This is the first story I had published since I started writing on a regular basis, and am so flattered that Pat took the time to do a tiny edit on my original, and that she keeps it on her …

I'm excited about tomorrow. Briercrest Park, La Mesa. San Diego Hort Society . The first garden tour of the season. link text I think this is my 10th season of garden tours in San Diego. I had never heard of …

Cornbread and biscuits. All the way home last night I was craving cornbread, butter and honey or good biscuits with butter and jam. I knew i was having the thawed out vegetable soup i made a few weeks ago -```weight …

Two flags, 13 stars each, frame an impressive banner tied to the mini blinds in the jury room. Is that a Confederate flag or a Rebel flag? Or one of those Don't tread on Me flags that pop up? Which …

So where are you from? I asked. What was I thinking? College area. So have you ever served on a jury? Don't ask - what I should have told myself. Yeah, hearing for a pervert, a child molester, had served …

Checked in, take off your jacket, through the metal detectors, grim faced security people watch sullenly as we file through. It's the same thing every day, the same thing the TSA staff at Lindbergh experience, the ticket police at the …

Don't need a phone on my trip. But, do need to be able to text, in London, in Marrakech. What time? Where do we meet? Drinks in London. adventures in The desert. Last time through the uk was a stupid …

The wind feels like its coming from the south, but what do I know? My knowledge of directions is anecdotal. The Pacific is west, Baja south, the desert east on the other side of those rocks, and L.A. Is north. …

I woke up late this morning, enclosed in a cheesy dream of last nights pizza pie and edamame. My left eye swollen shut and scratchy. No weigh in this day, up and at em, dogs in the car, heading for …

I will stick to it. I will go through all five levels, all 400 hours before I get on the plane in mid-April. I need to understand French, since my only other choice is Moroccan Arabic and that's not going …

What was that? I saw something dart across the road under the shadow of the street light. Odd. The dogs paid no attention; they kept walking and sniffing the ground. Punkita made cooing noises . I’m never sure what they …

It's quiet in the car, the creaking of the train on the curves the only sound. It's late afternoon and there are only 5 of us, each sitting in our own section. One woman checking her phone, two reading. Me …

OK. Have to say it. I feel sorry for Paula Deen. It makes me angry that people judge her and call her names- who are they to judge her? So she found out she had diabetes several years ago. Right …

It was spitting when I left the Elks. They have a new door, doesn't match anything else, doesn't have anything but a handle on the outside. We enter that way, early Saturday mornings for our weight watchers meeting- they've been …

Thank god for the trolley system, they thought as they hopped off at the corner of Leucadia Blvd and Orpheus. For the last decade since the oil ran out and gasoline fueled cars became obsolete, local and state government agencies …

That morning they carried the little boy to the window so he could see for himself. Both of his legs were in casts from his fall off the garage roof last week when he was pretending he could fly, but …

Everyone thought he was a real estate agent. As far back as I can recall I’ve seen his name and a headshot on those signs that are embedded in people’s yards announcing their availability for looting by lookie loos, and …

So I'm waiting to be picked up outside my office in the midway district by a man I met with his girlfriend a few years ago at rancho la puerta in tecate, so we can head for the airport to …

i'm ready for the day- whatever comes my way. breakfast- yes - cup of oatmeal with an apple chopped up- microwaveable. snack- yes- yogurt, blackberries, Kashi twigs and almonds. makeup, brush, band aids , lip gloss, water, thermos of coffee, …

It's 630am in Carlsbad and the sun is just waking up? the frost ices the weed whacked rail side ecological preserve. the rabbits are hiding, those illusive protected frogs are no where in site. I prop my coffee cup on …