Archive for the ‘Friends’ Category

Friends

May 15, 2023

A Simple Paint Job

Two weeks into the sunroom remodel—a mere spruce-up, actually—I began musing on what could have made the experience worse. It could have been the middle of summer when the sun room feels 150 degrees in the afternoon. Or it could .  .  . no, that’s about all that could have made it worse. I wasn’t  Read the Rest…

Choir SingingEnglandFamilyFriendsHolidays

January 14, 2023

A Village Christmas, Part 4: Christmas Eve

Two days before Christmas began the long slide into what would be Christmas Day. I again went for a long walk in the morning. This time I took the long way to the Farm Shop. I started at Wendy and Sue’s house on Chapel Lane, walked to the top of the High St, crossed the  Read the Rest…

Friends

September 24, 2022

A Graceful Death

Kay decided she was going to die on Saturday, July 9. She didn’t have the death-with-dignity drugs or anything, she just felt that was when she would die. Pursuant to that she sent out her own death notice on Friday, July 8. On Tuesday when she was still alive, the calls started coming in. “Who  Read the Rest…

BooksFriendsLiteratureTravel

May 24, 2022

The Do in Berkeley, Part: The End

I got up early my final day in Berkeley, not wanting to miss a minute of it. Suzanne shut the front door after retrieving her paper and I called from the kitchen where I was making tea, “I HEAR you!” She chuckled. Mary-Ellis picked me up in the morning and we moved my suitcase to  Read the Rest…

Choir SingingFriendsSingingTelevisionTravel

May 10, 2022

The Do in Berkeley, Part Two

I crept about my routine at the cold Airbnb, bringing my tea up to my room and putting on the space heater. I had finished Empire of Pain and was into The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner. Later I met Suzanne on my way out the door. “You’re so quiet,” she commented. “Well.” I didn’t  Read the Rest…

FriendsPaintingPostsTravel

October 2, 2021

Kay at the Beach

Kay and I packed our identical painting kits, ones we had bought together at the Art Spot in Edmonds and 50 times the amount of food we would need or come close to eating and travelled to The Sandpiper at Pacific Beach in a driving rainstorm. It was to be three days of painting and  Read the Rest…

Friends

January 8, 2021

Strappado by Any Other Name

A few days after I’ve done something stupid, I often think, “I feel a blog post coming on.” If I’ve done something exceptionally stupid, it takes a week before I feel it. Well, at the time of this writing, it’s been two and a half weeks. It started when I noticed that my arms hurt.  Read the Rest…

FamilyFriendsHolidaysLife During Covid-19SingingSongs

December 18, 2020

Have Yourself a Merry Little Winter Holiday

I used to call “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” the alcoholic’s Christmas carol because of the line about “next year all our troubles will be out of sight.” Pure denial, fantastical thinking. Wasn’t that mean of me? It’s a perfect song for this year and I regret my former attitude.  If you’re not busy  Read the Rest…

FriendsLife During Covid-19SingingTeaching

November 30, 2020

Pandemic Project Number Three

I’ve talked about learning to sew for years. I want to be able to make clothes in the colors and styles I like rather than forcing myself into procrustean fashions. This pandemic and the stay-at-home orders (and my lack of work and ensuing free time) has been a boon to me, a self-learner. I’ve been  Read the Rest…

FriendsGardenLife During Covid-19SingingSongs

May 17, 2020

Three Small Goobers

Entering our third month of Sheltering-in-Place here in Seattle, I locate myself in the week by when I last showered: I showered today, I showered yesterday, I can’t remember when I showered or that’s really a funky smell. My hair has entered a new length division where it now looks reasonably good. I love hearing  Read the Rest…