Category: travel

The Contractor and the Jet Setter

Posted in best, California, cars, chemistry, firsts, high heels, humor, jet setter, last, meet and greet, relationships, travelLeave a comment

It was Tom the contractor’s umpteenth date on Match.  The woman was from the same affluent town, was the same height as he was, and was ready to meet him at Bridges, the hot spot downtown with the best happy hour.  But when Ellen walked in, she had on three inch heels and towered over… Continue reading The Contractor and the Jet Setter

Don’t Get a Sun Burn

Posted in airforce, California, dating, humor, military, Monterey Bay, relationships, travelLeave a comment

You think you know someone. You’ve sat across from your brother in law at countless holiday meals. You raised your kids together, although far enough away that you only saw them four or five times a year. You know George loves Monterey, but you didn’t know the whole story. You knew he’d been in the… Continue reading Don’t Get a Sun Burn

Loneliest Study Abroad Ever

Posted in church, college, friends, humor, Iowa State University, memoir, relationships, restaurant, Spain, travel, vacation1 Comment

After three months in South America and six weeks of student teaching Catholic high school girls, I headed to Burgos, Spain, with 30 students and a handful of professors from Iowa State and the University of Iowa. It would be my way of earning the final credits of my dual degree. Linda, a high school… Continue reading Loneliest Study Abroad Ever

Shop Till You Drop

Posted in best, California, Carmel, girl friends, girlfriends, helpful strangers, humor, memoir, music, relationships, retail, summer, thrift store, travel, underwear1 Comment

(re-run) We had already hit two thrift stores and were heading for a third. Then I remembered that Vicky wanted to go to the ones in Carmel. I turned onto Forest Avenue and took the winding highway 68 through the Monterey pines. It would lead to the new roundabout that would send the traffic north… Continue reading Shop Till You Drop

Second Time Around

Posted in best, Cal, California, chemistry, cruise, dancing, dating, divorce, flirting, football, humor, online dating, relationships, sorority, travel1 Comment

Suzanne needed a date for her Alpha Delta Phi sorority party that was being held off campus at one of the sister’s parents’ house. She invited a guy from her old high school, Mark. When they got there, Mark knew the physician dad, because they’d been on ski patrol together one winter in Tahoe. Mark… Continue reading Second Time Around

Sneaking into the Pool

Posted in airport, Angel Falls, beach, Canaima, dysentery, hotel pool, humor, Iowa State University, memoir, microbes, relationships, teaching, travel, Venezuela, worstLeave a comment

While student teaching in Venezuela, we learned how to have fun with not much money. One of the American teachers had stolen a couple of striped beach towels from an upscale hotel, and she had been sneaking into the hotel pool for years. “Just carry the towel and act like you belong,” Linda said. Christy… Continue reading Sneaking into the Pool

Happily Never After

Posted in attitude, best, boyfriend, California, conflict, dancing, dating, divorce, dogs, Facebook, friends, girl friends, humor, love, marriage, relationships, travel, vacationLeave a comment

There it was on my Facebook feed. A writer friend I barely knew saying the best day of her life was the day she met her husband.  And a chorus friend telling her spouse “Love you, Babe” on their 30+ anniversary. It stings a little. It used to sting a lot. While going through an… Continue reading Happily Never After