I was wearing a flowered shirt when my sister told me that our mother was dying. I was definitely wearing something on the bottom half of my body — possibly a denim skirt — but only the shirt is there in my memory, vivid and bold. I’d never worn it before, and had hung it… Continue reading The Flowered Shirt
Ditched
In my ongoing effort to return my shoulders to somewhere near my torso instead of up around my ears, I had scheduled an appointment with the massage therapist on a Friday at 4:00. It was perfect. I could leave work a little early, let the magic-handed lady apply her knuckles to the permaknots in my… Continue reading Ditched
The Best Gift
I was having lunch with my college roommate, and she reached into her bag as we prepared to split the check. She pulled out a wallet and unzipped it, and I demanded to see it at once. It was buttery brown leather, with a zipper on three sides, and room for everything. Longer than usual… Continue reading The Best Gift
Goin’ to the Chapel
Our family hasn’t been to church in person since mid-March. This is mostly about COVID, but partly about me and my issues. Nothing makes me want to quit church forever like a presidential election year. 2020 is a presidential election year on a high-octane cocktail of speed and steroids, and not going this year has… Continue reading Goin’ to the Chapel
Pillows
My current decorating strategy, as anyone who has visited the house knows, is just to hang on until the children move out, and then start over. I don't see much point in buying nice furniture that is going to suffer various protracted indignities, and I gave up on the living room carpet long ago. But… Continue reading Pillows