Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

(re-run) This morning (Sunday) I ran out to get the San Francisco Chronicle, bought fruit, and then dropped off a library book, mailed a letter, and parked in front of CVS, waiting for the pharmacy to open. Why not run errands later, you ask?  Because the Chronicle sells out fairly early, so I settled in… Continue reading Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

Checking Out the Guy Checking You Out

(re-run) First of all, let’s just get this out in the open. It’s weird to be a woman of a certain age and to be hit on while waiting for a BART train. As in Bay Area Rapid Transit. He was sitting when I came up to the platform. I sat down next to him,… Continue reading Checking Out the Guy Checking You Out

Making Time to Write

(re-run) I used to write every day. That was back when I had sleeping babies and pre-schoolers that went to school on a regular schedule. Now that I’m an empty nester I think I am going to write every day, but then stuff happens. Like exercise classes and long hikes. Dog walks. Contractors. A sister… Continue reading Making Time to Write

The Late Winter Blues

+ Hail, thunder, sunset, a rainbow. It all happened Sunday afternoon within five minutes of one another. Monday brought polar weather to my California town. It’s the second half of February. I am ready for winter to be done. True, we haven’t had snow, except that one day. We rarely have ice, but this morning… Continue reading The Late Winter Blues

A Good First Date

(re-run) Harold was friends with Jack who worked with Mary. Jack thought Harold and Mary should meet. “Come to the company luncheon with me,” Jack said.  “And it you don’t like Mary, you can meet Alice.” Harold went online and checked out the two women’s Facebook pages. He liked Mary’s page more than Alice’s page.… Continue reading A Good First Date

Just for the Halibut

(re-run) 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… Continue reading Just for the Halibut

Wake-up Call

(written five years ago) The 30th anniversary of the big quake (and my first quake) is today. It was 6.9 on the Richter Scale, the Loma Prieta earthquake, centered near Santa Cruz. The floor started rolling, and there was noise and lights swinging. It lasted for 15 long seconds. By the time I grabbed the… Continue reading Wake-up Call