All foster parents are required to take a class through the county or their sponsoring agency.  It covered a wide range of topics from an overview of the fost-adopt process and parenting techniques to typical scenarios that children “in the system” have gone through.  The class was a very positive thing that relieved many of our […]

I recently watched Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.  I didn’t learn anything new since I had already studied this stuff in college.  15 years later, it is totally mainstream.  Although I believed it all along, the fact that it has become more widely accepted has still made it feel bigger to me, more impending, […]

I am not exactly anti-car these days. I was REALLY REALLY anti-car for years.  Then, in 2005 I got a dog. In 2006 I got another.  With one dog, it was reasonable to keep her exercised by walking around town and to get her to the vet by foot.  With two, it was not so doable.  Also […]

I certainly don’t want to underrate the power of the banners hung on the Golden Gate Bridge or the sheer numbers of people that showed up for the torch protests. In a time that Americans are being given questioning glances by the world because of our bifurcated voting, the results of our last election […]

Our friend A- just had a birthday. Actually, I had only met A- once and he was at the opposite end of the table, so we hardly talked. But, there was an immediate connection and when I got invited to his suprised party, I was excited to make his cake. It turned out […]

I feel kind of pathetic for really wanting a “social networking” site to work for me. I feel old, like it is just not meant for someone of my generation.  I think it started when I began working alone.  I just have a big need for social connection that has been at least partially filled […]

“I’m not speaking to Pamela,” said Beezus.
“Why not?” Ramona often yelled at people, but never refused to speak. Nothing could happen if you didn’t speak, and she liked things to happen.
-from Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary