When Leonard Cohen died back in 2016, I felt as if I’d lost a lifelong friend. He was eighty-two then—still spry the last time I saw him perform, first in Las Vegas and then in Los Angeles. Ray and I even flew to Denver to hear him again, though that concert was rained out. We…
Flash Fiction: A Trade Worth Making
Margaret Johnson was eighty years old and lived in an assisted living facility. She was in good shape for her age—except for her thick glasses—and she had a secret. She was madly in love with Sy Silverman, a seventy-five-year-old newbie who’d arrived only two months before. Sy was not quite as spry as Margaret; he…
Weekend with Two of the Pacheco-Beaty Grandkids
Hanging out with these two grands for the weekend in South Pasadena. Sister Luna is at science camp and Mom and Dad are on a well-deserved weekend away. Nico had a soccer game this morning with his club team in Fullerton. Lyla played in the park right where the game was occurring. Lots of fun…
What My Brother Taught Me About Grace
I was thinking today about how my brother George faced one of the greatest adversities of his life shortly after he got sober. His life changed abruptly after a small, non-healing sore in his mouth was diagnosed as cancer, and two weeks later he was at M.D. Anderson preparing to have his jaw and the…
An Excellent Recipe: Pan Roasted Chicken & Oranges
Cooking is calming for me. It makes the house smell good and, of course, supplies Ray and me with some tasty meals. I especially like this recipe because of the inclusion of orange slices slipped under the chicken skin. Hard to beat that flavor. Here’s to comfort food. Pan Roasted Chicken & Oranges Ingredients Marinade:…
The Healing Power of Remembrance
Since we recently celebrated Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), I wanted to share an altar I created a few years ago for my best childhood friend, Patricia Butler. At that time, I was taking ceramics classes at Barnsdall Art Center in Los Angeles when my teacher mentioned that the center was planning…
The Practice of Noticing What’s Good
10 Things I Like About Myself If someone asked me to make a list of what I like about myself, I might hesitate at first. It’s not something most of us do very often. But there’s real value in pausing to acknowledge what’s good, solid, and true about who we are. Here’s what came to…
The Story Circle Network Sightseeing Tour and Writing Workshop in Spain, 2025
I am reacclimating, slow but sure, after almost two weeks in Spain, which is 9 time zones ahead of Pacific Time. While I’m still dragging just a bit, I can now see the end in sight regarding my jet lag. This trip may have been our best yet. Our guide, Christopher, was sensitive, knowledgeable, and…
Happy Halloween
We have indeed made it back from Spain after an absolutely wonderful time. The only downside to the trip is recovering from the dreaded jet lag, which is still dragging me down a bit. I expect to be back to my old self by tomorrow, I hope, and will tell you in more detail about…
Avila and Segovia, Spain
Having a wonderful time on this Story Circle Network trip to Spain. Twenty-five travelers, half of them writers, enjoying the exploration of this lovely country while writing daily. Quite a treat. Plus, our daughter Sarah is with us. Even better. Here are some photos of Avila, birthplace of St Theresa and Segovia, which has the…
20 Minutes a Day 