1) The world seems to be falling apart: Gaza and Israel; Ferguson, Missouri; Syria; Ebola outbreak in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea; girls stolen in Nigeria; women sleeping homeless on the streets of the United States (not to mention the men); Russia and Ukraine conflict; stalled out politics in the U.S. Congress; people divided over…
Category: Family
Long Day
We have just returned from spending the day in Ojai and Santa Barbara where we continue to help a woman sell her Western art collection and other antiques. To say I am pooped would be a serious understatement. That is at least a 2 hour trip one-way depending on traffic (which was heavy today). I…
House of Cards = Addiction
I am going to post a quickie tonight since I must admit that Ray and I have swallowed the kool-aid called “House of Cards” and we have been watching the first two seasons over the past few days. Tonight we’re watching the finale for season two and since it’s almost midnight, the truth is I…
Wonderful Homemade Pizza Evening
We had dinner tonight at Liz’s boyfriend’s parent’s house in Hollywood. Ron made a homemade pizza dough from a Bobby Flay recipe, and cooked it on the grill. Cindy, Ron’s mom, made a homemade tomato sauce. Then there were loads of toppings to choose from including smoked gouda and mozzarella cheese, red onions, red peppers,…
A Few Facts about My Favorite Fruit: Watermelon
Watermelon is my favorite fruit. In fact, I just consumed about a fourth of a watermelon a few minutes ago and I am currently staring at its rind. I am also very tired today after a long round trip to Ojai and Santa Barbara. I thought sharing a few facts on watermelons might be edifying…
Childhood Best Friend
My best friend growing up was Patricia Butler. I met her when I was three and she was four, when her family moved to my little town and began attending our tiny Episcopal mission there. Patricia was the polar opposite of me in appearance: she had big blue eyes, snow-blonde hair and was skinny as…
An Unexpected Ending
The other day, I was headed out to Pasadena to see Sarah, Gregorio and baby Luna. Ray was already there so I was driving our old but trusty Jaguar, vintage 2003. I love this car. We bought it secondhand in 2006, and besides having low mileage, we were even able to talk to the mechanic…
Six Degress of Separation from West Africa’s Ebola Epidemic
My daughter Sarah told me today that many of her medical school friends in Fort Worth worked with Dr. Kent Brantly, the doctor who has been infected with the Ebola virus in Liberia and who has just arrived at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. Sarah did not work with him personally because she chose to do…
A Little Overnight Visitor
We are having an overnight visitor today: grandbaby Luna. Her mom has an overnight shift at the hospital and her dad is headed off on an archaeological dig to Baja. Auntie Rachael is here for the night, too, but we get to have Luna upstairs with us. What heaven to have this girl with us….
Breaking Out of the Rut
Tonight I am feeling proud of myself. I did something that I usually count on Ray to do: hook up the receiver that came today to replace the old one from Direct TV. Normally, Mr. Mechanical goes in and sorts through all the wires from all our various media equipment, which includes not just a…
20 Minutes a Day 