(re-run) The last solar eclipse over the continental U.S. was on Monday, February 26, 1979. Claudette worked in the x-ray department at Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa. She and her co-workers took some x-ray film and went outside to look at the sun through the film. They were not in the path of totality… Continue reading Total Eclipse of the Date
Month: February 2025
Escape
(re-run) Long before dating sites and the personal computer were invented, Scott answered a personal ad in the Contra Costa Times. Remember newspapers? They were ink-on-paper affairs that folded in half, but not shiny like a magazine (a magazine was a booklet of ads, stories, and photographs with a theme that was published weekly or… Continue reading Escape
Bricks, Ricks, & Cardboard
(re-run) The college mixer was hosted by the men of Lorch House in Friley Hall, in the heart of the Iowa State University campus. Tappan House, the top two floors of Barton Hall, was invited. Yes, I am old. Yes, dorm floors are co-ed now. This was in the days of the dinosaurs, girl dinosaurs… Continue reading Bricks, Ricks, & Cardboard
A Good First Date
Harold was friends with Jack. Jack worked with Mary. Jack thought Harold and Mary should meet. “Come to the company luncheon with me,” Jack said. “And it you don’t like Mary, you can meet Alice.” Harold went online and checked out the two women’s Facebook pages. He liked Mary’s page more than Alice’s page. But… Continue reading A Good First Date
One Guy’s Thoughts on the Big Break-up
(re-run) One guy friend of mine whom I don’t know very well except that he puts on free estate sales (lawyer) and he speaks his mind . . . “Nice pioneer outfit you’ve got on, Susan!” Okay, the dress was a bit ruffly, and ruffles aren’t in style like they were ten years ago .… Continue reading One Guy’s Thoughts on the Big Break-up
The Day We Were the Minority
(re-run) I’ve told the story before. I may have even written it, but that’s the downside of being old. You forget. It was 2014. My youngest was in college on the East Coast. For spring break, she proposed that her older brother and I fly across the country to meet her in DC for ten… Continue reading The Day We Were the Minority
Dieting, Body Image, and Stay Out of my Business
(re-run) “Are you going to eat all of that?” I was sitting at a table in the teachers’ lounge, my lunch spread out before me. There was a sandwich, a red apple, carrot sticks and a glass of juice, maybe a chocolate or two. Why was the teacher I barely knew commenting on my lunch?… Continue reading Dieting, Body Image, and Stay Out of my Business
He Wouldn’t Take Non for an Answer
(re-run) Harry was an American soldier. He had survived D-Day. The war had just ended in Europe. He helped free the town of Reims, France, where she lived. She was so beautiful that when he met her on the street, he asked to/walked her/followed her home. She thanked him but wasn’t interested. “What is your… Continue reading He Wouldn’t Take Non for an Answer
The Turquoise Trailer and the Homeless Couple
(re-run) My little beach house sits on land bought back in 1929 from the railroad company. The old deed shows the purchase price of $25.00. For some reason, the original owner didn’t want to buy the land up to the railroad tracks. Now, 95 years later, the land between my back fence and the old… Continue reading The Turquoise Trailer and the Homeless Couple
The Good Karma Post
Sunday morning, I was in my beach town, so I ran down to the post office to buy a Sunday Chronicle out of the newspaper dispenser machine thingie. Another guy was parking at the same time, and we walked up together. “I’ll bet we want the same paper,” I said. “The Chronicle,” the guy said.… Continue reading The Good Karma Post
