Category: neighbors

Porch Pirates, Poinsettias and Peaches

Posted in animal adoption, best, board and care, burglaries, California, caregiver, holiday weekend, holidays, humor, last, memoir, neighbors, pet, relationships, Thanksgiving

(re-run) The joke going around on social media is that if you want to get rid of your junk, put it in an Amazon box and leave it on your porch. It’s not that funny around my neighborhood. Porch pirates are everywhere this time of year. Neighbors are sure to tell each other when they… Continue reading Porch Pirates, Poinsettias and Peaches

Why Seniors Shouldn’t Multi Task

Posted in 911, beach, dogs, eggs, fire fighter, house fire, memoir, multi-tasking, neighbors, stop signs, stove, thrift storeLeave a comment

I’v been mutli-tasking my whole life. Until today. No more. And this is why. I spent the last two days working with my handy woman/gardener/housecleaner at my beach house. We cleaned and organized the garage, donated furniture and stuff with her truck and moved rocks around in the front yard.  She left this morning, and… Continue reading Why Seniors Shouldn’t Multi Task

The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper

Posted in animal control, antique store, California, children, confrontation, dogs, Frisbee, high school, leash, memoir, middle school, neighbors, pit bull, poop, teachingLeave a comment

(re-run) We bought a house on a street that was a long court with two courts coming off of it. We were up at the top, and it was a great and safe place for my kids to walk our greyhound mix dog. Until it wasn’t. “That was a short walk,” I said when they… Continue reading The Neighbors, the Loose Pitbull, and the Daily Pooper

Whole Court Shake-up

Posted in Bay Area, California, children, girls, Las Trampas Ridge, memoir, moving, neighborhood, neighbors, pandemic, party, real estateLeave a comment

(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

Another Dang Daisy Dog Post

Posted in animal adoption, animal rescue, cement blocks, dogs, Home Depot, hunting, neighborhood, neighbors, pajamas, rats, squirrels, veterinarianLeave a comment

A Jack Russell Terrier is a hunter and very focused, at that.  Little did I know when I picked the cowering rescue girl in the corner of the adoption room, where she wouldn’t eat anything out of the volunteer’s hand, that she would get comfortable enough in her third life to stalk and kill the… Continue reading Another Dang Daisy Dog Post

My Favorite Oak Tree

Posted in bobcat, fences, gardening, memoir, neighbors, pine tree, sunand shade, tree hugger, trees, valley oak, [pine treeLeave a comment

I can’t stop my neighbors from making bad decisions, like three years ago when the neighbors kitty corner and below me cut down five large pine trees and changed my back yard forever.  I lost a number of plants to the afternoon sun, plants that had established themselves in shade.  My own small pine tree… Continue reading My Favorite Oak Tree

Grandfather Clock

Posted in California, flowers, grandfather clock, landscaper, melanoma, memoir, Murphy's Law, neighbors, paintingLeave a comment

(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

When a House Feels Like a Home

Posted in college, divorce, fixer, house, house remodel, memoir, moving, neighbors, online sales, pioneers, puppy, sister, yard2 Comments

It’s been ten years since I moved into my little house. It has changed so much, and that’s a good thing. I liked the location but not the house. It was vacant. I saw it three Sundays in a row. The third time I looked at it, I decided I could live there. It was… Continue reading When a House Feels Like a Home

Whole Court Shake-up

Posted in Bay Area, California, children, girls, Las Trampas Ridge, memoir, moving, neighborhood, neighbors, pandemic, party, real estateLeave a comment

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 bordering… Continue reading Whole Court Shake-up