“Ruffled feathers and endless squawking over a minor difficulty is typical of a crow’s life. I lean back on the counter and realize that could be my line….”
Cora, Dante, Kelley, Sienna, Tony, Cheryl, and Audrey (Larry is the photographer) Like any published memoir, our own life stories should also come with a disclaimer: “This story that I tell about myself is only based on a true story. I am in large part a figment of my own yearning imagination.” And it’s a […]
There Are The Ones We Push, The Ones That Hold Everything Together, And The Ones We Replace. “The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.” Sam Levenson I dug into my old sewing basket that sits on top of the washing machine and resurrected seventeen distinctive yet exclusive […]
“For everything sacred has the substance of dreams and memories, and so we experience the miracle of what is separated from us by time or distance suddenly being made tangible.” Yukio Mishima You can’t rush a story. Well, at least that’s what I tell Larry when he’s giving me wrap it up sign. I think […]
“Gainfully unemployed, very proud of it, too.” Charles Baxter Today I want to explore the decision to retire or not to retire. That sounds a little Shakespearian, but if you were born in the 60s, that’s the question that we’re currently grappling with, and instead of whining about it, let’s make an informed decision. As […]
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love—then make that day count!” Steve Maraboli …with the early morning, when everything is soft, placid, and the natural light feels oddly romantic. I get actual butterflies in my stomach. It’s as […]
That Might Depend On Where You’re Standing Do not confuse my bad days as a sign of weakness. Those are the days I am actually fighting my hardest. Author Unknown It has been an exciting, albeit frustrating, week. Do you ever feel like a honey bee trapped in a bell jar, that some asshole just […]
The Times Of Your Life “Few good friends, one great partner, and something I love to do every day, that’s the idea of my little perfect life.” Sarvesh Jain Driving to a small airstrip in Monterey County, I feel my mouth go dry, not from dehydration but from excitement and possibly frayed nerves. It’s not […]
Is When You’re Afraid, and You Do It Anyway “Having a grandmother is like having an army. This is a grandchild’s ultimate privilege: knowing that someone is on your side, always, whatever the details. Even when you are wrong.” Fredrik Backman “Good morning Grammie.” For the last four days, I have opened my eyes to […]
“Persistence can look a lot like stupid.” Kristen Lamb It’s pouring outside, the landscape is as saturated as a sponge, and it feels like one of those stay-in-your-pajamas kinds of days. Who am I kidding? I’m retired. Clothes are always optional. I have three things on my mind, when do I not, you’ll be relieved […]
If you show someone something you’ve written, you give them a sharpened stake, lie down in your coffin, and say, ‘When you’re ready’. – David Mitchell Today I held my book, Grow Damn It, in my hand for the first time. It was not only surreal but surprisingly emotional. One of those freakish moments when […]
Living in the Gap 