Grandfather Clock

(re-run) I am waiting for my grandfather clock to be delivered. It’s from my friend’s aunt’s estate.  She didn’t want it. Her brother didn’t want it. It reminds me of my aunt and uncle’s clock in their house in Iowa. I’d spend the night with my cousin and listen to the clock chime every fifteen… Continue reading Grandfather Clock

Two Bird Baths, One Fountain

(re-run) I love my yard. When I first bought my fixer house on a fixer third acre, the yard was full of rocks and rose bushes. Now it has trees, plants, bushes, flag stone, one fountain and two bird baths. The fountain is an advertisement to creatures near and far to come into my fenced… Continue reading Two Bird Baths, One Fountain

Dieting, Body Image, and Stay Out of my Business

(re-run) “Are you going to eat all of that?” I was sitting at a table in the teachers’ lounge, my lunch spread out before me. There was a sandwich, a red apple, carrot sticks and a glass of juice, maybe a chocolate or two. Why was the teacher I barely knew commenting on my lunch?… Continue reading Dieting, Body Image, and Stay Out of my Business

Live Music in a Virtual World

(re-run from the pandemic) Last weekend I watched five livestream music events on my laptop. I was out of town but didn’t feel too lonely until the last livestream guy looked right into the camera and sang Blackbird (Beatles) to me.  I had requested it in the chat feed. “This one is for you, Susan.”… Continue reading Live Music in a Virtual World

Worst Dog Sitting Ever

(re=run) When I was a newlywed, living in San Diego, my next door neighbor, Doreen, befriended me. She noticed I was home alone a lot, since my teaching job ended at 3:00, and my new husband didn’t come home from work until 7:00 or so. Doreen invited me over for food and chit chat. Once,… Continue reading Worst Dog Sitting Ever

Deciding for your Children

(re-run) It’s funny how something pops into your brain and you think, that would make a good blog post. Today I mailed 100 books to a librarian in Menlo Park. They are old kids’ books that my children read back in the day.  My librarian Facebook friend asked for books for her students to read… Continue reading Deciding for your Children

A Memorial and a Party

I got invited to a memorial service for a woman who lived to be 99. It’s hard to be sad when someone has had such a good long life.  We were encouraged to wear hats since the woman loved hats. I spoke into the mike about my friend from my antique shop days (she covered… Continue reading A Memorial and a Party

Weed, Water, Thrift

I just got home from an intense 48 hours of going to the beach, watering all my potted plants (gophers), and collecting more teacups for my dining-room side hustle selling dishes. It looked like sunshine, but only the first half day. After that, clouds and more clouds, but good for working in the yard weather.… Continue reading Weed, Water, Thrift