“This old dog won’t hunt much longer,” my father said on that Friday evening I came home from the University of Texas to see him. I knew exactly what he meant. “No, Daddy, that’s not true.” Tears flowed down my cheeks. He lay propped up by pillows in bed, the sheet drawn up to his…
Category: Home
Heat with No Breeze
It was hot today here in LA – 103 was what the thermometer read in my daughter’s car. At 9:08 pm, it is still hot in the house, and we have every window open downstairs and up, every door open except the front one, every fan on. We only have air conditioning in one room…
Graduation Day
This is a graduation weekend here at our house. Our daughter, Liz, and her boyfriend, Ron, will graduate from law school on Sunday at 10 am. They will walk across the stage at the Shrine Auditorium to receive their JD degrees after completing a rigorous accelerated 2-year program. Our nephew from Utah, Jim, his wife,…
A Few Glimpses of Childhood in No Particular Order
I remember: Warm pavement under my bare feet Doodle bugs tickling my arms Train whistles in the distance My father’s biscuits and gravy My mother’s typing The smell of chlorine at the pool in summer Chicken and dumplings Incense at church Freshly mown grass My dad’s old farm truck My Uncle Doc’s café My Uncle…
4 Star Honey-Sweetened Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Glaze
This recipe is from Rose Levy Birnbaum’s The Cake Bible, my favorite book for cakes, hands-down. This cake is moist and delicious. Don’t let the addition of mayonnaise throw you off. This is a cake you can depend on with company coming. I have never had one problem with it even when substituting honey for…
After a Long Day and a Pesky Cold
I need to go to bed. We have been up and running since early this morning. My nose is also running from that malady that my family had last week, which is apparently contagious. I am alternatively stuffed up and then drippy-nosed. I say, “Pick a position and stick with it, for goodness sake,” but…
Sitting in My Living Room in Texas
I am sitting in my living room in Sherman, Texas. It is 10:35 and I need to write for 20 minutes. I have had a long, but good day seeing old friends and making at least one new one. Tomorrow, we will be up early so we can attend to business that needs to be…
On this May Day
Ray is sniffling and coughing in the next room. His eyes are red and he looks tired. I am certain he is suffering from a hefty allergy attack. Rachael has already gone upstairs to bed after deciding to take the day off from work so she “can feel better” after throwing up several times two…
A Few Pieces from the Urs Fischer Exhibit at MOCA
Today we went to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) here in Los Angeles. There was an exhibit by an artist named Urs Fischer. Here are a few of the pieces: Thousands of “raindrops” suspended from the ceiling A Close-Up of the Raindrop A Full-Sized Cabin Made of Bread Loaves …
After a Long Week…
I am dead tired. Perhaps it’s 7 days of jury duty so far or getting up at 5:30 am to go cook for 200 people at the St. Thomas homeless breakfast or maybe it’s the relief of having all three of our family’s babies born safe and sound in these past few weeks. Whatever it…
20 Minutes a Day 