Category: Iowa

Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

Posted in 4th of July, antique, California, carnival, cats, cousins, Des Moines, grandfather clock, Iowa, memoir, mom, money, uncleLeave a comment

(re-run) I grew up with three uncles, one in Colorado, another on the other side of the state, and one near my home town in Des Moines, Iowa. Uncle Frank was older than the other uncles, but since his daughter, Nina, was my age, I hardly noticed.  He was married to my grandma’s younger sister. … Continue reading Uncle Frank and the Jar of Coins

Feeling Better

Posted in animals, birdfeeder, birds, Depression, dogs, exercise, food, Iowa, medications, melanoma, memoir, mood, nature, sunshine, Zumba3 Comments

(re-run) I have some down days every year, but mostly I don’t. I know I’m lucky. I have also aligned my life to feel better. Coincidentally, a relative’s therapist told her the five things she needs every day to get out of her funk. Nature – I grew up outside in Iowa. As kids, we… Continue reading Feeling Better

The Racist, the Ficus Tree, and my Garage Sale

Posted in California, entitled attitude, Ficus, garage sales, hairdresser, humor, Iowa, memoir, Millennials, mom, neighbors, racist, relationships, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) When I was six, the one black boy in my elementary school was my classmate. His name was Teddy. This was white-white-white Iowa in the 60’s.  My first grade teacher, Mrs. Van Cura, got angry at the class one day for misbehaving and said, “Whoever doesn’t behave will have to play with Teddy at… Continue reading The Racist, the Ficus Tree, and my Garage Sale

Best Ed Sullivan Show Ever

Posted in Beatles, best, Colorado, crush, fame, friends, humor, Iowa, junior high school, memoir, music, phlebotomist, relationships, sister, TVLeave a comment

(re-run) Carol grew up in in Pueblo, Colorado. They called it the little Pittsburg of the West. Her dad was a steelworker. Her mom was a lab tech phlebotomist at the hospital. Whenever one of the kids got sick, her mom would bring home a hypodermic needle in her purse to draw some blood. “To… Continue reading Best Ed Sullivan Show Ever

Gore No More

Posted in 8th graders, Beatles, Brad Pitt, concentration camps, Diary of Anne Frank, Disney channel, gore, Holocaust, Iowa, media, memoir, movie, news, nightmares, Rob Lowe, teaching, TVLeave a comment

I have a low tolerance for gore and violence in the media. I tried out a new show on Monday nights called The Cleaning Lady. It comes on right after 911 Lonestar, a show with Rob Lowe as a fire captain of a Texas firehouse with a quirky crew. Did I mention Rob Lowe? I’ve… Continue reading Gore No More

Feeling Better

Posted in animals, birdfeeder, birds, Depression, dogs, exercise, food, Iowa, medications, melanoma, memoir, mood, nature, sunshine, Zumba1 Comment

(re-run) I have some down days every year, but mostly I don’t. I know I’m lucky. I have also aligned my life to feel better. Coincidentally, a relative’s therapist told her the five things she needs every day to get out of her funk. Nature – I grew up outside in Iowa. As kids we… Continue reading Feeling Better

Feeling Better

Posted in animals, birdfeeder, birds, Depression, dogs, exercise, food, Iowa, medications, melanoma, memoir, mood, nature, sunshine, ZumbaLeave a comment

(re-run) I have some down days every year, but mostly I don’t. I know I’m lucky. I have also aligned my life to feel better. Coincidentally, a relative’s therapist told her the five things she needs every day to get out of her funk. Nature – I grew up outside in Iowa. As kids we… Continue reading Feeling Better

Where’s the Beef Going?

Posted in bacon, beef, Beyond Burger, California, climate change, Costco, cows, energy, food, Iowa, memoir, Millennials, nursing home, pescatarian, plants, sister, vegetarianLeave a comment

My sister fell out of her recliner at her nursing home (board and care home, actually) and landed on her face and her glasses. The glasses were badly bent, so I needed to go to Costco on the DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING to see if they would bend them back into shape with their magical optical… Continue reading Where’s the Beef Going?

The Day Grandma Got Woke

Posted in 13th, Black Lives Matter, California, celebrities, documentary, Ellen, Emmett Till, George Floyd, get woke, history books, Iowa, Jewish, memoir, mom, racist, sister, Trail of Tears, White Fragility1 Comment

(re-run) My mom loves to watch Ellen. It’s usually fun and games, with hunky guys and Ellen playing tricks on her guests and staff. She rounds out the hour with lesbian jokes, a musical performance by some obscure band, and Ellen surprising some needy but giving person with $10,000 in cash. Then the death of… Continue reading The Day Grandma Got Woke