Chinese Fire Drills and Other Politically Incorrect Things from my Past

(re-run) Back in high school in a suburb of Des Moines, Iowa, we did whatever we could to stir up some fun and sometimes some trouble. It was a simple existence: go to school, do homework, think about and look for boys. With no cell phones or social media to organize anything, kids spent a… Continue reading Chinese Fire Drills and Other Politically Incorrect Things from my Past

The Sunday After

(re=run) No dogs were walked, no outside balls were thrown, and no outdoor chores got done, including painting my new white locking mailbox gray to blend in the neighbors’ 45 year old boxes, and cleaning up the hedge and pine needles strewn across the greenbelt next to my property. Yes, it seems silly to have… Continue reading The Sunday After

Best Birthday Ever

(re-run from deep into the pandemic) I was dreading the big one with no way to celebrate it during a pandemic. What would I do all day?  How could I make the day different from all the other ones during the lockdown? The good news is that I didn’t have to do anything at all.… Continue reading Best Birthday Ever

Holiday Heartache

(re-run from 2019) As I sit here on a Sunday afternoon, I have fluffy white “Iowa” clouds (cumulus) out the windows across the back of my house. I used to look into a wall, but that baby is gone, and now I have nature. This month has been so full already, three chorus concerts with… Continue reading Holiday Heartache

Antique Dolls Get a Bad Rap

(re-run) Fifteen years ago, my second cousin died an untimely death. She left me all of her dolls that had passed down on two sides of the family until they ended with her. She had no children, no one to pass the dolls to. I’ve been dragging around my childhood dolls for half a century.… Continue reading Antique Dolls Get a Bad Rap

Weirdest Dinner Party Ever

It was the holidays. Lynn and Richard had invited six couples and one single neighbor over for a lovely dinner party. The guests were told not to bring anything except ourselves. Since it was a long drive to Richmond and since we had a voucher to go kayaking the next day in Sausalito, my then-boyfriend,… Continue reading Weirdest Dinner Party Ever

Drinking, Dancing and Driving

(re-run from 2019) I am a happy version of a designated driver. Instead of abstaining completely, I drink two glasses of wine per dancing event.  I drink early and then stop.  I do this for two reasons. #1 — I am a lightweight with alcohol. #2 — I need to drive friends that drink more… Continue reading Drinking, Dancing and Driving

Dancing as Stress Therapy

(re-run from 2020) Someone in an introvert group on Facebook said he didn’t dance because it looks so dumb. Yes, it can look dumb, especially if you’re not doing it, just watching. I’m an old school dancer – shake what the good Lord gave you.  I’ve been rocking out to music for half a century.… Continue reading Dancing as Stress Therapy

Best Laid Plans

(re-run) It was a Sunday. I was supposed to be going to a birthday party in Antioch, forty minutes away. But the day had become a comedy of errors. I had sweet-talked my son into installing my new printer and had lured him over with the promise of pizza for lunch. It took him longer… Continue reading Best Laid Plans