One year ago we brought this puppy home. Her mother—a stray Lab —had birthed her babies on the side of a freeway and hidden them in nearby bushes. After they were rescued and settled in a foster home, we met the litter and fell for Zoe. She was too...
Room on the Boat
What Do You WANT to Believe About Yourself?
Some things about me are facts: I’m 5’ 6” and I have blue eyes. I stopped coloring my hair five-ish years ago, so I’ve got some grays. I’m married with two kids and three dogs. We all live in Thousand Oaks, California. These truths aren’t open for debate; they...
Pass the Mead, Please
If you’ve never heard of mead, it’s an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey. People used to drink the stuff from tankards in places that were accurately called MEAD HALLS. Think Canterbury Tales. And Camelot. Mead halls were happening in Ye Olde Times. But we’re in COVID 19 times...
Moving the Goal Post
For most of my life, I didn’t want to be simply good at something; I wanted to be the best. The best daughter. Sister. Singer. Teacher. Wife. Mother. Friend. The problem with trying to be the best at something is that best is highly subjective. It’s an ever-moving goal post....
Please Excuse the Typo
It’s possible that, as a writer, I’ve spent the past twelve years obsessed with typos. In posts. In tweets. In manuscripts. It’s also possible that, as a human, I’ve spent my entire life avoiding typos. (Both actual and metaphorical.) Over the past few months in quarantine, I’ve been thinking...
A Tale of Two Doggies
A TALE OF TWO DOGGIES Okay. Maybe three doggies. Or four. Yes. Before we get in too deep today, I might as well confess that in fact four dogs will appear in this story. Please forgive me. I simply could not pass up an allusion to my favorite Dickens’ novel....
Moving Buddy
I can’t remember who said it first: “Everybody needs a moving buddy.” (This sounds like something I would’ve blurted, especially after a glass or two of wine. And I’ve always loved the movie Toy Story, so.) You know the scene, right? Andy’s family is packing up and Woody warns...
Kindness First
I work at the public library. More specifically, I’m a monitor for two branches in the city of Thousand Oaks. I consider this work, like my previous career as a public school teacher, to be a privilege. (Plus I get this super-cool badge. Don’t be jealous.) Although neither job...
The 100-Year Story
These past few months have been pretty crazy around here. Some high-highs and some low-lows. Milestones and heartbreak. (I’m not gonna lie. There’s still a lump in my throat and I get teary-eyed thinking about November.) Anyway. I’ve missed my kids ever since they moved to Oregon, but I...
A Christmas Poem (back by popular-ish demand)
‘Twas two weeks before Christmas, 2018, And every Gardner was here on the scene. Karly and Jack had both flown home from college, With luggage and laundry and (probably) knowledge! Karly’s picked anthro as her likely major; Criminal justice is her goal, I wager. Jack’s in his third...