November 2018 – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

Porch Pirates, Poinsettias and Peaches

November 30, 2018December 30, 2018 Posted in animal adoption, best, board and care, burglaries, California, caregiver, holiday weekend, holidays, humor, last, memoir, neighbors, pet, relationships, Thanksgiving2 Comments

The joke going around social media is that if you want to get rid of your junk, put it in an Amazon box and leave it on your porch. It’s not that funny around my neighborhood. Porch pirates are everywhere this time of year. Neighbors are sure to tell each other when they will be… Continue reading Porch Pirates, Poinsettias and Peaches

The Overachieving Steer, Knickers

November 29, 2018December 30, 2018 Posted in Australia, best, bipolar, memoir, Nebraska, OCD, overachiever, parent-teacher conference, relationships, South America, steer, Study abroad, summer, worstLeave a comment

In Australia, there is a Holstein steer that is six feet, four inches tall. That’s one big bovine! I first heard about him on the nightly news tonight. Then I Googled the guy to see what else I could find out about him. His name is Knickers. He is too big to fit in the… Continue reading The Overachieving Steer, Knickers

Trip to the ER

November 28, 2018December 30, 2018 Posted in California, children, daughter, dogs, ER, feet, holiday weekend, Mama bear, memoir, pain, relationships, worst1 Comment

It was Labor Day weekend. We needed to get a handle on the mess in the garage. I asked my oldest to watch my youngest while we parents worked outside. She was nine, in 4th grade already for a week, and the baby was almost two and a half. Then a series of unfortunate events… Continue reading Trip to the ER

Thoughts on Hate

November 27, 2018December 30, 2018 Posted in attack, babies, California, Chelsea Clinton, daughter, dreams, Dukes of Hazzard, immigrants, memoir, racist, worstLeave a comment

The woman who works for me one day a week told me today that the Dukes of Hazzard TV show is coming back to TV. I never watched the show when it aired in the 70’s and 80’s, but I know that there was a confederate flag in the show. Will that flag be gone… Continue reading Thoughts on Hate

Daisy the Rescue Dog, Month # 12

November 26, 2018November 26, 2018 Posted in ARF, California, dog training, dogs, humor, Jack Russell terrier, labrador, memoir, relationships, rescue1 Comment

We’ve been through a lot together: chewed up leashes, broken chairs, too-small-harnesses, failing out of manners class, and me building a gate that you cannot jump. Daisy, you have cost me lots of money. You have been put in your place and punctured when you would not acquiesce to the bigger dog over a ball… Continue reading Daisy the Rescue Dog, Month # 12

Worst Boss Ever

November 25, 2018 Posted in boss, humor, Iowa, last, memoir, relationships, restaurant, summer, worstLeave a comment

Aside from the old-guy boss I had for ten days at the Iowa State Fair, who took one look at my giraffe legs in my short culottes jumper I’d made in sewing class and demanded that I bend over to see if my butt would show (it didn’t), George was the worst boss ever. George… Continue reading Worst Boss Ever

Woodstock or Work?

November 24, 2018November 24, 2018 Posted in bands, best, helpful strangers, historic, humor, live music, Long Island, nature, outdoors, pig, postal service, rain, relationships, small town, vacation, vintageLeave a comment

In 1969 Max Yasgur’s pig farm in upstate New York sounded like the place to be for three days and three nights. Frank had been delivering the Woodstock tickets for weeks on Long Island at his job as a summer letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office. He and the other summer carriers knew it… Continue reading Woodstock or Work?

Tattoos for You

November 23, 2018December 30, 2018 Posted in athletes, best, butterflies, California, dancing, dogs, family, friends of friends, generation, humor, memoir, mom, music, relationships, skin, tattoos, worstLeave a comment

I look around and see athletes with tattoos, ex-military people with tattoos, mothers of small children with tattoos . . .

The Six Stages of Thanksgiving

November 22, 2018November 22, 2018 Posted in California, cleaning, dancing, dusting, exercise, food, friends, holidays, humor, live music, memoir, relationships, ThanksgivingLeave a comment

I am having Thanksgiving at my house today for nine or ten people. I say that because my brother in law may or may not show up. There is lots of football to be missed if he comes ninety minutes north to my house. It will be me, my three kids, my two sisters, my… Continue reading The Six Stages of Thanksgiving

Shop Till You Drop

November 21, 2018November 21, 2018 Posted in best, California, Carmel, cars, dressing room, firsts, friends, girl friends, lunch, memoir, relationships, restaurant, thrift store, vintageLeave a comment

We had already hit two thrift stores and were heading for a third. Then I remembered that Vickie wanted to go to the ones in Carmel. I turned onto Forest Avenue and took the winding highway 68 through the Monterey pines. It would lead to the new roundabout that would send the traffic north to… Continue reading Shop Till You Drop