When my oldest was in fifth grade, she told me that her head itched. I took her into the bathroom and looked at the top of her head. I didn’t see anything but I said that she should take a shower and wash her hair. She had a lot of it. It was long and… Continue reading A Lousy Story
Category: memoir
That Dang Daisy Dog
This morning I packed the car to return from Monterey. The dogs get excited, so they actually get into the car first so that I can shut the doors and not worry about them. My little beach house shares a driveway with a family with a big boxer named Titus. He is sometimes loose on… Continue reading That Dang Daisy Dog
The Missing GPS Gene
(re-run) The women in my family are spatially challenged, as in which way is south? West ? North? East? I remembered that the northwest corner of the basement was supposed to be the safest place in case of a tornado, but I had no idea which corner that would be. Now that I live near… Continue reading The Missing GPS Gene
Have OCD? Make Lists
It’s Monday morning, and I’m a bundle of nerves, not a good way to start the week. My day is booked with Zumba, a worker woman coming, and Sis to visit in the hospital. I haven’t read my Time Magazine from last week. There’s a livestream concert at 1:00 (normally on a Saturday). Writing helps… Continue reading Have OCD? Make Lists
Butt Text Emojis and Other Stuff
(re-run) You’ve got to help out us Boomers. We try to be cool and stay relevant, but it’s hard, you know, since we grew up in different times. Our thumbs won’t be arthritic by the time we’re old. I know this because I’m already there, and my thumbs are fine. I did strain the third… Continue reading Butt Text Emojis and Other Stuff
Worst Boss Ever
(re-run) Aside from the old-guy boss I had for ten days at the Iowa State Fair, who took one look at my giraffe legs in my short culottes jumper I’d made in sewing class and demanded that I bend over to see if my butt would show (it didn’t), George was the worst boss ever.… Continue reading Worst Boss Ever
Worst Kindergarten Teacher Ever
(re-run) She was thin, blond, and beautiful. When Mama left me in her care, I was enthralled with her, my very first teacher. Her name was Miss Tatz, and she was the lone teacher in the community building at Urbandale Lions Park, an overflow situation for the school district. Even though it was sixty years… Continue reading Worst Kindergarten Teacher Ever
My Inherited Dog, Boomer
(re-run) Boomer was never my dog, although he came into my care when I married his owner. I’m not sure how old he was when I got him. My dog, Tess, was two and Boomer was older. A small, part Beagle-part terrier, Boomer had not had a regular dog’s life. He had never eaten dog… Continue reading My Inherited Dog, Boomer
Government Cheese and Pinto Beans
I was nine or ten when my mom took me and my younger siblings downtown to a place to get some free food for poor people. Our dad was out of work for six weeks. My mother was humiliated. We waited in line until it was our turn. As the worker handed Mom her block… Continue reading Government Cheese and Pinto Beans
Just for the Halibut
Father’s Day has come and gone. I saw many black and white photos of men on Facebook, people my age honoring their deceased dads. I didn’t have a good photo of Dad to post, just silly ones or childhood ones. It never occurred to me 34 years ago that I would someday want a good… Continue reading Just for the Halibut
