After moving to Omaha and teaching for a couple of years across the Missouri River in Council Bluffs, Iowa, I grew tired of driving a car that smelled like a mildewed basement. My poor Chevy Monza had suffered through a Nebraska flood back at the farmhouse, and the car stank. I couldn’t afford a new… Continue reading Waitresses Make the Best Tippers
Month: September 2026
Don’t Judge a Book
(re-run) Of all the pick-up lines I’ve ever heard, the best one came yesterday at the Walnut Creek Octoberfest. “Now those are some sensible shoes.” Yes, I had on one-inch-heel black booties because I was dressed as a German beer garden maid, and they were the best shoes with white knee socks. “They’re good for… Continue reading Don’t Judge a Book
It’s the Little Things
(re-run) A morning sunrise, skies streaked pink and blue. A warm dog cuddled under the afghan throw as I read a book. A hot cup of fake mocha coffee and a Madeleine cookie. A bunch of texts from an adult child 3000 miles away. A photo of my smiling grandson in his high chair. The… Continue reading It’s the Little Things
Chick and Velvet
She was an architect from Huntsville, Alabama. He was a car salesman from Scottsboro, just forty-one miles away. He was kind of cute — medium height with sandy brown hair. His name was Chick, short for Charles. They’d met at a wedding because the groom was late (another story). After a fun night of dancing… Continue reading Chick and Velvet
The Third Date Rule?
After Sue became a widow, her adult children were protective of her dating online. They had her send them a profile photo, an address, and phone number for each guy she dated. One of them was an anesthesiologist named Don. Sue’s son’s friend knew Don since he was in the medical field. Sue felt safe… Continue reading The Third Date Rule?
Homecoming Hopes
Marci was voted to be on Homecoming Court by her senior class. With 107 girls, she was one of just five who made it. Marci was walking on clouds until she realized she had no date — no steady boyfriend. She couldn’t go alone. What was she going to do? Could she refuse? The football… Continue reading Homecoming Hopes
Computer Date
(re-run) The idea for computer dating has been around as long as computers for personal use. Carolyn should know! In 1965 (yes, in the Dark Ages) she had her first and last computer match. In those days one filled out a computer punch card, the data was computed, and the results took a day or… Continue reading Computer Date
Parking Lot Pick-up
(re-run) Edith and her friend, Laura, were bored. It was Saturday night, and they’d been at their all-girls’ school, Holy Names, for a whole week. It was time to find some guys, to find a party. They pulled into Berkeley and headed for Fraternity Row. Laura spotted someone she had dated before and rolled down… Continue reading Parking Lot Pick-up
Spinning a Spider Story
My strength and toning instructor loves to tell us trivia while we work out. Last week she said spiders are the most active between 6 and 8 p.m. and that the female spiders go out looking for food at that time. The males follow. Isn’t that just like a male anyway, to wait until we’ve… Continue reading Spinning a Spider Story
State Fair Memory
(re-run) The Iowa State Fair is the biggest in the country, with 165 food items on a stick! and the butter cow. But the fair was expensive for a family of seven, plus Dad had had polio as a late teen and walked with a limp. The fairgrounds covered a lot of acreage, so we… Continue reading State Fair Memory
