To close out our season, we're revisiting one of our favorite essays of the year. Kirsten walks us through the value of snail mail and what a collection of greeting cards can grow to mean to you and your family.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Kirsten reflects on the first year of Who Gets the China and what a curious nature evokes in day to day life. How do we stay curious as we care for our aging parents? How do we stay curious as we age ourselves? Perhaps, we should do our best to engage with the business of life.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Could you imagine quitting your job, selling your house, and moving your family into your childhood home to care for your aging parents? Hear how one caregiver has spent the last eleven years prioritizing her parents care. Kirsten checks in with her old friend, Kathy Merzena, about her caregiving experience. They discuss what it's like to care for two wheel chair bound parents, making the decision to move in with her aging parents, and the sacrifices made to in the caregiving process.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

This week, Kirsten reflects on another of her family heirlooms: her mother's mink coat. Once a status symbol of a bygone culture, now an item fraught with emotional complexity, the mink finds its way back into Kirsten's heart as exactly what it was meant to be: a coat!

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

When you’re estranged or out of contact with an aging parent, caregiving and grief take on a very different shape. Kirsten hosts a candid conversation with Jacqueline Hargest to share her experience with estrangement from her parents. Jacqueline openly shares how she’s navigated loss, self-compassion, and the unique challenges that come with distance—both emotional and physical. They explore topics like facing ambiguous grief, getting health updates from afar, and how friends can offer meaningful support. It’s an honest, empathetic look at a rarely discussed experience shared by many.

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

In this archival essay, Kirsten reflects on another set of mementos from childhood–her collection of glass animals. Once a precious collection shared with her mother, now another collection in storage. What’s the best course of action for an old trend, significantly reduced in monetary value, but not in personal value?

To read the original essay, check out the substack post: https://open.substack.com/pub/whogetsthechina/p/the-glass-animal-collection?r=59cxnp&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

Kirsten sits down with occupational therapist and driving rehabilitation specialist, Denise Kaplan, for an insightful conversation about driving as we age—when to start talking about giving up the keys, how to assess driving abilities, and ways to safely extend time on the road. Together, they explore the emotional and practical sides of this major life transition, offering guidance for families navigating one of the toughest conversations around aging.

Visit https://adaptivedrivinglittleton.com/ to learn more about Denise's work.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CarFit: https://car-fit.org/

The Hartford: https://www.thehartford.com/resources/mature-market-excellence/driving-safety

Additional Resources:

AAA's Articles on Vulnerable Road Users: https://aaafoundation.org/category/vulnerable-road-users/

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers: https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/812228_cliniciansguidetoolderdrivers.pdf

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Credits: Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ https://www.jigawattsstudio.com

This week, Kirsten takes a look back at our favorite moments and pieces of advice from our expert interviews. Don't forget to check out the full versions of each interview wherever you get your podcasts!

Follow Who Gets the China? on https://www.whogetsthechina.substack.com

If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with someone who might appreciate the conversation. And don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Credits:

Produced by Aaron Bryce @ https://www.bluogden.com/

Theme music composed by Greg Fellman @ https://www.windsandproductions.com/

Graphic design by Jenn Beam @ http://www.jigawattsstudio.com/