I sat by Mary at my nephew’s graduation party. She had brought her mother-in-law Betty; Betty had been a neighbor to my nephews since they were born. She drives some, but the kids and in-laws and grandkids go with her when they can. She’s 91, and everybody just feels better if there’s someone with her.… Continue reading The Case of the OSU Cane
Surprises
I inherited neighbors when I got married. They're sisters in their eighties. They are garden queens. Less than they used to be; it's a lot of work. But Garden Queens, man. They had a huge vegetable garden. We got gifts of lettuce and peppers and I don't even remember what else. And the flowers. They… Continue reading Surprises
Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
I entered a contest a few months back. I picked through my essays from last year, chose the best ones, pressed the upload button and promptly forgot about it. I didn’t have any expectations. I’ve entered a number of contests, mostly with no results, and this was a national one, with people submitting from all… Continue reading Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
In Groups of Three
We were three stair-steps growing up, cousins each a year apart, Gina-Carol-Carla. There were a lot of cousins — thirty-two on my mom’s side — but we were special somehow. Close enough in age and without major personality conflicts, I think. Our mothers mostly indulged us; cousins were safe friends. Sometimes we were all together,… Continue reading In Groups of Three
The Last of the Peonies
I cut the very last of my peonies this week. I have a little bit of a peony problem. I convinced Paul to dig up a plant that hasn’t bloomed in two years and replace it with a new bi-colored variety that won’t bloom till next year. He relocated the reject across the yard; maybe… Continue reading The Last of the Peonies