“Please,” I said, through tears.  Salty, danger-on-the-highway-inducing tears.  “Please let’s just take this exit.  We can go to the beach.” I didn’t really expect him to say yes, I just needed to fight. “You know I can’t” he said, looking out of the window transfixed as the exit for Half Moon Bay passed us by. […]

I am tickled pink and ridiculously excited about the prospect of writing my non-fiction book! Already some of you have written to me with kind encouragement and advice, and for that I am so thankful. At this point, what’s required is that I write the “proposal”.  As it turns out, when you’re shopping a non-fiction […]

Somehow, his feet moved. Left. Right. Left. Right. As if walking were actually an involuntary reflex propelling him forward. Had he remembered the napkin?  He always wrote on napkins, why was that? Pat the coat pocket.  Pat the back pocket.  Dig in the pants pocket. No napkin. But here he was, feet now lead, sinking […]

Yesterday evening we took down our Christmas tree.  I wasn’t ready.  I’m STILL not ready.  I go downstairs to the living room and I’m stunned each time by the now yawning cavernous space by the front windows.  I don’t really understand how Christmas went by so quickly this year.  I know I’m getting older and […]

… I’ve actually come up with what I think is a particularly fantastic idea for a non-fiction book. Of course, *I* think it’s fantastic because a) I came up with it, natch; b) it’s a book I wanted to buy as a gift for a friend, and amazingly someone hasn’t written it yet. Are any […]

“Three… Two… One…” Each finger disappears along with the number, until there are none. Then I “woosh!” my hand away as your teeth arrange themselves into the smile that I can see always, even with my eyes closed, like the imprint of the light after a sunset stare. “One… Two… Three… Four… Fiiiiiiiivvvvve!” This time […]

The doorbell rings. The children sing. The adults sing, too, but only halfheartedly with busy hands full of scarves and lonely single mittens… and busy heads full of lists and anxious “what if”s rather than words to a time-worn carol. As always, there are somehow too many sopranos. How are there always too many sopranos? […]

Dear Dr. Demento, I do not know what you have your doctorate in. I do not know how you came to have your own radio show. I do not know how you managed to have so many cool friends who are so entertaining. And frankly, I don’t care. I’m just thankful you were around to […]

Long.  Long because he wouldn’t let me cut it.  Long to my butt.  Long catching on anything and everything.  Long giving me headaches. Short.  Not too short. Short because he can’t control me anymore.  Short because it’s what you do when you move away from home to college.  Short because I took the scissors to […]

My heart isn’t big enough. Not for the crashing train that hits me when you smile. Not for the iceberg that chills me when you take a spill. Not for the number of towels I need handy for your fantastic teething-open-mouth kisses on my cheeks, and nose, and forehead. Not for the monster sitting on […]