(re-run) Long ago, when I had three school-aged children off at their respective schools, I sat at my desk writing during the quiet of the day, when I heard the Dachshund barking. He was somewhere in our spacious back yard. I ignored it at first, but when the barking didn’t subside, I decided I’d better… Continue reading Wiener Dog Versus Rat
Category: memoir
Fleet Week and the $10,000,000 Lot
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 that fly in formation by some amazing pilots. They fly over the city of San Francisco for… Continue reading Fleet Week and the $10,000,000 Lot
The Grass is Always Greener
(re-run) I had a meeting tonight with two girlfriends in solid hard-core relationships. One is married, the other is living with her guy. My relationship is with two roommates who fight a lot over squeaky toys and over who gets to go out the door first. They are roommates of the furry kind. So imagine… Continue reading The Grass is Always Greener
Banana Split
Every day about this time I have my morning coffee break (it’s 10:30). I’ve done my Zumba class, wished everyone a happy birthday on Facebook, and exercised my dogs. One gets a neighborhood walk. The other gets a ball-throwing session. Daisy is seven and has never been trained to walk nicely. If I have an… Continue reading Banana Split
Whole Court Shake-up
(re-run) Ten years ago, I moved to the best little court in my town, in the suburbs of the Bay Area. At the time, it was a court filled with girls – two grade-school girls across the street (they moved in five months after I did), two same-aged girls next to them, a baby girl… Continue reading Whole Court Shake-up
Pavlov’s Perfume
(re-run) My girlfriend, who shall remain nameless, lest someone recognize her on this page, has a three-time rescue dog like mine. Hers also started out as a voluntary surrender puppy after his owner first lost a home in the Redding fire. Or possibly he was at the Redding shelter and got shipped out to make… Continue reading Pavlov’s Perfume
Staying Fit without a Fitbit
(re-run) Today, before and after Zoom Zumba, the ladies were discussing how many steps we take during one class and how many calories we burn. This went on for a while, and I signed off. I don’t need a gadget to tell me if I am getting enough exercise. I have dogs. They need exercise… Continue reading Staying Fit without a Fitbit
A Tale of Two Trees
(re-run) Ten years ago I moved into my cozy house next to a park. When I hear the squeaky swings I know that someone is in the greenbelt. My dogs run to the park to play ball or go for a walk. They always head right once out the front door, never left. They know… Continue reading A Tale of Two Trees
Pennies from Heaven
(re-run) 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, black light posters and tie dye. Although I wasn’t a pothead (I didn’t smoke cigarettes either), I enjoyed the ambience of… Continue reading Pennies from Heaven
Worst Professor Ever
She taught the research class at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. I needed the course to earn my master’s degree. It would be easy. I’d written dozens of research papers at Iowa State. She said we could choose any topic. All we had to do was take a position, defend it with an intro,… Continue reading Worst Professor Ever
FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER! 