My grandfather and his dad built a house into the side of a hill. The main floor had three small bedrooms, a bathroom, a living room and stairs to the kitchen below. The kitchen looked out over the hill down to the creek and had windows and a back door with a screen door. The… Continue reading Grandma’s Basement
Category: memoir
Pavlov’s Perfume
(re-run) My girlfriend, who shall remain nameless, lest someone recognize her on this page, has a three-time rescue dog like mine. Hers also started out as a voluntary surrender puppy after his owner first lost a home in the Redding fire. Or possibly he was at the Redding shelter and got shipped out to make… Continue reading Pavlov’s Perfume
When CPR Class Pays Off
Long ago, in my previous married life, I was a Girl Scout leader for my youngest child and the girls her age at her elementary school. I was supposed to get CPR training, so I went to the classes and got certified. Maybe someday I’ll need it while doing a scout activity. As it turned… Continue reading When CPR Class Pays Off
The Crazy Real Estate Game
My old house at 155 Clover Hill Court in my town just sold for $1,335,000. I saw it in the Homes section of my local Sunday newspaper. My ex and I paid $286,000 for the house in 1987. We suffered big-time sticker shock, coming from the Midwest, where his house cost him $85,000 and mine… Continue reading The Crazy Real Estate Game
Butterflies in the Park
It’s the day before Halloween. I was able to walk my dog for the first time in two weeks since the stitches in my lower leg (melanoma) were removed yesterday. Pepper was happy to get out of the house but went back inside with the lure of a beefy treat. That meant Daisy, who had… Continue reading Butterflies in the Park
Desperado
(re-run) Another first date during my time in Omaha, Nebraska, was with a tall, thin but attractive man who was a few years older and reminded me of James Taylor. Kevin took me to the standard dinner and a movie and then wanted to show me his house. It was a summer night, and after… Continue reading Desperado
Hot (but not diverse) Guy Catalog
I receive many catalogs this time of year. One of them, for men’s clothing, came today. As I flipped through it, one of the models grabbed my attention. It was a pretty steamy look on his face for a family company. I flipped through the catalog again. Hmm, most of the guys have facial hair.… Continue reading Hot (but not diverse) Guy Catalog
Grandfather Clock
I am waiting for my grandfather clock to be delivered. It’s from my friend’s aunt’s estate. She didn’t want it. Her brother didn’t want it. It reminds me of my aunt and uncle’s clock in their house in Iowa. As a child, I’d spend the night with my cousin and listen to the clock chime… Continue reading Grandfather Clock
Memories Light the Corners of my Mind
(re-run) I used to be good at remembering people’s names and remembering to use coupons before they expired. Now I am lucky if I can find the coupon when I am at the store. Today, at CVS, I checked out and was given a long receipt with $6.00 of extra bucks on it. My new… Continue reading Memories Light the Corners of my Mind
Antiracist (Racist?) Memory
I just picked up a book to read. It had a long preface, so I paged past it. Then there was a foreword, another preface, and then an introduction. Seriously? Chapter One didn’t start until page 25. I set that book down and picked up another one. The introduction ended on page 11, and the… Continue reading Antiracist (Racist?) Memory
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 