It was a bit of an anti-climax, actually. It's not like I didn't have time, transportation, and belief in the cause, so I couldn't think of one good reason not to attend the Planned Parenthood rally on the steps of the capitol of South Carolina. The purpose of the rally was in protest of House Bill …
Grief Waves
It's probably normal for a coastal-raised child to liken many things to the sea. Currents and tides have been a useful metaphor for me (and many writers far better), but I think the reasons why became clearer for me Saturday while grocery shopping. Grief is sneaky, unlike ocean tides and waves which while sometimes dangerous, are at least …
Weekend Coffeeshare: Muddy Paws Edition
If we were having coffee, you would readily see by her muddy paws and "Who? Me?" expression regarding the holes dug on the garden path that Blanca has grown tired of the rain and her subsequent captivity. She takes seriously her roles of Bird Bath Supervisor, Scourge of the Hydrangea, Excavator of Stones for the ongoing construction …
South
Many years ago, my ex-husband's job took us from our native California to Texas, which is not the South but rather the Southwest, and there are large differences, many of which I am still discovering; but at that time, Texas was South to us. OhmyGod we were soooo obnoxious! We were every elitist, snobbish, stupidly Californian …
Weekend Coffee Share: Terrifying Bubbler Edition
If we were having coffee, it would be a quick one because I have so much to do! We're having one of Paul's best friends in life over for dinner, and so I have shopping and cooking and baking and cleaning to do, oh my! But we'd get a laugh over Blanca's fear of and …
Continue reading Weekend Coffee Share: Terrifying Bubbler Edition
Viola
Maybe it was the production of Working - A Musical I saw yesterday that had me noticing people today, or maybe it was the absence of my plump, grandmotherly strawberry stand lady. Isn't it odd how quickly we become accustomed to people and places? I only discovered the strawberry stand maybe four weeks ago, but every …
Weekend Coffee Share: Mother’s Day Edition
If we were having coffee, I'd wish you a Happy Mother's Day if you're a mother, and maybe whether you are or not we would talk about our own mothers, grandmothers, and the other women who mothered us. With unadulterated affection I'd tell you about my Auntie Helene, possibly the most motherly woman I ever knew, …
Raison d’etre
Once while driving and listening to NPR (everyone who knows me is collectively saying, "Of course,") I heard an interview with writer Isabelle Allende in which she said she began writing because she had so many words swirling inside her head she needed to put them down, get them out, lest she go crazy. My mental …
Semantics: Because Words Matter
My friend Cynde had a genius Facebook status the other day, one which sparked good conversation and got me thinking - she really helped crystallize something in my head which has been swirling around for a long time, specifically, what we call something, the words we use, make a difference in how we feel about …
Weekend Coffee Share: Doggy Door Edition
If we were having coffee, I would excitedly tell you or better, show you that at seven months old Blanca has finally mastered the doggy door! Well, mostly. Thursday she woke up from a long nap having seemingly forgotten and had to be pushed through, but since then she's done it all on her own, the …
Southern Fried Californian 