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

Airport Surprise

(re-run) She wanted to surprise him. They had both left Hawaii at different times to go home for Christmas and would meet up that night when he picked her up from the airport. He liked lingerie. She had bought a new thong for the holidays, red on one side, green on the other, with two… Continue reading Airport Surprise

A Date with Jesus

(re-run) Gina was from a big Italian family, So was Vito; they were the same age. The families were good friends, and when they were both fifteen, Gina was in love with Vito. But they never dated, and once Gina left for Berkeley to go to school at Cal, she didn’t see Vito for several… Continue reading A Date with Jesus

Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

(re-run) This morning (Sunday) I ran out to get the San Francisco Chronicle, bought fruit, and then dropped off a library book, mailed a letter, and parked in front of CVS, waiting for the pharmacy to open. Why not run errands later, you ask?  Because the Chronicle sells out fairly early, so I settled in… Continue reading Hot Lipstick and a Missed Wedding

It Must Be Getting Close to Summer when . . .

(re-run from 2019) I am sitting in my fave chair. My adult son just told me over the phone how to unfreeze my laptop (turn it off and then back on).  I can hear the squeak, squeak, squeak of the swings in the park next to me. The windows are open just enough to let… Continue reading It Must Be Getting Close to Summer when . . .

Worst Professor Ever

(re-run) 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… Continue reading Worst Professor Ever

Weirdest Dinner Party Ever

It was the holidays. Lynn and Richard had invited six couples and one single neighbor over for a lovely dinner party. The guests were told not to bring anything except ourselves. Since it was a long drive to Richmond and since we had a voucher to go kayaking the next day in Sausalito, my then-boyfriend,… Continue reading Weirdest Dinner Party Ever

Prom with an Older Woman

(re-run) Alan was a sophomore when he got asked to junior prom by an older girl. He rented a tux from his date’s father, Mr. Cohen, at the local men’s shop in Monterey. Alan’s dad had to play chauffeur in his 1962 Chevy Bel Air, since Alan didn’t have his driver’s license yet. When they… Continue reading Prom with an Older Woman