How to Get your Dog to Come to You

On a hike the other day, there were four small dogs with 15 or more people. One person was saying how hard it was to get his one-year-old dog to come to him. I remembered back to one of the many dog training sessions I’ve attended in my life – training Tess, the spaniel/heeler, Penny,… Continue reading How to Get your Dog to Come to You

How Thrifting Improved my Day

(re-run) Okay, I admit it. I’m 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

No New Year’s Resolutions for Me

(re-run) Today’s the day I am supposed to resolve to do better, work harder, exercise more, and eat clean.  Guess what? I learned long ago to do things in baby steps. It takes twenty-one days to form a new habit. Sometimes I can do it if I don’t think too hard about it. Like yogurt.… Continue reading No New Year’s Resolutions for Me

Mr. No Class

They met online through a singles website (not the swiping one). Tom lived and worked in Napa. Carin lived less than an hour away in the San Francisco East Bay on a horse ranch with her seven horses. She ran a small upscale hair salon.  After much texting and talking, they got together for dinner… Continue reading Mr. No Class

What Not to Do on the First Date

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 What Not to Do on the First Date

Snowshoeing with the Girls

(re-run) The last time I was in Tahoe in the winter, Valentina, Margo and I went snowshoeing. The guys went skiing, but we girls weren’t up for that. Maybe it was the house party the night before, or maybe it was a fear of snowboarders taking us out as we meandered down the slopes. Full… Continue reading Snowshoeing with the Girls

He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date

(re-run) Ingrid had been on an online dating website for a little over a month. She had tried meeting a few guys but only if they were willing to email back and forth and actually pick up a phone and call. Fred had flirted and called, and now it was time for them to meet.… Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, He’s my Match Date

My Inherited Dog, Boomer

(re-run) Boomer was never my dog, although he came into my care when I married his owner.  I’m not sure how old he was when I met him. My dog, Tess, was two and Boomer was older. A small, part Beagle-part terrier, Boomer had not had a regular dog’s life. He had never eaten dog… Continue reading My Inherited Dog, Boomer