Last week I talked about what I love about this time of year. To balance, I thought I’d list a few things I don’t like. For most of my life I’ve been Pollyanna, always seeing the glass half full, and fifty per cent chance of sunshine (not rain). The word “hate” was not in my … Read more

I’m a total nut for Christmas. I like glittering lights and the smell of pine trees, the brightly wrapped packages and the songs non-stop on the car radio, especially those sung by Andy Williams and Barbra Streisand. I like the candy aisle in the grocery store crammed with goodies in their special holiday packaging and … Read more

We hear a lot about home this time of year. The term “home for the holidays” is on greeting cards, Hallmark specials, and advertisements. We’re told to decorate our “homes” with glitter and sparkle, as if trying to recapture that magic time when we were children and had fewer cares and hearts full of hope. … Read more

Sea Bear is back on the California Coast. It arrived last week on the back of a truck, looking tired and worn, a bit like me after my cross-country trip. I walked around the hull yesterday, something you can do when it’s out of the water “on the hard.” Lots of nicks and scratches are … Read more

I love food and I’ve fought being overweight my entire life. I was the only girl in my first grade class who went behind the cafeteria counter to get lunch in the back, where a special plate was prepared according to my doctor’s dietary instructions. It was embarrassing. I was bullied (they called it teasing … Read more