Category: memoir

Melanoma and Me

Posted in biopsy, California, cancer, Carmel, dermatologist, equator, melanoma, memoir, skin, skin cancer, sunburn, surgery, UCSF, VenezuelaLeave a comment

This is the kind of post that is scary to write, knowing that melanoma is the deadliest type of skin cancer. When I got the call, I was hiking in one of the most beautiful places on Earth near Carmel, with two friends, a happy couple who happened to be in town. “I have melanoma,” I said… Continue reading Melanoma and Me

The Stars Have Aligned

Posted in abolitionists, Arabic, Biden/Harris, Black Lives Matter, demonstration, dogs, hate, historical fiction, insurance, memoir, Republican, slave owners, slavery, Sue Monk Kidd, teens, The Invention of Wings, Trump 2020Leave a comment

Okay, maybe not stars, but three things happened today that are related enough to fashion a blog post from them. I was only ten pages away from finishing The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd when I closed it to go have lunch with two of my adult children. On the way back from… Continue reading The Stars Have Aligned

Fleet Week and the $10,000,000 Lot

Posted in Alcatraz, barbecue, Bay Area, Blue Angels, Facebook, Fleet Week, fog, friends, hiking, Marin County, memoir, military, relationships, San Francisco, SausalitoLeave a comment

(re-run) When I moved to the Bay Area, no one explained what Fleet Week was. But after many years, I finally figured it out — big ships, military stuff, the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels are six military jets in formation flown by some amazing pilots. They fly over the city of San Francisco for… Continue reading Fleet Week and the $10,000,000 Lot

Superstitions

Posted in brain chemistry, chain letters, culture, evil spirits, Friday the 13th, full moon, German, Jack-o-lanterns, memoir, mirrors, mother-in-law, mothers, OCD, sneezing, supernatural, superstitions2 Comments

She hated Friday the 13th. She would turn the car around if a black cat crossed the street in front of her. And mirrors?  She once yelled at me when I held my baby up to one in a German restaurant. “That’s bad luck before her first birthday!” My mother-in-law, may she rest in peace,… Continue reading Superstitions

The Scars of our Lives

Posted in accident, aging, broken bones, dentist, dog bite, health, make-up, memoir, scars, stitches, sunburn, tetanus shot, tooth, VenezuelaLeave a comment

(re-run) When you get to be my age, you are bound to have a few scars. I haven’t had any big surgeries, but I do have scars from burns, bumps, and scrapes along the way.  Right now it’s my thumb that is most noticeable. I broke it by pulling down a three-piece sectional garage door… Continue reading The Scars of our Lives

Ungrateful Daisy Dog

Posted in cell phone, dog walks, dogs, gates, girlfriends, harness, Jack Russell terrier, leash, memoir, rescue, sickLeave a comment

I was sick today, and my plans to walk the dogs with my girlfriend were dashed. To my surprise, she offered to walk them for me. “You can’t walk them together,” I said. “It’s too hard.” “That’s okay. I’ll come walk each of them separately.” “Okay . .. ?” I had the pinch collar on… Continue reading Ungrateful Daisy Dog

Women, Race and Equality

Posted in Black Lives Matter, California, discrimination, equality, Frederick Douglass, job, memoir, PE, pregnancy, pregnant, race, RBG, Spanish, Susan B. Anthony, teaching, writingLeave a comment

It’s hot and smoky at the beach. Fires in Napa Wine Country rage on. Those poor people have had to evacuate every fall for the past four years. I searched for my sunglasses this morning but couldn’t locate them, so I walked the big dog in my hat but no glasses. I wore my N… Continue reading Women, Race and Equality