Change

Change means growth, usually, unless car repairs or house maintenance is involved.  To me, change is exciting, possibly because 99.99% of my life is so mundane.
Which is probably why I sleepwalk through my days.  There is the morning routine of feeding pets, drinking coffee, showering, etc.  The drive to work barely registers in my consciousness.  [...]

At the Crossroads

When I am at a crossroads, I magically alter the crossroads into one road.  Then I don’t have to make a decision; the decision is made.  I use an event or a feeling or a conclusion to open one way and close the other, close it so that it no longer exists.  Later, when I’m [...]

It Takes A Village…

… to keep my driveway clear of snow.  At least, this year it did.  I sometimes cat-sit for my next-door neighbor, and he pays me with gift cards, but last time I suggested that instead of giving me a gift card, he just blow my driveway whenever it snows more than 6 inches.  He agreed.  [...]

Oscar

When I do see a movie before it is nominated for an Oscar, I sometimes guess right about who will win.  I was right about Philip Seymour Hoffman wining Best Actor for his role in “Capote” and now I am right about Marion Cotillard for Best Actress for playing Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose”.  [...]

That Was a Close One

Earlier this week, my 88-year-old dad was in a car accident.  No, it was not his fault.  He was waiting for oncoming traffic to clear before turning left into his driveway when a 17-year-old with a brand new license rear-ended him and pushed his car into the path of a dump truck.  The car was [...]

Tech Envy

I am so jealous. 
Brother #3 (who should be called Still Waters Run Deep) has a Blackberry.  Lately I have been looking at Kindles and the Sony ebook reader but they don’t really suit my lifestyle.  A Blackberry, though.
B3 has a cell phone, one just like mine, a prepay TMobile.  My dad bought it for him because [...]

The Whole Famn Damily

My oldest brother (let’s call him B1) wants to have a family reunion.  Fine.  Since Dad does not travel, it has to be somewhere near him, which puts it about 1000 miles east of B1 and me.  Fine.  B1 married into a large Catholic family who are experts in large family gatherings, so B1 has [...]

About Face

Several years ago, both my friend J and I lost our dogs to age and disease.  Her loss was compounded by her daughter moving out and taking the cat with her.  “It was just me and [husband] D,” she explained.  “I had to get another dog.” 
 At the time, I had been trying to convince myself [...]

Bass Fever

On the drive home tonight, I saw one of these.  From a distance, it looked like it might be obscene, like the trailer hitch ornaments that resemble testicles (which resemble testicles because that’s what they are).  But no, it was just a fish.  When the driver brakes, the fish eyes glow red and it starts [...]

It’s Only a House

My house is driving me mad.  Or is it the weather?  Or just water?  The house has quirks.  The weather is relentless.  The water is wet and seemingly everywhere.
Silver maples planted by the previous owner of my abode are pushing their shallow roots up along the Florida room.  Over the years, this has caused the [...]