Family History Articles

Swedish Death cleaning — Dostadning

I'm knee-deep in Dostadning -- Swedish death cleaning. Not my house, not my stuff. But my parent's house of 70-plus years. My mom kept everything. And she waited to hand things out until it was too late. She passed on. She left everything for me and...

The summer I began collecting “The Beatles” cards

I secretly began collecting The Beatles cards in the summer of 1964 and 1965. In February 1964, the Beatles landed at New York City, Kennedy Airport for a whirlwind tour which included their famous debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. A record 73 million people watched...

Lessons on the value of money

I can't even remember the year, but I think it was 1972, when I had mononucleosis. My dad had a good sense of humor. And really, he had good taste in clothes. Well, maybe this wasn't his best example, but come on the glasses are totally cool. He didn't dress like he...

Elementary School Cafeteria Lunches in the 1960s

I do not have fond memories of school cafeteria lunches -- though they were memorable. For a few years, I never bought the school lunch, priced at 35 cents, because the "noon-aide" forced everyone to stay at the table until his/her plate was clean. Kids tried to hide...

My “inactive” Mormon Dad

My “inactive” Mormon Dad

My father was an “inactive” Mormon. This means that he was baptized a Mormon, but stopped going to church sometime...

Bing Day

Bing Day

Today must be a bing day. My little granddaughter, 18 mos old shared her bottle and her bing (pacifier) with me this...

Shake ‘n no Bake Dog Food

Shake ‘n no Bake Dog Food

What do you feed your dog? Raw meat? My son just got a cute new puppy and he started her on the "raw food diet." This...

Popping Pods

Popping Pods

We Sold! Or at least we are in escrow. Do trees celebrate? Because just after we signed our docs, my Chinese Wisteria...

How I Became the anal Retentive Housekeeper

I can't leave my bedroom until I have made the bed, with all the pillows perfectly upright, the mirrors with finger...

On the Floor

On the Floor

Life is a mixture of happy and sad. I am continually reminded that Eve asked “is there no other way?” Even knowing the...

Fall Colors

Fall Colors

I love the Fall leaves. This week I actually got to see them--in person. Having grown up in Southern California, I...

Beat it to Fit, Paint it to Match

My dad, dear old dad, used to say, “beat it to fit, paint it to match” when talking about any repairs. One day I...

Vines and Bananas in the Last Days

Vines and Bananas in the Last Days

I’ve been working in the garden. The vines that I did not plant have overgrown or grown over the plants that I did...

Working in Babylon

The economy is always in the news. It faces us personally everyday. My kids have gone to college, not always thinking...

Some Work of Art–

this is the model, but picture it 30 years old, trashed and thrashedToday I drove the big black Tundra to Costco to...

The Man, the Coyote, the Dog, the Cat, the Fish

The Man, the Coyote, the Dog, the Cat, the Fish

In the telestial kingdom, not all animals live side by side. Or should I say, that the wolf and the lamb do not lie...

At Apple Genuis Bar

At Apple Genuis Bar

I made an appointment at the Apple store. I called my 21 -year old son and asked him if he could do me a favor. I was...

Paint of the Day

I settle down to write, finding the remains of a can of Red Bull, fizz gone, but being mother eve, have no problem...

Vacation

I just got back from my little 12 day vacation.Two days were spent driving. Is that vacationing? Sometimes I enjoy a...

Connections

In response to B’s blog-- impressive assistance--I remember a good assist as well. I was driving home from my mom's...

Neighbors–the luck of the draw

I have some very good neighbors. That is not always the case.But my neighbors are the best.I have lived by these...

Never tell me the odds

When in financial distress, I do not look too closely at the numbers, just enough to kind-of budget my money for the...