Flash Memoir Repost: Afternoons with Mr. Morgan

Mr. Morgan was a retired Episcopal priest who lived a few houses up from my family on East 9th Street in my hometown of Bonham, Texas. He and his wife, Anna, must have been in their 70’s when I was young. They both had white hair, and they walked with the stoop that comes with…

Ojai with Luna

Ray and I needed to come up to Ojai today to do some work related to our estate business. We both are still coughing, but today was 65 degrees and beautiful up here. The best part was that we got to bring granddaughter Luna with us and she is also spending the night. This is…

Milk Toast

When I was growing up my dad made me milk toast when I was sick. This consisted of two slices of toasted Mrs. Baird’s bread torn up and placed in a big bowl, then covered with warm milk sweetened with sugar. One pat of butter went on top to add a little extra richness. Milk…

From Last Night: A Tickle in My Throat

Back in LA with a giant-sized cough and a case of post-holiday fatigue. Traveling 14 hours yesterday probably didn’t help much. This cough is no doubt abetted by all the sitting going to and returning from SLC within a four-day period. Oh, or the 36 degree house when we arrived there with a malfunctioning furnace….

Made It To Ojai

Ray and I are safely settled in the Airstream for the night after leaving Salt Lake City at 6:30 am Mountain time this morning. We arrived at 7:30 Pacific time, which is fourteen hours of driving. Yikes. The problem was that required 55 mile per hour speed limit in CA for all vehicles pulling a…

My Utah Family and a Birthday

Today is my nephew’s birthday.  Jim is my sister’s son and is one of my favorite people in the world.  Our families are very close since Ray and Jim became fast friends about ten minutes after we got married back in 1980.  Jim turned 49 today.  Hard to believe he is that old since I still…

SLC

Here in Salt Lake. Arrived to a house with a furnace that had malfunctioned. Thirty-six degrees in the house. A very kind repairman arrived and fixed it. We are now up to forty-six and Ray and I are in bed with a pile of covers on top. Hopefully the temperarure will keep climbing over the…

Las Vegas, Ojai and SLC

Our family and friends have headed back home and we are now enroute to Salt Lake City. We are following my nephew and his family to deliver furniture we sold them and to pick up a pick up truck for Sarah and Gregorio and a MGB for Ray. These vehicles belonged to my brother-in-law who…

Ojai Thanksgiving

We are having a wonderful time up here on Ojai. Lots of cooking, food, family, friends and fun. My internet connection is sketchy so this will be short. Let it suffice to say this may be our new tradition. So much more relaxed then cooking for three days and then hosting inside an actual house!…

Family and Friends Arriving

Our Texas friends have safely arrived along with our Utah relatives.   Tomorrow our children and several friends will come. Life is good.  The weather is cooperating for our Thanksgiving camp out at the Orange grove. It was around 65 today and 36 tonight. Tomorrow it will be around 60 with another cold night. We…