(Off usual topic in response to Cat's recent challenge) 

I don't remember on which of the eight days of Hanukkah I got my Raggedy Ann.  I only remember that she was instantly my favorite gift ever.  She was more lovable than Barbie, the perfect combination of stuffed animal a… Read full post »

That’s what someone says whenever they learn about the death of a friend, a relative, a colleague.  We all know how it feels when that happens.  What I didn’t know – until yesterday – and didn’t expect, is that it feels just as bad when it’s the death of/… Read full post »

Yesterday I found myself in the company of Stan, a middle-aged man who lives in a beautiful house in a lovely neighborhood with a healthy family.  He seemed like a decent enough fellow with one exception.  He never smiled.  On the face of it at least, this guy had plenty to/… Read full post »

It’s always interesting to me the sensory environment people choose for themselves – the art they hang, the smell of potpourri, the warmth of carpet versus the coolness of tile – they are all very subjective choices dictated by personal preference and taste. 

Most fascin… Read full post »

When every single home I visited in the past week had a rescue dog, I knew I had to write about it.  It’s not that families with rescues are so unusual, it’s just that this was so condensed, the universe seemed to be making a point and I had to figure/… Read full post »

            Yesterday, when I got my marching orders for the next day’s job, I was shocked to see where I was being sent.  I immediately called my boss, Joe.

“You’re sending me back to Herbert’s house?  I c/… Read full post »

We are confronted daily with decisions little and big.  It’s a good thing to consider the potential outcome of our choices, especially when it’s regarding something we’ll live with for the long term.   But where does being thoughtful cross the line into being obsessiv/… Read full post »

I spent an afternoon with Jerry the other day.  He was an African-American senior citizen who had done well for himself and his family and was proud of it.  He was a sweetheart, a down-to-earth, no b.s. kind of guy.

As we finished up, the discussion turned political, a subjec… Read full post »

I had a terrific client yesterday.  Cynthia was personable and intelligent.  She'd been having work done in her home for a few weeks, which understandably creates chaos.   So when I needed to take a measurement in a corner, I wasn't surprised to find blocking my way a 6 foot high&… Read full post »

When contemplating what I'd like my first story to be, I'm beginning to realize it's going to be a challenge to write stories without it becoming a whine-fest. 

 Of course, I work with many clients who are lovely and pleasant and reasonable and fun.  But they also do not make… Read full post »

I'm lucky in that every day my job takes me into a different home where I meet new people.   The job itself is irrelevant.

 What is relevant is that in over five years I've seen the insides of everything from decrepit shacks to 11,000 square foot mansions.  I've worked w… Read full post »