and then you will see the wait was worth it!! Thank each and every one of you for your support and for your inspiration! Put The Kettle On..... we are going to be chatting over a cup of your favorite brew soon! Namaste' Pam

Put the kettle on. 😉 You made it here, and that already tells me something important: you’re willing to look at the parts of life most people avoid—death, grief, aging, endings—and you’d rather not do that alone. 👥This space is for people who feel the tug of questions like: - What do I want to do with the time I have left? - How do I carry my grief and still live? - How do I prepare—practically and emotionally—so I don’t leave a mess behind? Here, we talk honestly about living and dying, love and loss, plans and paperwork, spirit and practicality. We make room for both the kettle (conversation, comfort, everyday life) and the candle (mortality, memory, sacredness of our limited time). 👉How this community works: You’ll see different programs and posts here—like 365 — A Year To Live and Advanced Care Planning—but underneath it all is the same heartbeat: - Tell the truth about life and death. - Learn together, not alone. - Take small, brave steps toward living and dying in alignment with your values. -  You are welcome to come exactly as you are: curious, scared, hopeful, tired, grieving, unsure, or all of the above. 🙌Introduce yourself (in a way that actually matters) When you’re ready, say hello in the comments below. You can answer any of these prompts—just what feels right: 1. What season of life are you in right now, in a few words? (Examples: “Midlife and re-evaluating everything,” “Fresh in grief,” “Caregiver mode,” “Aging and taking stock.”) 2. What quietly brought you to Kettle & Candle? A loss, a diagnosis, a birthday, a near-miss, a deep curiosity, a professional calling? 3. When you think about death, grief, or aging, what feeling shows up first? (No need to be poetic. “Terrified,” “numb,” “relieved to finally talk about it” all count.) 4. What is one hope you have for yourself in this space over the next year? (Big or small: “Get my paperwork started,” “Not feel so alone,” “Make peace with a part of my story,” etc.) 5. Is there a small comfort or ritual that helps you feel grounded lately? (Tea, walking, gardening, journaling, music, prayer, sitting in the sunshine…)

Today during my cancer treatment, I’m met a couple who was dealing with the recent new diagnosis of metastatic kidney cancer, and the husband was there for his first palliative chemotherapy treatment and waiting to start palliative radiation treatments. As I talked to them, I learned that they did have a medical power of attorney and a generic advance directive to their physicians that was set up during their estate planning with their lawyer. After personally learning how woefully inadequate that generic directive to the physicians is in the state of Texas, I told them a little bit about myself; my background and training as an advanced care planner. I emailed the wife, who is now caring for her husband and making all decisions, the Emery Care guide as well as the Texas Advanced Directive that is available through the AARP website. I gave her my contact information and told her to reach out to me. I also discussed palliative care and hospice care with them to make sure that they engage that early and not wait until the last minute. It Felt like a pretty big win being able to help somebody else, especially when they’re dealing with this terminal diagnosis which will likely be terminal sooner than later. It was very clear that they had a lot on their plate given that this is a new diagnosis and it’s already spread to his bone and brain. I over heard a conversation the wife was having with Medicare for approval to pay the $4,500 copay for the chemo over time. I told them that I offer this service for free as I’m blessed to not need the money for doing this. I plan to follow up next week to see if they want to setup a meeting

Greetings my fellow travelers! I started the year with GREAT intentions of attending 365 classes and working through the Soul Injury book. What is it they say about “best laid plans”, and who is “They” anyway?!? Since starting treatment for my leukemia/lymphoma I have found that my expectations are not lining up with my reality. I’m still working through the Soul Injury book and find it to be one of the best books I’ve ever read on multiple levels. I’m going through treatment and it’s definitely working which is GREAT, but I’m finding that it leaves me fatigued at the most unexpected times. I hope to see y’all at the next class. May the universe continue to shine on you in the most wonderful ways!!

Peaceful Saturday to you all. I wanted to tell you how much I am looking forward to tomorrow night and the coming year, together, as we discover and share some pretty " big deal" stuff. In reviewing my course work from January 2025 I find that I am more committed to making the time for the class work this time around. It is of course, the more you put into something, the more you get back from it. Knowing what I did do in 2025, a fair amount but not nearly enough, compared to my intentions for 2026, I am amazed to reflect on just how much I did grow over the last year, how although more fearful of death in some respects, I am more prepared to embrace that day when it arrives. I am committing to Pam, to you all (it will keep me accountable) and myself, to keep a gratitude journal this time, I managed to side step that for the last 365 days. It is an honor to be at the table with each of you, here we go....pass the potatoes.