For the past several days, I have been organizing our storage bins for part of every day. This means equal parts, putting things away, and tossing what is no longer needed. I like this activity. I like to get things straight. I am one of those people who can walk into a completely chaotic space,…
Judy Alter, Rest in Peace
My friend, Judy Alter, died unexpectedly on Saturday after a short battle with cancer. She was 85. She and I were part of a Works-in-Progress group through Story Circle Network, and we also read and commented regularly on each other’s daily blogs. I never met Judy in person, but that didn’t keep me from holding…
Writing Again after Ethan’s Injury, An Unexpected Drug Reaction, and the Horrors of Yesterday
Dear Friends, This is my attempt to catch up with you after a tumultuous two weeks. I admit I am feeling a bit lost, and so I plan to use this time to simply get my thoughts on the page. I have no idea where this is going or where I will end up, but…
Turkey Quinoa Chili – An Unexpected Taste Treat
I am an Instant Pot cook through and through. Meats and vegetables always come out moist and plump. I can saute and pressure cook in the same pot. And, best of all, I can toss all the ingredients in, walk away, and return later to a warm, delicious meal. Plus, there is only one stainless…
Delayed Father’s Day Celebration for Ray
Our daughters and their husbands/partners (except Gregorio, who was leading an archeological dig) treated Ray to an evening at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday night. Beck was playing with the LA Phil, and according to everyone in the family who went, it was a great concert. I, unfortunately, was home with what might have been the…
Flash Fiction: Three Heads Are Better Than One
We slept together, me and my two younger sisters, on a pallet laid out on the floor in the living room. We only had one bedroom in our little wooden house, and that was for Mama, Daddy, and my baby brother, Joey. My sisters, Jenny and Molly, were three and five, and I, May Ann,…
My Life Reflected in Bird Song
Walking through the orange grove this afternoonI feel the cool breeze wafting in from the ocean As the sun beats down and warms the earthA nearby shrub jay repeatedly sings his high-pitched songWeep-weep, waa. Weep-weep, waa My life feels lately like that incessant song Filled with good things and a few not-so-goodSo much happening that…
Update on Ethan
Hi all, Thank you for your kind words and support during my little grandson Ethan’s recovery from burns received from a sand-covered campfire at the beach. I am happy to report that his hands are almost completely healed, and his little feet are coming along. He is doing some walking, but his feet are clearly…
Lyla’s Dance Recital
Lyla had her ballet recital today. Liz, Ethan, Ray and I joined the Pacheco-Beaty family along with their babysitter, Melissa for the festivities. Lyla was adorable in her dance costume. She also was head and showers taller than her other five-year-old dancer partners. The most entertained person in our group was Lyla’s baby cousin Ethan,…
Poem: Written When Ethan Was in The Burn Unit
I wrote this while Ethan was in the USC Hospital burn unit. He is back home, the bandages are off his hands, and his feet are healing, as evidenced by his standing on them several times a day. He is not walking yet, but I suspect the crawling is getting old for this energetic 18-month-old….
20 Minutes a Day 