Author: Susan

I do this blog for PG audiences and another one for R audiences with Bae Bliss.

Another One Bites the Dust

Posted in 1980s, aerobics, Farrah Fawcett, Iowa, junior high school, memoir, middle school, Olivia Newton John, queen, teachingLeave a comment

I had only been a teacher for a few years when I was asked to teach an interest class during lunchtime.  I agreed to teach aerobics, since I loved doing them, and why not? I was young, strong, and didn’t look half bad in an 80s leotard, complete with leg warmers and a sweat band… Continue reading Another One Bites the Dust

Highway Dog

Posted in memoir, Iowa, dogs, neighbors, animal rescue, thrift store, Carmel, shopping, back ache, highway, Orange County, Min Pin, sale, interstateLeave a comment

(re-run) I’m in my little beach town, up the road a bit from Carmel.  At the end of each month, the block of thrift stores in the Barnyard Shopping Center near Carmel Valley put their merchandise at 50% off for a day or two.  Yellow Brick Road was on its second day of sale yesterday,… Continue reading Highway Dog

Ah Choo! It’s Allergy Season

Posted in aerobics, California, dancing, Daylight Savings, Flonase, leap year, memoir, pollen, Sadie Hawkins, wineryLeave a comment

(re-run) My friends post photos of themselves gallivanting through our green hills dotted with wildflowers. It’s California, we are having the driest February in 160 years, and the pollen is exploding everywhere. My nose itches by just looking at the photos of the greenery. I bought an air purifier. I dug out my Flonase. I… Continue reading Ah Choo! It’s Allergy Season

The Weakest Link – my Low Back

Posted in bully, Coronavirus, Covid 19, dogs, exercise, female issues, low back pain, massage, memoir, newspaper, pandemic, relationships, shoes, Sunday Chronicle, TinnitusLeave a comment

(re-run from 2020) The good thing about the current Coronavirus COVID-19 lockdown is that I have a hundred projects to finish.  Suddenly I have nothing but time to do it all. Everything was going along swimmingly yesterday. I exercised. I painted (spray-painted picture frames), I picked up dog poop. I did a heavy load of… Continue reading The Weakest Link – my Low Back

Male Egos ‘R’ Us

Posted in aggression, Costco, fight, flipping the bird, Macho Man, memoir, middle finger, November, pregnancy, road rage, road rage, male ego, stream of consciousness, toddler, toys, Toys R UsLeave a comment

(re-run) Decades ago, when I was the mother of a two-year-old girl and hugely pregnant with another child, our little family took a Sunday drive down to Dublin to visit the toy store. I was lost in a world of motherhood, tolerating acid-inducing fetal kicks and not paying attention to what was happening outside of… Continue reading Male Egos ‘R’ Us

My Three-quarter Bike Ride

Posted in memoir, California, biking, children, lunch, handy woman, exercise, railroad, pandemic, melanoma, Iron Horse TrailLeave a comment

(re-run) I was the one that suggested the bike ride with two of my adult children. They don’t spend much time outdoors or get enough exercise. They like to ride the Iron Horse trail. It is an easy, shady railroad right of way that connects towns up and down the I- 680 corridor in the… Continue reading My Three-quarter Bike Ride

Say What in Santa Cruz

Posted in California, college, dating, friends, helpful strangers, high school, marriage proposal, relationships, Santa Cruz, siblings, vacationLeave a comment

(re-run) Jennifer met Brad at San Leandro High school in the Bay Area. She wasn’t allowed to date, but she was allowed to go to junior prom. The next year Brad asked Jennifer to Senior Ball. It was in San Francisco, and afterward, they went to Pier 39 with everyone else in their limo. Brad… Continue reading Say What in Santa Cruz

Checking Out the Guy Checking You Out

Posted in BART, baseball, California, chemistry, dating, Facebook, firsts, girlfriends, Hamilton, humor, Intelius, internet, LinkedIn, relationships, San Francisco1 Comment

(re-run) First of all, let’s just get this out in the open. It’s weird to be a woman of a certain age and to be hit on while waiting for a BART train. As in Bay Area Rapid Transit. He was sitting when I came up to the platform. I sat down next to him,… Continue reading Checking Out the Guy Checking You Out

Grabby Guy’s Goodness

Posted in bar fight, best, Boston, dancing, dating, friends, grad school, helpful strangers, humor, marriage, relationshipsLeave a comment

(re-run) Brenda was a lonely grad student at Tufts in Boston. She was tired of dating and was thinking of getting her doctorate in nutrition after she got her Master’s degree. Brenda’s two roommates, who were also a couple, told Brenda she needed a night out to go dancing. Brenda got ready and then waited… Continue reading Grabby Guy’s Goodness

Naming the Rescue Dog

Posted in animal adoption, animal rescue, ARF, best, California, daughter, dog training, dogs, humor, memoir, relationships, son, surpriseLeave a comment

(re-run) The day after Christmas I bought myself a belated gift. I got an adult dog to be a buddy to my exuberant two year old dog.  I’d been to the Martinez animal services shelter the week before, since they had so many dogs (140) and were giving them away. It was cold and damp… Continue reading Naming the Rescue Dog