Mardi Gras morning, 1978. 

Not for us, this year, the early morning Ramos Fizzes, the Rex parade, the brunch at Commander's. This year our only concerns are clearing the city before the crowds congregate, before main arteries are barricaded, before we can contemplate the the folly… Read full post »

When she went off in search of her suddenly unreachable fiance, she did not know what she would find. 

For several days their communication had consisted of his brief and occasional text messages or his even briefer, less frequent e-mails. To anyone paying close atte… Read full post »

It was May 22, 1971, and if only I had been taller, I would have run away with the band. 

If I had been one of those long-legged hippie chicks that were so in vogue, I would have ditched the boy that brung me and waited at the… Read full post »

I had no idea that she would haunt me so.  

Maybe it is because she died so young---less than 45 days into her thirty-seventh year. It was the Ides of March, 1991, and by then, I had not seen her in nearly 15 years. The ravaging changes… Read full post »

Several years ago, I bought my best friend and fellow shopaholic a coffee mug for Christmas. It read: Things could be worse. We could be swimsuit shopping. (Note: That same year I bought my husband a mug that read: Dear Santa, I can explain. In truth, he couldn’t, but/… Read full post »

To the woman walking her poodle on Agoura road this morning:

I want you to know that by the time I noticed you approaching---and by the way, you are kidding yourself if you think that pace qualifies as “exercise”---I had already been trying to corral the… Read full post »

***

She was a stereotype, the old Italian grandmother, her hose rolled down to her ankles, her silver hair rolled into a tight bun. She spoke in broken English, forming her words around ill-fitting false teeth which she removed and placed in a cup at her bedside each… Read full post »

I’m not your New Age type, but I must admit to believing that things happen for a reason. 

For instance, about ten days ago I discovered that my boxing gloves are missing. These gloves are BIG and RED and usually live in the trunk of my car. I… Read full post »

I have a confession: I’m one lucky girl. 

Okay, maybe that’s not a confession. Maybe it’s more an admission.

Here’s another admission: I hate the beach. 

How ridiculous is that? I am lucky enough to have houses on both coasts, and… Read full post »

I do not have much time to post this morning, but I offer this up for thought throughout your weekend.

As I read the NY Times this morning, I came across an excerpt from a recent Salon column by Joan Walsh reprinted in the Times “Weekend Opinionator” section. In… Read full post »

Eunice Shriver is the reason I’m here. 

I don’t mean “here” as in alive; I mean here as in on Nantucket.

Of course, that does not seem far-fetched to me. Kennedys---especially Kennedy women---have been influencing my life for almost as long as I can… Read full post »

Let’s be clear, I am neither a cat person nor a dog person. 

I’m ambidextrous when it comes to animals, able to pet, cuddle, or scratch behind the ears of both cats and dogs with equal affection. 

Truth is, I tend to be leery of individuals who… Read full post »

Summer, 2004

You come and go.

You seek the occasional dalliance

with island life.

I am always alone.

Christmas, 2004

It being a very small island, 

I noticed the strangers

almost from the start, 

first, the one in your stead, 

then, the… Read full post »

Today, I had lunch with an amazing young woman. 

For the sake of her privacy, I will refer to her as A—.

A— impressed me beyond measure with her charisma, intelligence, and thoughtful responses to my probing questions. She captivated me with… Read full post »

Lately, I’ve been spending an extraordinary amount of time contemplating my mortality---or to be more specific, I’ve been thinking about “days left.” 

Not so much what I would do with them, assuming that I knew the actual number I had left---because, truth… Read full post »

I have a thing about recipes. I read them, but I never follow them. I prefer to assimilate them. 

I am a intuitive cook. I rarely measure ingredients. I’m all about pinches and handfuls and generous shakes. 

I don’t often follow the culinary rules. If… Read full post »

This is a post that I wrote during the elections. It didn’t get a lot of attention then and it may appear to be somewhat dated now, but the point I was making---well, sadly, it was a worthwhile point to make.

Today I listened to Joan Walsh speak… Read full post »