When my parents died, it really wasn’t so bad to take care of their belongings. My three sisters and I did it in a couple of days. My parents lived very simply. They shared a single closet that was maybe 12 feet long for all their clothes. They had a collection of about 20 CDs, … read more Exit stage left
Author: Lisa
Roll of the Dice
When I was about 6 years old, my sister Maggie accused me of cheating in Yahtzee. Although I was a smart kid, cheating at dice was out of my league. Maggie was just mad because I was lucky. I’m not the kind of lucky where I can pick the winning horse at the track. Not that … read more Roll of the Dice
Feeling unlucky
When I went to the fitness center today, I saw a half-dozen friends who asked how I was doing. They all know about my long recovery from brain surgery and are solicitous of my health. I told them about Tom’s stroke. Several of them gave me a hug or patted my arm, and expressed sympathy … read more Feeling unlucky
Home away from home
The rain stopped just a minute ago. A slight mist rises from the hot asphalt, an accent against the deep green of the tree leaves. My shoulders drop as though I’d let a heavy backpack slip from them. Everything I can see is green. Trees, plants, just green. No cement. No asphalt except the two-lane … read more Home away from home
Almost caught a phish
This morning I tackled the task of opening Tom’s mail. I was surprised to see that he’d gotten a Delta American Express card, since he already has two AmEx cards. Then I opened a letter from American Express informing him that his email address of record had been changed. I didn’t recognize that email address. There was … read more Almost caught a phish
A bag of cherries
I was sitting at one of those interminable stoplights, when you get off the interstate and have to wait for three light changes of two minutes each just to make a left turn. It was blazing hot and I had a swig of water. Then I saw her. A woman with a ragged short haircut, … read more A bag of cherries
Fair compensation
So much of my days are consumed with being a secretary for Tom: disability, health and travel insurance claims, work and personal emails, returning phone calls, writing updates for family and friends, reading him comments on Facebook posts. I don’t mind. It’s easy work and the compensation is very high. Like today, I got to … read more Fair compensation
Clogged drains
As a plumber’s daughter, I have a genetic dislike of Drano, Liquid Plumber and other uber-chemical solutions to clogged drains. They eat pipes. And they aren’t too great for septic systems, either. So I usually use a little wire snake for the bathroom sink, and hot water with baking soda and vinegar for the kitchen. … read more Clogged drains
In common
Amidst all the uproar about Melania Trump’s plagiarism of Michelle Obama, I couldn’t help but think we’re missing the point here. Republicans and Democrats, black Americans and white Americans, immigrants and native-born Americans – we actually AGREE on some very important things. Mrs. Obama, in her 2008 speech: “Barack and I were raised with so … read more In common
Think through these things thoroughly
Thelma saw thistles in the thick thatch. Thelma thought Martha threw a booth into Lake Athens. They saw father put the lather on the smooth leather. Those speech therapy authors should be thrashed. Because they can’t write worth a thit. Quoted above are a few of the sentences that Tom had to say as part of … read more Think through these things thoroughly