When I was little, I was a Mama’s baby; I mean, a BIG Mama’s baby. At night, I sneaked into her bed to snuggle; in the daytime, I played near her while she read, typed, or worked on bills. By age five, I didn’t mind playing in another room or outside in the backyard as long…
Tag: family
Flash Fiction: Where the Kindness Is
I wrote this a while back, but saw it tonight and thought that we could all use the reminder to go where the kindness is. I do, at least! Also, sometimes we do just have to walk through the pain. No fun, but that’s the truth. Happy Wednesday to all. Len “I don’t know what…
Soccer, Our Grandson, Nico, and This Weekend
Lucky us! For the past two days, our 9-year-old grandson, Nico, his sister, Luna, and his dad, Gregorio, have been in Ventura for a soccer tournament. Nico has joined a club team, which means that he has now moved up into “serious” soccer. He had to audition for his position as goalie and this weekend…
A Letter To Luna about Her Mom
I wrote this way back in 2013, just after Luna was born, but it seems fitting to post it again since Sarah’s birthday was yesterday. Luna (now 12) reads my blog occasionally, so she might be interested in a letter I wrote to her when she was 5 weeks and 6 days old. Not to…
Happy Birthday, Sarah! Here’s Your Birth Story.
Tomorrow is my oldest daughter Sarah’s birthday. As is my custom, I am sharing her birth story, which in her case was a bit more harrowing than her sisters’ births. As a physician herself now who has delivered a fair number of babies, I’m sure this story gives her a few shivers. But the good…
To Mom on Mother’s Day Eve
I wrote this piece a while back, but it still reflects many of my feelings about my mother. This could be titled, “Some of My Favorite Things about Mom.” I was thinking about my mother today and the secret things I loved about her. For example, I loved her smell, which was a combination of…
Flash Fiction: Edith’s Tear
This is a story I wrote a while back. I thought I would share it tonight because I like the main character’s voice, and the ending made me smile. Dad gives me a wink, like we are pals or something. We’re sitting in our kitchen having eggs and waffles on a Sunday morning. I’m not…
May 2nd and 3rd, 2004: My Brother George’s Last Days
I wrote this several years back, but I love this story of my brother George’s last day. My brother approached death with such grace, it was awe-inspiring. *** Twenty-one years ago tomorrow, my brother George passed away. He was 54 years old. George called on the evening of May 2nd, 2004, and told me that…
A Favorite Photo of My Dad at the Sale Barn
Here is one of my favorite pictures of my dad. He is the man holding the microphone, wearing black “Barry Goldwater” glasses. He is above the ring where livestock came in one at a time and were auctioned off to local ranchers and major meat-packing companies, like Hormel or Jimmy Dean. I don’t know the…
For My Late Mom, Whose Birthday is Tomorrow
The year is 1972, the month is February, and this is three days before my father would die from lung cancer. This was our last family photo, commemorating the last time I saw my dad alive since I left later that day to return to Austin, where I was a freshman at the University of…
20 Minutes a Day 