Category Archives: memories

Hello, Summer!

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Summer is my favorite time of year, not just for the nice warm weather, vacations, and lots of time outside, but for the abundance of scrumptious fruit available to us in California. I’m a fruit freak. If you opened my fridge today, you’d wonder how many people live with me. (That would be zero.) But I can’t help it. I’m a stocker. I stock up on things, just like my mom did.

I enjoy most fruit but some I simply tolerate, like grapefruit and papaya. Also, I can take or leave kiwi. Now don’t get me wrong; I have nothing super negative to say about those fruits, other than they’re boring. To me they’re not in the same ballpark as cherries or watermelon. And while we’re at it, throw in blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.

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In My Mind’s Eye: Remembering Dad

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Here’s my annual Father’s Day post, adapted from an article I wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle in 1997. Happy Father’s Day! Here’s to you Dad…There’s an image I have captured in my mind. I’m in my car in front of the home my parents have shared for most of their 45 married years. Mom and Dad are standing on the front porch.

From the street, I can see the huge eucalyptus tree in their backyard, silhouetted against the evening sky. It’s gently swaying in the warm breeze while the full moon illuminates the manicured lawn. My parents are smiling and waving as I drive away after a visit.

Mom lives alone now that Dad is in an Alzheimer’s nursing facility, so that scenario has changed. But it never does in my mind. My parents always stood on the porch to wave good-bye when I left. Even in pouring rain, they still stood in the open doorway together. I always looked back and returned their waves. Continue reading →

The Sweetest Gift

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Here is my annual tribute to my mom, my best friend and the greatest lady I’ve ever known. How lucky was I? Happy Mother’s Day!

My mom, Loretta Rose, with Bailey

She gave me love as well as life; so whatever goodness I may bring to Earth began with the gift of my mother’s heart……Robert Sexton

At some point in our relationship, my mom transitioned from being my parent to also being a great friend. I’d say it happened in 1985, when she was diagnosed with incurable, inoperable lung cancer.

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Grandma Petey Retires

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Here’s one of my oldest posts, originally written in 1998

Grandma Petey

My husband and I returned recently from a visit to Missouri. Five of Jim’s six siblings came from throughout the country to celebrate his grandmother’s retirement. At age 84, she’s anxious to pursue other interests.

Mary Peterson, (Petey to friends and family) spent the last 40 years as the hostess of the well-known Kansas City restaurant, The Hereford House. Can you imagine having one job since 1958 and never once being late or even missing work?  Me neither. Continue reading →

The Way We Were

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This year marks 50 years since my besties and I joined a softball team. When I wrote this posting in 2016, I was 61. I’m turning 70 this year and we’re still going strong — although no longer on the softball field! Through all these years our relationships have continued, creating new memories yet never forgetting the way we were way back when. What fun we’ve had, and still have. So here’s to you Sue, Sharon, Mandy, Patty, Karen, Joan, Maria, Pam and Sheila. Looking forward to what’s to come.

albert park4

Last week some friends and I attended my godson Martin’s baseball game (an independent professional team) at Albert Park in San Rafael. Being there was a trip down memory lane. Thirty-one years ago these same friends and I stepped off the adjoining field for the last time after playing fast-pitch softball for 10 years. When we formed the team in 1975, I was the old lady of the group at age 20. Little did we know then what fun times awaited.

fun ahead

Sitting there watching Martin play brought back many fond memories. Insert music here: Memories, light the corners of my mind, misty water-colored memories of the way we were. Okay, enough of that. Suffice to say those 10 years together stretched into 40 (now 50). And we’re still going strong.

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A few of the originals
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