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…
Category: Writing
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…
Nicki, Max, Aretta and Zelda’s Visit from Texas
Our niece, Nicki, her husband, Max, and their kids, Aretta and Zelda, left today. We had a lot of fun. Aretta is four and Zelda is fourteen-months. On Friday night, we went to Sarah’s house for a barbecue. Saturday, we headed to the Griffith Observatory, Carnie’s on Sunset Boulevard for lunch, a birthday party for…
Today
Today we went with our Texas relatives to the Griffith Observatory. We arrived before the doors opened so that we could get a jump on any crowds; however, we had not expected the parking lots to already be full, plus people hiking up from down the road where they had parked. But lucky for us,…
Two Cousins Meet After a Long Four Years
Luna and her cousin Aretta were born within a week of each other back in 2013. They have corresponded by mail and email, as well as heard stories about each other, but today was their big meeting. Aretta’s parents, Nicki and Max, are visiting here from Austin, Texas and Nicki is my first cousin Lee’s daughter….
The College Essay Process: Here We Go Again!
I met with a college essay student today and heard his first attempt at a Common Application essay produced in his high school’s five-day essay prep class. He had picked Prompt #1 (of 7), which is: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete…
20 Minutes a Day 