My mother’s mother, my grandma, was a big, wonderful woman.  My mom and I went to her house for spring cleaning.  It was a big house with lots of nooks and crannies for me to explore.  It had a solarium on the first floor, a cellar, a sewing room and balcony upstairs, and another whole… Continue reading Lunch Time

My mother had a 1957 white Ford Galaxy, the same car that was pulled out of the muck in “Psycho.”  She slipped on my father’s waders that he used for unsuccessful trout fishing in a nearby river. It was summer, so I was in the neighborhood at the time.  My mom had a big bucket… Continue reading Car Washing

My mother was obsessed with her lawn.  Autumn was a challenge that was bigger than her.  She had all her trees cut down.  But, her neighbors had lots and lots of trees and lots and lots of leaves.  She raked and raked piles of colorful leaves.  It is not that the wind was blowing, it… Continue reading Out on a Limb

My mother was an elementary school secretary.  I was teaching my first year of kindergarten.  She gave me a fish in a gold fish bowl.  The fish looked like a blue gill…a pan fish.  But, this fish’s name was Oscar.  I thought that was a cute name, not realizing it is the type of fish… Continue reading One Fish

We have five college degrees between the two of us.  But, if a garbage disposal, ice-maker, window shade, or doorknob goes awry, we are way out on a limb. This week it was the doorknob on the door going out to the garage.  It would not open the damned door. This put us in a… Continue reading Mr. And Mrs. FIX-IT

I started out as a substitute teacher.  I spent many days in the junior high art class, due to the regular teacher’s nervous breakdown.  There are so many dangerous things in art classes.  I locked up the worst in a cabinet with a key. These were the glues that they sniffed…and x-acto knives for killing… Continue reading Art Class

I called my mom every morning after I got the kids off to school.  She was living alone in northern Michigan.  Her neighbors to the north used their place only in the summer.  Her neighbors to the south were very busy in the small town’s politics. I was worried about her!  She liked living alone,… Continue reading Fax of the Case

Today is my husband’s birthday.  He already bought his own present: a golf club.  He is out now, picking up his cake.  I feel guilty, sitting on my ass and writing posts.  I did not get him a card! I recall one year, when our oldest son had his eighth birthday we bought him a… Continue reading A Very Merry Un-Birthday

I had to renew my driver’s license this year.  It was like Ellis Island in there.  My heart was in my throat.  After worrying and waiting I was called to take my turn.  I was sweating.  I rested my chin and forehead on the vision testing machine.  I saw nothing at first.  Then I closed… Continue reading Driver’s License Renewal

I taught kindergarten for seven years.  We had a bathroom: one toilet, one sink.  The first day of school was always full of wonder.  Some kids did not know what “Line up” meant. We worked on this by me calling this movement “Like ducks in a row…or like a choo-choo train.” Then, I would take… Continue reading Bathroom Rules