PAWNSHOPS, STARBUCKS, and RUNNING

When we were in college in the early 1970s, my future husband and I used to take the bus to downtown Seattle and walk through the city, visiting 5 and 10 Antiques sometimes, where my mother worked part time. I have a necklace from that shop. We always went to what Gary called the "Pubic …

CERTAINTY

I have opinions. I am sometimes overwhelming in assertion of my opinions. So I will tell you that sunsets are beautiful and so are sunrises. My opinion. The Pacific University MFA program from which I graduated in 2007 is in Residency in Seaside this week for the first time in three years. The Winter Residency …

LISTENING CLOSELY

Gary has heard this story too many times: It's from years ago at one of our holiday Open House events to which we invited neighbors and co-workers and hosted forty or so. I was teaching, so for a few weeks before, I came home from school and made small savory pastries and baked cakes and …

BALANCE CONTROL

I can stand on one leg long enough to put each sock on the other foot. I cannot stand on one leg for long with my eyes closed so I stopped trying to do that. I keep reading that my ability to balance on one foot is an indication of longevity. This morning I read …

END-OF-YEAR

We were careful this year. The condo is a new expense and the beach house needs a new roof. Our goals were modest. We would walk, pay our bills, do our best to avoid covid, and stay in touch with family and friends. We covered over a thousand miles, mostly on the beach. I ran …

BARGAINING IRL

Years ago I taught a short story by Michael Cunningham in which a teenager runs through a sliding glass door during a party. (This was before building codes required tempered glass in such doors—a change triggered by a real life incident of a child bleeding out from cuts sustained by running through such a door.) …

COLD

We're in Portland just now, and it's in the 20s outside. I ran three miles here yesterday and walked a couple more, up and down NW Portland streets. I planned to walk three miles this morning, but maybe not in this cold. We tested negative again yesterday. This means I have not been sick (with …

BEACHCOMBING

I literally plan to write about beach combing every single day I am on the beach and then I am distracted. I have superstitions (if I touch a stone, I should take it or stack it.) and good luck finding agates and a front yard nearly paved with my finds. We also attended an event …

LOVE ACTUALLY

I know, I know, some of us love that movie and some hate it. I'm not going to write about the film. The 20-year anniversary documentary is playing, but either way, you are safe to read on. Truth, fact, history. Lies, fiction, invention. Racism. Yes, I went down a rabbit hole of investigation and research. …

DISTANCE

Sometimes I lie to myself. For example, I promised myself a short run yesterday morning. I held out a single-mile run like a carrot. When I began running north, I was running straight into a 40mph wind and it was cold. The tide was going out and I repeated, "Just one mile." I didn't need …