Living in Northern California, I don’t run into celebrities too often. Once I met J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter author, when she was touring the U.S. to promote her third book. Otherwise, I’d heard that Carlos Santana came to visit his restaurant, Maria Maria, every now and then, and that some famous ball players… Continue reading Sully, A Famous Face
Category: memoir
What the Fluff? Rescue Dog Anniversary
I brought Daisy home the day after Christmas, just one month ago. She was shy at the rescue place, but my bigger dog, Pepper, liked her right off the bat. Pepper and Daisy hit it off and didn’t growl at each other. Yeah. They saved that for the drive home. Pepper didn’t like the strange… Continue reading What the Fluff? Rescue Dog Anniversary
One Flood, Two Fishermen
Kristy and I met at Iowa State University. We had been around the world together, at least to Venezuela where we did our student teaching, plus Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. Then we were roommates in the middle of nowhere, Nebraska. As the story goes, I applied for the third grade teaching job, the principal interviewed… Continue reading One Flood, Two Fishermen
The Nuts in My Batter
I have judge-y friends. Two years ago: “Why’d you go and get a puppy?” Last year: “Why don’t you ever travel? I’d die if I didn’t get to travel.” Last month: “Why did you get another dog? As though you don’t have enough to do!” Last week: “Why did you take your sister? You have… Continue reading The Nuts in My Batter
Too Tired to Boogie
The band room was a freezer. “Vamos a sentarnos en el pasillo, clase.” “What?” “We’ll sit in the hallway today.” It was zero degrees outside. The school district wanted a Spanish class but had no classroom for me. I’d complained a zillion times – when the band teacher held private tuba lessons in his office,… Continue reading Too Tired to Boogie
Getting a Sun Burn
You think you know someone. You’ve sat across from your brother in law at countless holiday meals. You raised your kids together, although far enough away that you only saw “the cousins” four or five times a year. You know George loves Monterey, but you didn’t know the whole story. You knew he’d been in… Continue reading Getting a Sun Burn
What Happened to Daisy?
Eighteen days ago, I got a rescue dog. I’d wanted to get another dog ever since I gave away Pepper’s buddy last summer to make room for my sister. No, the dog I gave away did not go to the pound. He is sixteen, incontinent, and blind. I gave him to my ex, where he… Continue reading What Happened to Daisy?
Costco After Arlie
My local Costco is always packed. People are competitive in my town, so look out if you think you’re going to park there on the day before Christmas, or New Year’s, or the day the new monthly ad comes out. The parking lot is tense with drivers competing for spots. Arlie, the Costco guy, died… Continue reading Costco After Arlie
Pennies from Heaven
When I was sixteen, I saved up my babysitting money and went downtown to Cottage Grove Avenue in Des Moines, where there was a head shop filled with incense, hanging beads, roach clips, and tie dye. Although I wasn’t a pothead, I enjoyed the ambience of the place and the way my hair smelled when… Continue reading Pennies from Heaven
Butt Dials and Other My-Bads
I had lunch with my son yesterday. We were trying to figure out why I’d used up all my storage on my cell phone. He took a look, handed back my phone, and watched me put it in my pocket. “You need to hit the button on the side and turn off your screen,” he… Continue reading Butt Dials and Other My-Bads
