Category: memoir

Leopard in a Tree and OCD

Posted in Africa, antianxiety meds, Howie Mandel, memoir, OCD, retirement, roller coasters, safari, travel, wildlifeLeave a comment

My girlfriend and her husband went on safari in Kenya. “You should do it!” she said. “It’s amazing!  Just try it!” I have to admit that her photos were amazing – lions, lionesses, giraffes, elephants, some taken at very close range.  When I saw the leopard in the tree photo, I had to ask how… Continue reading Leopard in a Tree and OCD

Memories of Hall and Oates CD

Posted in Abandoned Luncheonette, apartment, being 25, 20s, exercise, dating, grad school, Hall and Oates, memoir, roommateLeave a comment

(re-run) I drove down the highway, Abandoned Luncheonette playing on the CD player (my car is 9 years old).  I was belting the words, watching out for weavers, the cars that go in and out of traffic, scaring the wits out of those of us going at a steady speed in a single lane. It… Continue reading Memories of Hall and Oates CD

Keep Your Nose Clean

Posted in college, house, housing, law, lawlessness, looters, memoir, middle class, Nebraska, Omaha, renters, rules, societal rules, student, student loans, young adultLeave a comment

(re-run from 2021) When I was a young adult, this expression was a warning to us to straighten up and fly right – to stay out of trouble. It was said to young men more than it was said to young women, but it meant that things would come our way if we followed the… Continue reading Keep Your Nose Clean

How to Get your Dog to Come to You

Posted in animal rescue, animal training, California, commands, dog training, dogs, ex-husband, memoir, party, pet, praise, treatsLeave a comment

(re-run) On a recent meet-up hike, there were four small dogs with 15 or more people. One person was saying how hard it was to get his one-year-old dog to come to him. I remembered back to one of the many dog training sessions I’ve attended in my life – training Tess, the spaniel/heeler, Penny,… Continue reading How to Get your Dog to Come to You

Interfacing with Nature

Posted in best, biking, California, dreams, hiking, humor, hunting, husband, memoir, nature, outdoors, relationships, survivalLeave a comment

(re-run) I live in a town that backs up to a gorgeous mountain in the middle of an otherwise-flat part of the San Francisco Bay Area. Bicyclists come from all over to climb Mt. Diablo and then get their joy ride on the way down the winding road. The hiking here is phenomenal, and the… Continue reading Interfacing with Nature

Off the Grid

Posted in alcoho, alcohol, Beatles, chorus, dancing, Facebook, Father's Day, GERD, girl friends, memoir, power, power company, power outage, retirement, socializing, stomach issues, widowers, wineryLeave a comment

(re-run) The power went out.  I was in the middle of a movie when everything shut off.  Soon my neighbors were texting me, asking me to report the outage to PG& E. The more the better, they said. A few minutes after that, I received a robocall. The outage was affecting 5000 customers. The power… Continue reading Off the Grid

Arguing on Facebook About Immigrants

Posted in asylum, Facebook, immigrants, immigration, memoirLeave a comment

(partial exchange – my daughter says why bother, Mom?) Doug I know I know some of them are good people, but they need to do it the right way the human traffickers and drug dealers so you’re saying that’s OK Enter You sent somewhere in your family tree there are immigrants or you wouldn’t be… Continue reading Arguing on Facebook About Immigrants