A friend of mine is Swedish, and she told me about Döstädning. I have no idea how to say it, but it means death purge for those turning sixty. The idea is simple – clean out your house before you die so that your kids don’t have to do it. But saying it and doing… Continue reading Doing the Swedish Death Purge
Month: August 2020
Making Time to Write
(re-run) I used to write every day. That was back when I had sleeping babies and pre-schoolers that went to school on a regular schedule. Now that I’m an empty nester I think I am going to write every day, but then stuff happens. Like exercise classes and long hikes. Dog walks. Contractors. A sister… Continue reading Making Time to Write
Rattlesnake Season
(re-run) It’s rattlesnake season here in the West. Snakes are cold-blooded and love warm surfaces like rocks or sunny trails when they are cold, and dark and shady places when they are hot. At night they curl up in the strangest locales – in coiled-up garden hoses, under the edge of pool covers, and now… Continue reading Rattlesnake Season
As Fresh as a Daisy, Dog Story
When you’re a dog, a rescue dog, one that has been given back twice, your world is filled with fear, loud trucks, and scary men. So when you have to share your beach house with a big guy with facial hair, another woman who kind of looks like the one that feeds you, and another… Continue reading As Fresh as a Daisy, Dog Story
R is for Retro
(re-run) Everything old is new again. Jumpsuits from the 70’s and 80’s are back. I know this because we are singing a Captain and Tennille song in my jazz group, and solid-colored jumpsuits are the suggested attire. I went online to see if Macy’s had any. They have a whole department of them! Ponchos were… Continue reading R is for Retro
Lola Meets Ricardo
Lola met her forever husband on the first day of college at the University of Iowa. She had signed up for a speech and composition class with an emphasis on women’s studies. When she got to the classroom, there was a note on the door that the class had been moved to another building. A… Continue reading Lola Meets Ricardo
Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins
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. They… Continue reading Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins
Wiener Dog Versus Rat
Long ago, when I had three school-aged children off at their respective schools, I sat at my desk writing during the quiet of the day when I heard the Dachshund barking. He was somewhere in our spacious backyard. I ignored it at first, but when the barking didn’t subside, I decided I’d better go check… Continue reading Wiener Dog Versus Rat
The Grass is Always Greener
(re-run) I had a meeting tonight with two girlfriends in solid hard-core relationships. One is married, the other is living with her guy. My relationship is with two roommates who fight a lot over squeaky toys and over who gets to go out the door first. They are roommates of the furry kind. So imagine… Continue reading The Grass is Always Greener
Massage Talk, Otter Card, and Scavenger Find
(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 me. For the past several months I haven’t been able to talk, have barely been able to… Continue reading Massage Talk, Otter Card, and Scavenger Find
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 