We are headed to the airport in about 30 minutes to pick up our nieces coming from Austin, Texas. This is Leslie and Haley Leatherwood and we are excited about their arrival. They, brave duo that they are, are headed off to hike the John Muir Trail in Northern California. They will be here for…
Category: Writing
How I Spend Part of Each Day Right Now
I am sitting in my den, the overhead fan whirring along with a box fan in the corner. The temperature is pleasant, not too hot or too chilly. The eastern light coming in through the big bay window is filtered through the green leaves of the tall Nandina bush with its clumps of bright red…
Heading Home from Ojai
We are driving back from Ojai after spending last night and today at the orange grove. It is 9:30 pm. We are currently driving through Calabasas and the roads are surprisingly full of traffic for this time of night. Today was warm but not terrible at the orange grove. The summer heat can be intense…
Grandbaby Visit Highlights
Grandbabies visiting tonight. They arrived mid-afternoon and will leave mid-morning tomorrow. We have played in the mud in the back yard, taken showers to wash off all that mud, eaten dinner, taken a walk around the block with the dogs and Grandpa, brushed teeth, gotten on pajamas, crawled into bed together to watch Madagascar II,…
My Unexpected Friends from the St. Thomas “Breakfast Club”
Yesterday at the Breakfast Club at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, one of our patrons stood at the door of the kitchen and called my name. I was over at the stove grilling up onions, broccoli, and kale as a side dish to our eggs, hash and pancakes. I got someone to take my place…
My Grandmother’s Story Inspired by an Interview Today with One of My Students
Today one of my students who I have had since he was in 2nd grade, David Bina, came to interview me for his class “Women and History.” David is now a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He asked me to tell him stories about my family history and I told him many…
Friday Evening
I am sitting in the den of our home with my feet up and the television on at a low volume. We have turned down an invitation to join the kids at a food tasting event in Arcadia (which is a good trek from here) and Ray and I are looking forward to a low-key…
Girlfriend Time
I just returned from visiting my friend, Judy HG, who is one of my closest buddies here in LA. We have just spent the last four hours covering a lot of ground in our conversation since it’s been a few months since we have seen each other. I would say one measure of a true…
Happy Birthday, Gregorio!
This evening we gathered in Pasadena to celebrate our son-in-law Gregorio’s birthday. Sarah had ordered all sorts of delicious food for us to eat and we sat in their yard so we could also enjoy the cool temperatures. Liz, Ron, and Rachael were there (Ariel had to work) plus Luna and Nico, of course, along…
5-Star Turkey Meatloaf Recipe
I made turkey meatloaf for lunch today, along with mashed potatoes, steamed carrots and a green salad. This is one of my favorite meals, especially the turkey meatloaf. I am including the recipe below just in case you’d like to try it. I can promise this is a tried-and-true recipe that will not disappoint. I…
20 Minutes a Day 