The Elusive Dot … Dot … Dot

It takes seven artisans to make a glass of wine — from the grape growers to the vintners to the coopers, etc.  Or so the pitch goes at the small winery in Fairfield. And to draw a crowd, they bring in live music on weekend afternoons. Brent met a woman online and invited her there… Continue reading The Elusive Dot … Dot … Dot

Cornhole, some Critters, and a Ghost on her Phone

Yesterday was the annual singles’ club party/picnic at one guy’s lush estate in Hayward.  I picked up my girlfriend, and we let the GPS woman’s voice direct us down Five Canyons Road to a bunch of turns until we finally found the place. I’d been there many times before but always as a passenger, never… Continue reading Cornhole, some Critters, and a Ghost on her Phone

If It’s Cloudy It Must Be a Cleaning Day

re-run Weather affects my mood. If I wake up to a sunny bright day, I want to get out, go exercise, go shopping, rake my yard, buy a fountain.  If it’s raining, I want to cook some soup, make cookies, and read a book. If it’s cloudy, I want to organize my office, wash the… Continue reading If It’s Cloudy It Must Be a Cleaning Day

Shop Till You Drop

We had already hit two thrift stores and were heading for a third. Then I remembered that Vicky wanted to go to the ones in Carmel. I turned onto Forest Avenue and took the winding highway 68 through the Monterey pines. It would lead to the new roundabout that would send the traffic north to… Continue reading Shop Till You Drop

Royals

re-run Today’s the day (technically tomorrow), when a prince marries an American!  A celebrity!  A person of mixed race!  The world has gone gaga for a royal wedding. I am not that much into all things British, but I do like the family Windsor. After all, William married my distant cousin, Kate.  Yes, my maiden… Continue reading Royals

Her Left Foot

It was Labor Day weekend. We needed to get a handle on the mess in the garage. I asked my oldest to watch my youngest while we parents worked outside. She was nine, in 4th grade already for a week, and the baby was almost two and a half. Then a series of unfortunate events… Continue reading Her Left Foot

The Ultimate Sacrifice

What do you do when World War II, the one that killed your big brother or the uncle that you never knew, has been over for almost 75 years?  When you find out that your niece has always wanted to know the story? When you learn that your aunt has twenty years of research and… Continue reading The Ultimate Sacrifice

It’s Not Rocket Science

The woman who works for me, eleven years my junior and twice as strong, told me that when her hot tub broke, she told a man at her community pool that she needed a rocket scientist to figure out what was wrong with it. “I’m a rocket scientist,” the guy said. A good pick-up line?… Continue reading It’s Not Rocket Science

How Thrifting Improved my Day

Okay, I admit it. I am a thrift store junkie. So when I go to my fave beach town, I make sure to stop at every thrift store at least once. That makes for six stops, nine if I venture down to Carmel. This trip I stayed in my town. I wandered into Second Chance… Continue reading How Thrifting Improved my Day