I invited my friend to my beach house, and she asked to bring her twelve-pound rescue dog. I was hesitant to answer. I wondered how it would work out with my two bigger dogs. Pepper, a mellow lab mix, would be fine. The wild card was Daisy, the twenty-pound Jack Russell terrier. Daisy is a… Continue reading When your Dog Wants to Kill your Friend’s Dog
Category: beach
Sneaking into the Pool
While student teaching in Venezuela, we learned how to have fun with not much money. One of the American teachers had stolen a couple of striped beach towels from an upscale hotel, and she had been sneaking into the hotel pool for years. “Just carry the towel and act like you belong,” Linda said. Christy… Continue reading Sneaking into the Pool
The Dogs Have Met their Match
(re-run) When you are of a certain age, and your two young dogs wear you out on a regular basis, it can be a delight to have a ten-year-old girl for the weekend while her mom works for you. The dogs have finally met their match. The ten-year-old wakes up at dawn to go to… Continue reading The Dogs Have Met their Match
Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
(re-run) She ran a personal ad in the Contra Costa Times: Single white female looking for single Asian man. Her two previous boyfriends had been Asian. James called and left a message with his phone number on a Friday night. The next morning Pam checked her phone messages. She liked his voice as she listened… Continue reading Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
S is for Scrolling (Surfing)
It used to be when I had a few minutes of free time, I’d try to get something done, like work on a story, clean a drawer, or do some squats. Oh, I could’ve written about squats since it starts with an S. But what can you say? Bend down, butt out. Stand up, repeat.… Continue reading S is for Scrolling (Surfing)
The Uses for a Ten Year Old
The nine year old in my life has joined the Tweener set. She is a double digit girl now, on her way to teenager-hood. She is doing division now in math, although those pesky times tables continue to bother her. 7 x 9 is her nemesis. So is 9 x 7, 63 divided by 9,… Continue reading The Uses for a Ten Year Old
A Scavenger’s Life
I see value in things that others don’t see. It can be blessing and also a problem. That paper bag? Take it to my favorite thrift store. The plastic bag the newspaper comes in? A poop bag on a dog walk. A cracked dinner plate? A water-catch for a ceramic pot. So when the local… Continue reading A Scavenger’s Life
Writer’s Block
You sit at the blank screen, the blinking cursor mocking you. You’re at the beach in a warm house with no internet. You don’t know your neighbors’ WIFI passwords. You don’t like the morning news shows. The thrift stores won’t open for two hours. Its’ too cold right now to do yard work, plus your… Continue reading Writer’s Block
Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
She ran a personal ad in the Contra Costa Times: Single white female looking for single Asian man. Her two previous boyfriends had been Asian. James called and left a message with his phone number on a Friday night. The next morning Pam checked her phone messages. She liked his voice as she listened to… Continue reading Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
My Autumn Travels
I am in India, then Hawaii, then Europe, then Mexico. I have seen monkeys and camels, but no tigers. I have seen the Taj Mahal. I am having the dead skin on my feet bitten by little fishes. Then I am touring a castle in Germany or visiting a beach town in Italy. I can… Continue reading My Autumn Travels
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 