I’m having a disagreement with God, and it’s exhausting.  One of my closest friends passed away a few days ago and I am angry that she was snatched from me, and everyone who loves her, in a way that feels wasteful and cruel.   I have raised my arms to the heavens, admonishing God, letting him Continue reading

One morning when I was 19, my dad woke me from a sound sleep by throwing open my bedroom door. “Hey, get up and get dressed,” he said. Startled, I looked at him like he was in insane. He stood in the doorway, a cigarette propped on his lips.  “Hurry up, I got a car Continue reading

Over the years, I have patronized dozens of Starbucks around the country. Each time I enter a Starbucks with family or friends, I catch myself about to say, “Did I ever tell you about the time I went into a Starbucks and…”  They’ve heard it all by now. Rather than continue to repeat myself, I Continue reading

When Ron and I retired, we thought about moving outside of California, where the cost of living would be easier on a fixed income.  One of the places we explored was a town in Idaho, where we could easily use the equity in our California home to buy a 2-story house near a lake.  We Continue reading

If I had to name the top ten things that bring me great joy, wine tasting would be one of them.  My first wine tasting experience was in a conference room after hours, during a company retirement party.  Dee, the woman retiring, had been taking classes in wine appreciation to prepare for a wine tour Continue reading

I walk my dogs every morning.  Sometimes we go to the beach, but usually we walk around the neighborhood.  We go early, when the streets are quiet and the sun is just barely in the sky, casting an orange glow.  I have two dogs; both are small mixed breeds.  Sonny Boy is the male, Scout Continue reading

Until she married my dad at 18, my mother was Sally Sue Jensen. Afterward, and for the rest of her life, she was Sally Sue Sisson, an alliterative tongue-twister of a name befitting a Dickens street urchin. “T’was Sally Sue Sisson what picked me pocket!” My mother was tall, lovely, and slender with blue eyes Continue reading

Last night I watched my three-year-old nephew as he ran from the kitchen to the arm chair where his mother sat, throwing himself in her arms. “I love you, Mommy!” He shouted. Then he was up and running, ready to make the loop again. 3-year-olds love repetition. Watching him, I thought about the many things Continue reading

I love beautiful cookware.  I flip through the Williams Sonoma catalog the way others might flip through a jewelry store catalog. The exquisite collection, presented over a series of glossy pages, is arranged to entice the viewer. How flawless!  How elegant!   I don’t know where this obsession came from, but for as long as I Continue reading

Several years ago, I was at a dinner in New York with work colleagues.  We were at an Italian restaurant, beautifully decorated with a Tuscany flair.  We sat at a long table, about 20 of us.  As is typical with large gatherings, it was easier to converse with those closest to me, rather than attempt Continue reading