Must Be a Small Town

(re-run) I went to my favorite beach town for 24 hours to get away from it all. The weather was foggy, the weeds in my yard were thick, and my two dogs were fighting.  But three thrift stores in Carmel had their end-of-the-month half-off sales yesterday, so who cared about the weather, the weeds and… Continue reading Must Be a Small Town

Picking Your Nose and Alzheimer’s

I read in the newspaper today (remember those?), that people who pick their noses are more likely to get Alzheimer’s. I am not making this up. Apparently, introducing germs into the nose triggers the brain to produce betas-amyloid as defense.  An abundance of beta-amyloid is believed to be the leading cause of Alzheimer’s. So beware,… Continue reading Picking Your Nose and Alzheimer’s

Three Donkeys – Halfway There

The drive from 105-degree weather in my town to 60-degree weather in my other town takes two hours, door to door, if I go during non-rush-hour times.  I leave around ten and get to the other house by noon. It’s 120 minutes, unless there’s an accident, like a jack-knifed semi trailer or a church bus… Continue reading Three Donkeys – Halfway There

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

Five Errands and a Passport Photo

(re-run) My daughter is going to her college friend’s wedding in India. She discovered that her passport was about to expire, which got me to wondering if mine had expired. I hadn’t used it since I got divorced.  I found it and saw the expiration date was 2019. That’s what the pandemic will do to… Continue reading Five Errands and a Passport Photo

Neighborhood Watch and Biting Dogs

(re-run) Nine years ago, burglaries were happening all over my neighborhood. The burglars’ M.O. was to ring the doorbell, wait, then kick in the front door, find the jewelry, cash and drugs and get out in two minutes. They’d use a pillowcase from the master bedroom, where the jewelry was most likely to be. It… Continue reading Neighborhood Watch and Biting Dogs

Be Careful What You Wish For

(re-run) I’ve lived in my little house for seven years and four months. The neighborhood is about 48 years old, and the trees that are here are huge. My pie-shaped lot is wide and shallow in the back.  Las Trampas Ridge is due west, beyond the freeway, but I could not see it because of… Continue reading Be Careful What You Wish For

Good Morning Stranger

As I was walking my 55-pound dog yesterday, I noticed an older woman with a cane waiting to cross the street to my side. A construction truck slowed down and waved her across, but she shook her head no. She knows she is old and slow. The truck passed, and I reduced my speed so… Continue reading Good Morning Stranger

Two Dolls in Two Days

I am in my beach town, and it’s foggy and gray. I pulled weeds the first afternoon so that I could put out a full green can this morning for the yard waste truck. More weeds await, but it’s another gray day. I took off for thrift stores both days at lunch time. Yesterday, after… Continue reading Two Dolls in Two Days

Two Dates, Two Dolls

(in honor of my parents) He was tall and lanky. She was short with a great smile. They were the leads in the school play at Des Moines Tech high school in 1947. They flirted on and off stage. They even had a kissing scene. Joanne knew Bill was the one. Bill asked her out.… Continue reading Two Dates, Two Dolls