We went to Ojai today. That is where we have an orange grove. We have a little trailer on the land, plus water. No electricity. The trailer is nestled in the middle of the grove, plus we have a fire pit and sitting area outside. We’re proud of our oranges trees. They are healthy and…
Month: December 2011
Tired, but Grateful
I am really tired. I guess that might make sense since it’s almost Christmas, but as it turns out Christmas has nothing to do with it. It is term paper time in school and I have students in need of intense one-on-one for these papers. The good news is that I get paid to help;…
Twelve Surprises this Small Town Texas Girl Has Learned from Living in Beverly Hills
I have lived in Beverly Hill (or BH to the locals) for 17 years. I landed here with my family when my brother Jim was sick and needed support during the last year and a half of his life. He lived in West Hollywood, but due to the kindness of old Texas friends, we found…
Prompt: The Big Lie About Mr. “Perfect”
I went to visit a friend a few months back and while I was there, she had some visitors drop by. One was a woman in her early 30’s. We all sat for a while chatting and I eventually asked the question whether or not she was married. She said that she and her boyfriend…
Prompt: A Different Way of Thinking
Sally Johnson was angry. Another day without a job and here she was in the prime time in her life. She was smart, she was stable, she was relatively pretty and she had skills that had been honed by years of experience. And yet, no matter where she looked or how hard she tried, she…
Prompt: Protester
Protester – Time Magazine Person of the Year this year. Interesting. It seems there are protesters everywhere at this moment in history. The Middle East has just celebrated the “Arab Spring,” all brought about by the bravery of protesters who have come together using social media to connect and recognize they are not alone in…
20 Lessons to Live By after My Near-Death Experience Today
I almost killed Ray and myself on the way to the airport in the predawn hours this morning. I was driving 70 in the HOV lane on Highway 75 going into Dallas and I noticed a sign that indicated that the exit I needed was up ahead. For some reason, I saw what I thought…
Prompt: Just Yesterday
It was just yesterday that it all happened. It felt as if it had been at least a year by now. But no, yesterday was the day that Jeffery walked out, declaring that he’d never really loved her and that he hoped that she eventually found someone who did. It was not so much his…
My Contribution to Sandra’s Memorial Service
My name is Len Leatherwood and I am Sandra’s sister-in-law. My nieces requested I say a few words about their mother today. Sandra had a quality that is undeniable: she never gave up. She never gave up when she was a little girl in Korea and she picked up coal from the ground that American…
Off To Texas For The Memorial Service
I am tired tonight. It’s been a long day getting Ray home from the hospital and also getting ready to head to Texas. If all goes well, we’ll be on a plane tomorrow morning. It could be said that we should just stay home. Certainly, my sister-in-law, Sandra, would understand from on high. And I…
20 Minutes a Day 