California – Page 54 – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

Deciding for your Children

July 9, 2021July 8, 2021 Posted in artist, books, California, children, Chinese food, Chinese restaurant, daughter, donations, garage sales, Iowa, library, memoir, parents, self-fulfilling prophecy, teacher, teaching, writersLeave a comment

(re-run) It’s funny how something pops into your brain and you think, that would make a good blog post. Today I mailed 100 books to a librarian in Menlo Park. They are old kids’ books that my children read back in the day. My librarian Facebook friend asked for books for her students to read… Continue reading Deciding for your Children

Queen Victoria, the Cat

July 8, 2021July 7, 2021 Posted in animal adoption, California, cats, helpful strangers, humor, mom, Nashville, relationships, survival, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Renee, the artist, already had three cats. She wasn’t looking for another. So when her daughter-in-law called and said, “Mom, you need to adopt this cat,” Renee was thinking, No way, Renee. But then she heard the kitty’s story, and she had to reconsider. Renee’s son Brian and his wife were moving to Tennessee… Continue reading Queen Victoria, the Cat

A Giants Date

July 5, 2021July 5, 2021 Posted in athletes, baseball, California, contractor, control freak, dating, humor, online dating, San Francisco, sportsLeave a comment

(re-run) Tom the contractor was a Giants fan. He found a similar-minded woman on Match.com. Tom’s friend had given him the tickets, field level seats at the third baseline, near the players’ wives. Tom asked his date to meet him at his place so they could drive over to the stadium in San Francisco together.… Continue reading A Giants Date

DUI Date

July 4, 2021 Posted in California, cars, dating, drinking, firsts, friends, guardian angel, humor, nature, relationships, roommate, Stockton, tennis, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Lesley was a college freshman at UOP in Stockton when a big football player type guy asked her on a date. Lesley had already met his roommate, so she thought she was safe with Chad and said yes. Chad took Lesley to a party, but when his roommate came up to say hi to… Continue reading DUI Date

Moochy Mc Moocherson

July 2, 2021June 29, 2021 Posted in BMW, boyfriend, California, cars, clueless, dancing, dating, firsts, homeless, humor, losers, relationships, winery, worstLeave a comment

Then it dawned on her that Eric might actually live in his BMW.

Belly-up Beetle

July 1, 2021June 29, 2021 Posted in alcohol abuse, beetle, California, cars, dating, drinking, drugs, guardian angel, high school, marijuana, memoir, relationships, Volkswagen, worstsLeave a comment

(re-run) Curtis drove the Volkswagen, 1969 vintage Beetle. Smoking George, his wing man, brought the weed. They’d met their dates at a party. Stacy and Camille went to San Leandro High. Curtis and George went to Castro Valley. Curtis liked Camille. George got Stacy. They all partied at a friend of a friend’s house in… Continue reading Belly-up Beetle

My Inherited Dog, Boomer

June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 Posted in animal training, animals, California, dogs, honeymoon, marriage, memoir, pregnancy, raccoons, relationshipsLeave a comment

(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 got 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

Just for the Halibut

June 24, 2021June 23, 2021 Posted in back ache, California, cancer, Christmas, Facebook, father, Father's Day, funeral, hospital, Iowa, memoir, punster, Spain, Spanish, student teaching, teaching, VenezuelaLeave a comment

Father’s Day has come and gone. I saw many black and white photos of men on Facebook, people my age honoring their deceased dads. I didn’t have a good photo of Dad to post, just silly ones or childhood ones. It never occurred to me 34 years ago that I would someday want a good… Continue reading Just for the Halibut

Grizzly Bear!

June 23, 2021June 22, 2021 Posted in Alaska, bears, California, church, friends, grizzly bear, guardian angel, guns, hunting, nature, relationships, travel, vacation, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) An Amazon robot punctured a can of Bear Mace, sending 80 employees to the hospital before Christmas. It reminded me of this true account told to me at a holiday party. In 2008 you take your wife, Liza, and your teen-aged kids to Alaska. You stay near the Princess Lodge in a fishing cabin… Continue reading Grizzly Bear!

Father’s Day Hike

June 20, 2021June 16, 2021 Posted in boyfriend, California, Father's Day, hiking, humor, memoir, nature, outdoors, relationships, trees, turkey vultures, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Several years ago on Father’s Day, my three kids went with to their dad’s for a bbq, and I went on a late-day hike with my (now ex) boyfriend. He’s one of those guys who doesn’t believe in rules and always thinks his way is the best way. We took a hike on the… Continue reading Father’s Day Hike