Author: Susan

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

Two Seniors’ Shared Senior Moment

Posted in dance floor, dancing, live music, memoir, Oakland, security guard, senior moment, seniors, wineryLeave a comment

(re-run) He was right in front of us, a club member who had dated another club member for sixteen years until the break-up. We both knew who she was. But what was her name? “Liz,” he says. “No, that’s not it.” We talked about my ex-boyfriend club member, the Gong show, him being shirtless onstage,… Continue reading Two Seniors’ Shared Senior Moment

Pushing Back

Posted in attitude, Beach Boys, best, California, dancing, entitled attitude, friends, humor, memoir, park, relationships, small town, worst1 Comment

(re-run) Another Friday night, another summer concert, this time a Beach Boys cover band close to home. I loaded up my little red wagon and drove to Livorna Park in Alamo. The band wouldn’t start until 6:30, but I left home at 5:00 so that I could park close by and get a spot in… Continue reading Pushing Back

A 4th of July to Remember, or Not

Posted in 4th of July, 9-11, Alex Jones, antique store, architects, children, conspiracy theory, dancing, divorce, engineers, Holocaust, humor, Iowa, parade, Sandy HookLeave a comment

(re-run) It wasn’t a typical 4th of July. I was getting divorced, and I had a boyfriend, although he was a conspiracy theorist. If you don’t believe me, you could just look at his wardrobe. He owned a collection of t-shirts that screamed, I am anti-government, anti-media, anti-logic of any kind. But he was cute,… Continue reading A 4th of July to Remember, or Not

The Thrill Gene

Posted in bears, bicycles, Big Sur, cars, cliffs, gene, mountain lion, Orinoco River, peer pressure, roller coasters, scuba dive, waterfalls, zip lineLeave a comment

Because two climbers scaled the Empire State Building today . . . (re-run) I have never liked roller coasters. I puke on the teacups ride. I don’t like to dive, and I brake hard on steep hills on my bicycle. I have figured out that I don’t have the thrill gene. Of my three children,… Continue reading The Thrill Gene

Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

Posted in 4th of July, antique, California, carnival, cats, cousins, Des Moines, grandfather clock, memoir, mom, money, uncleLeave a comment

(re-run) I grew up with three uncles: one in Colorado, another on the other side of the state, and one near my home town in Des Moines, Iowa. Uncle Frank was older than the other uncles, but since his daughter, Nina, was my age, I hardly noticed.  He was married to my grandma’s younger sister. … Continue reading Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

Kuma, the Teddy-bear Akita

Posted in 4th of July, Akita, animal training, animals, boyfriend, California, casino, dating, divorce, dogs, father figure, Japan, kayaking, lake, Lake Tahoe, puppy, river, swimmingLeave a comment

(re-run) Beth’s husband had two Akitas.  She wanted to get one for their six-year-old son.  She got Lee a puppy and named him Kuma, which is Japanese for Bear. The two older dogs kept attacking the puppy.  The marriage wasn’t going well, either. Beth and her son moved out and got their own place and… Continue reading Kuma, the Teddy-bear Akita

Massage Talk, Otter Card, and Scavenger Find

Posted in #MeToo, blog, blog posts, chiropractor, football, library, library card, massage, memoir, news, Prius, scavenger, South Dakota, stomach issues, TVLeave a comment

(re-run) Every other Tuesday I treat myself to a full-hour massage at my chiropractor’s office. Curtis is awesome. He can make this senior citizen feel almost 50 again. Curtis asks lots of questions while he is working on my sore body parts. For the past several months I haven’t been able to talk, have barely… Continue reading Massage Talk, Otter Card, and Scavenger Find

Belly-up Beetle

Posted in alcohol abuse, beetle, California, cars, dating, drinking, drugs, guardian angel, high school, marijuana, memoir, relationships, Volkswagen, worstsLeave a comment

(re-run) Curtis drove the Volkswagen, 1969 vintage Beetle. Smoking George, his wing man, brought the weed. They’d met their dates at a party. Stacy and Camille went to San Leandro High. Curtis and George went to Castro Valley. Curtis liked Camille. George got Stacy. They all partied at a friend of a friend’s house in… Continue reading Belly-up Beetle

The Day my Dog Herded Me to the ER

Posted in ambulance, California, chiropractor, concussion, dog behaviors, dogs, ER, headache, Iowa, memoir, Omaha, orthotics, paramedics, pregnancy, repair man, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Way back when, I had two children and a rare free day. The kindergartener was going on an all-day field trip. The two-year-old was going to daycare for the day. I had hours ahead of me to do all the yard work and gardening that I could squeeze in.  I put on some old… Continue reading The Day my Dog Herded Me to the ER

Grizzly Bear!

Posted in Alaska, Amazon, bears, California, church, friends, grizzly bear, guardian angel, guns, hunting, nature, relationships, travel, vacation, worst1 Comment

(re-run) An Amazon robot punctured a can of Bear Mace, sending 80 employees to the hospital before Christmas. It reminded me of this true account as told to me at a holiday party by a friend’s daughter’s boyfriend’s father figure. His name is Bob. In 2008 you take your wife, Liza, and your teen-aged kids… Continue reading Grizzly Bear!