Month: October 2026

He Wouldn’t Take Non for an Answer

Posted in baseball, best, dating, flirting, France, humor, marriage proposal, military, moving, relationships, travelLeave a comment

(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

Ten-year-old Girl Meets Fire

Posted in babysitting, beach, California, candles, fires, Footloose, Girl Scouts, Martha Stewart, memoir, relationshipsLeave a comment

(re-run) It was a Saturday night, and the woman who works for me was extra tired from her long honey-do list. We had just put on Footloose when she said, “I’m going to bed.” “Good night,” I said, looking at her ten year old daughter who was wearing my boots from forty years ago and… Continue reading Ten-year-old Girl Meets Fire

The Dog Whisperer

Posted in animal adoption, animal rescue, animal training, ball throwing, California, dog whisperer, dogs, fridge, HOA, leash, massage, memoir, pandemic, poop, Zoom1 Comment

(re-run) My son moved in with me. He’s managed to get the super anxious, high-strung Jack Russell terrier to roll over onto her back when she sees him coming. She allows belly rubs to happen. This is huge. I’ve been massaging Daisy Dog ever since pandemic life went online with Zoom. She knows to sit… Continue reading The Dog Whisperer

Horseback Riding on a First Date

Posted in relationships, dancing, marriage, hospital, bar, Ecuador, horse, parachute pants, allergies, horseback riding, weltsLeave a comment

(re-run) Juan met two women named Donna in one night while dancing in a bar. He had a matchbook with one of their phone numbers on it and another matchbook with the other’s name and number on it. He couldn’t remember which was which, so he picked a matchbook and called. “Hi, this is Juan.… Continue reading Horseback Riding on a First Date

Be Careful What You Wish For

Posted in California, chorus, dogs, garden, humor, last, memoir, nature, outdoors, relationships, worst1 Comment

(re-run) I’ve lived in my little house for seven years and four months. The neighborhood is about 48 years old, and the trees that are here are huge. My pie-shaped lot is wide and shallow in the back.  Las Trampas Ridge is due west, beyond the freeway, but I could not see it because of… Continue reading Be Careful What You Wish For

The Flying Hammer and the Cleaning Lady

Posted in relationships, humor, earthquake, holidays, contractor, husband, picnic, kitchen remodel, cleaning lady, hammer, PyrexLeave a comment

(re-run) Many moons ago, when I was the mother of three young children, my husband (now ex) said, “Let’s remodel the kitchen.” I stupidly agreed, not realizing that I would be the one to suffer through six weeks of no kitchen sink and six weeks of feeding my family with no way to cook anything… Continue reading The Flying Hammer and the Cleaning Lady

When the Sun is Shining

Posted in airbnb, California, liquor store, Monterey Bay, Pacific ocean, power outage, treesLeave a comment

When the sun is shining in Monterey, everyone walks around smiling. The town south of Monterey that sticks out into the ocean and gets a lot of fog is Pacific Grove, and the Methodists founded it in the 1900’s as a great place to get out of the heat. The mothers and children spent their… Continue reading When the Sun is Shining