When I was a senior in college, I went to Venezuela to student teach, then taught six weeks of high school Spanish in Iowa. then studied abroad for two months in the summer. I needed fifteen credits to graduate with a double major in Elementary Education and Spanish with a minor in secondary education. I… Continue reading The Fingernails Post
A Charmed Life or Murphy’s Law?
(re-run) As I was driving home from errands yesterday and every single light in a stretch of five was green, I thought to myself, Self, you lead a charmed life. Of course, that was Monday. Thursday might be a Murphy’s Law kind of day, where everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Part of… Continue reading A Charmed Life or Murphy’s Law?
Late-night Loser
(re-run) I met a guy at a dance. We emailed each other for a week (before texting). We decided to meet at Bing Crosby’s. I took a seat at the bar, and asked for water. After all, I’d had two glasses of wine already, waiting for him to get off work at the TV station… Continue reading Late-night Loser
Two Memorial Services in Two Weeks
You know you’re in the second half of your life when you need to say good-bye to two friends in two weeks. It’s also because you’re in a large singles’ club, one you’ve been a member of for fifteen years. The first service was for a guy who was usually grumpy. Some called him a… Continue reading Two Memorial Services in Two Weeks
The Squirrels’ Rude Awakening
The pair of squirrels that used to live in the Valley Oak tree in the yard below mine have gone AWOL. I can’t blame them. Their habitat was destroyed one rainy day when my neighbors had their trees trimmed. I was at a memorial service, and when I returned, surprise! Their Valley Oak (the reason… Continue reading The Squirrels’ Rude Awakening
Daisy’s Night Run, a Skunk, and an Anniversary
(re-run) With hot, hot weather in the Bay Area, it seemed like a good time to run down to the beach, plus the handy woman was available to come at the same time with her daughter. We had trees to plant, foxtails to pull, and a flat roof filled with pine needles to clean. The… Continue reading Daisy’s Night Run, a Skunk, and an Anniversary
Date with an Older Man
(re-run) I said yes. To a date. With a much older man. My girlfriend met him and didn’t approve. But she also said she wouldn’t dance with any guy she wouldn’t want to kiss. I dance with everyone – men, women, kids – many of whom I would never put my lips on. Does dancing… Continue reading Date with an Older Man
Coming Out of the Fog
When a family member dies, you go on with living. But everything is affected by the loss of the family member. You don’t realize it at the time, but it is. A year and two months after losing my older sister, I am finally getting back to normal, or the new normal. It’s weird to… Continue reading Coming Out of the Fog
Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
(re-run) Pam ran a personal ad in the Contra Costa Times: Single white female looking for single Asian man. Her two previous boyfriends had been Asian. James called and left a message with his phone number on a Friday night. The next morning Pam checked her phone messages. She liked his voice as she listened… Continue reading Do You Want a Cookie, Little Girl?
Mountain Lion
(re-run) A mountain lion attack was reported on the news last night. A 24-year-old woman’s dog saved her life in Trinity Forest in Northern California. The mountain lion attacked the woman first, but her Belgian Malinois shepherd named Eva jumped in and is now in serious condition. Cub season is now until October. The lion… Continue reading Mountain Lion
