Daisy Rescue Dog One Year

(Re-run from 2018) Tomorrow will be Daisy’s adopt-a-versary. That’s right, the day after Christmas!  I had looked at free dogs at the local SPCA, but all that was left were big dogs: pit bulls, overweight standard Dachshunds, and other large mixed breeds. I gave up on the “free dog” idea and came home to look… Continue reading Daisy Rescue Dog One Year

Sheltering in Place at the Beach

(re-run from 2020) I just got back from the grocery store. It’s 9:30 a.m.  I saw maybe a total of fifteen people, and that includes workers. I was the youngest shopper in there, and I’m two months away from Medicare.  Everyone had on masks. I wore my gloves and took them off only to open… Continue reading Sheltering in Place at the Beach

My First Taste of California

When I was in college, the spring of my sophomore year, I saw a poster for a summer job – “Earn $3000 in just three months.” Back in 1975, that was a lot of money. I went to the evening meeting on campus and found myself in a room with a dozen other “applicants.” After… Continue reading My First Taste of California

Daisy’s Nervous Car Ride

Every two weeks I load up my dogs and head to Monterey County to check on and use my little beach house.  But a month had gone by since the last time, due to 9 rainstorms that wreaked havoc on Northern California. Last week, it left one of my highways underwater. I finally found a… Continue reading Daisy’s Nervous Car Ride

Always Wear Clean Underwear

I was getting ready to walk the dog this morning when I noticed that the toilet bowl needed a swish. Doing it later isn’t a thing with me. What If I get hit by a bus and people see my dirty toilet? Swish, swish. My youngest is coming home for Thanksgiving? Dust the cobwebs, vacuum… Continue reading Always Wear Clean Underwear

Watch Out for the Green Pepper

I can’t eat green pepper. I can’t eat a lot of things. The older I get, the more things I need a certain way to keep me happy. When I was four years into a past relationship, I knew it was in trouble when the boyfriend started adding green pepper to everything he served me.… Continue reading Watch Out for the Green Pepper

Earthquake, Tsunami, Six Vehicle Accident Day

When I drive to the beach house from my regular house, it takes exactly two hours if there are no accidents, roadwork or bad weather. Today was not a two-hour-drive day. I pulled out of the driveway at 10:02, thinking I’d be there by noon. The dogs were in the back seat, Daisy on her… Continue reading Earthquake, Tsunami, Six Vehicle Accident Day

The Day my Dog Herded Me to the ER

Way back when, I had two children and a rare free day. The kindergartener was going on an all-day field trip. The two-year-old was going to daycare for the day. I had hours ahead of me to do all the yard work and gardening that I could squeeze in.  I put on some old tennis… Continue reading The Day my Dog Herded Me to the ER

Things That Go Flash in the Night

I was so tired from all the yardwork that I didn’t sleep well. I had tried to heat up the cold beach house, first by opening the windows and letting in the warmer air, and then in the evening, by turning on the heat. The thermostat wasn’t working and indicated I needed to replace the… Continue reading Things That Go Flash in the Night