(RE-RUN) You’d think retired people have seven days a week to reflect on their past lives. Not so, Smokey Joe. There was chorus, plus a COVID booster shot on Tuesday which produced a huge headache. “Take Tylenol,” my adult child who lives down the hall said. “No, you’re supposed to let the vaccine do its… Continue reading Reflections on a Retired Thursday
Category: memoir
Country Boy, City Girl
(re-run) They met at a frat party at Iowa State during their sophomore year. He was an Aggie. She was a Zeta. He had a manly hooked nose. She had one cute dimple. After the mixer, he called and asked her on a date. He wore a sport coat. She borrowed a dress. He kept… Continue reading Country Boy, City Girl
Ketchup and Noodles
(re-run) When my son was two and his big sister was in kindergarten, I saw a window of opportunity to go do child-free errands, if I could just find a place to park him for two or three hours. Enter my neighbor Peggy. She didn’t have a childcare license, which limits the caregiver to six… Continue reading Ketchup and Noodles
Where’s My Fish?
(re-run) During the 2020 pandemic, it was easy running down to the beach house for a few days since nothing was going on. The freeways were deserted while everyone stayed home. Now that life is somewhat back to normal, I have to give up fun things to make room for a beachy weekend. I left… Continue reading Where’s My Fish?
Cut Loose on a Saturday Afternoon
(re-run) “I like the way you dance,” he said that Saturday afternoon. Margo and I had gone to Vino Godfather, a cool little winery in an old Victorian house on Mare Island in Vallejo. The island used to be a naval base, judging from the abandoned barracks on the way to the winery. A good… Continue reading Cut Loose on a Saturday Afternoon
Attention, Shoppers!
This morning I ran out to get the Sunday S.F.Chronicle, like I do every week. The sun was shining, the oranges woman was not at her corner (she’s at church, I’ll bet), and my favorite grocery store checker was on duty. I filled up my cart with everything on my list and turned down the… Continue reading Attention, Shoppers!
Oranges, Anyone?
It was a very cold Saturday when I headed out to run an errand. I’d walked one dog, played ball with the other one, taken down the tree, packed away the Christmas stuff and done three loads of laundry. My youngest was on a plane on her way back to Baltimore. I passed the tiny… Continue reading Oranges, Anyone?
Whatever is Meant to Be
(re-run) I’ve been on the hunt for bookcases. I have ten tubs of antique books sitting in a damp garage near the beach, and it would be good to get them into the house. I sold all my beautiful bookcases when I was getting divorced. I knew the new smaller house wouldn’t be able to… Continue reading Whatever is Meant to Be
Nature’s Prayer Moment
(re-run) Yesterday morning I stepped up to the kitchen sink to fill the tea pot and looked out my window at the flowers exploding in my yard. I glanced over to the fountain where I saw dozens of identical birds taking drinks in a clumped up circle around the top of my round fountain. Their… Continue reading Nature’s Prayer Moment
The Case of the Missing Bathtub
(re-run) I had everything ready – the shower tile, floor tile, the vanity, the toilet with the round bowl, the towel bars, the shower nozzle and valve, and the bathtub (on order from Home Depot), arriving on May 1st. But it didn’t. When I clicked the tracking button, there was no tracking available. I knew… Continue reading The Case of the Missing Bathtub
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 