Ventilador This, Sucker

Between tram tours at the air museum, I sneak into a mostly-empty storeroom behind one of the exhibit galleries. It’s quiet and out of the way, a perfect place for a break. I thought I was the only one who knew about it. For at least the last two years, these two boxes have been sitting against one […]

Get in the Kitchen and Make Me a Quilt

Donna’s sister Robin is here for a few days, and she’s helping Donna put my Hash House Harrier T-shirt quilt together. That’s Robin in the photo. All you can see of Donna is her hand. Donna has made a few of these for friends in the hash, meanwhile saving some of my old shirts for […]

Please Refrain from Wearing Blue Jeans

We’re going to the annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the air museum this week. Yesterday the organizer sent a list of last-minute instructions. One item stood out, and not in a good way: “This is a nice dinner, so please refrain from wearing blue jeans, shorts and such.” It was a crappy thing to say, and […]

Saturday and (Maybe) Nothing to Do

Our daughter Polly asked for my help moving her stuff from the ex-boyfriend’s house in Ajo, Arizona, to her new apartment in Tucson. Specifically, she needed me to hook the trailer to the truck and meet her at the ex’s at 1 PM today. I backed the trailer into the garage yesterday, pumped up the tires, […]

Home Alone

Fending for myself: Donna drove to Palm Springs to spend a few days with her sister and niece. Right after she left I heard one of the dogs howling. And she thinks they love me more than her! Since I had the TV to myself last night, I turned on Netflix to watch what must be the […]

Paul’s Book Reviews

“We are all part machine, Kaaro. Your phone is a polymer under the skin of your hand. You have a locator chip in your head.” —Tade Thompson, Rosewater Rosewater by Tade Thompson A Goodreads friend said this about “Rosewater”: “This book is one of those discoveries that not only is enjoyable for itself; it’s good […]

Tuesday Bag o’ Fraud

For the second time in two months, my debit card’s been compromised. Donna picked it up right away: four small charges from Angeles City in the Philippines. I always examine card readers on gas pumps and ATMs and am pretty sure I haven’t fallen victim to a skimmer. Well, who knows? This time I had to make […]

You Can’t Read That! Banned Book Review: The Confessions of Nat Turner

You Can’t Read That! is a periodic post featuring banned book reviews and news roundups. YCRT! News Many Americans these days are engaged in protest. Reading in public, especially the reading of banned or challenged books, can also be an act of protest. Related: Using Banned Books to Teach Resistance. Not banning by any means, but […]