After weeks of cold weather, my writer’s group was able to meet again on Thursday. Until last year we met twice a week in coffee shops. Of course, when the covid-19 pandemic struck, we had to stop gathering in indoor venues. After a few months of not meeting at all, we started up again lastContinue reading “Friendly Fire”
Category Archives: House
Pepino Returns
After dealing with several mice in the house, we were finally convinced that we had succeeded in getting rid of them. We hadn’t seen or heard a mouse in weeks. And then, on Saturday night, I walked into the kitchen to see Pepino scurrying across the floor to disappear under the refrigerator. Damn. Bob saidContinue reading “Pepino Returns”
Take a Book, Leave an Argument
About a week ago I wrote of the surprising level of contentiousness on an online forum for people who love their old houses. That’s not the only group I belong to that seems innocuous but is sometimes the site of bitter arguments. The other group that gets weirdly argumentative is a discussion site for LittleContinue reading “Take a Book, Leave an Argument”
Bored of the Flies
A couple days ago, we saw a fly in the family room. It’s February, and cold out, so that seemed odd, but my husband zapped it. Problem solved, right? That very night, we saw another one. Since then, we’ve had to kill several flies in the house, but we have no idea where they’re comingContinue reading “Bored of the Flies”
Old House Drama
Have you ever been surprised by the contentiousness of online discussions among groups that seem like they should be friendly and innocuous? I’m on a online discussion for people who live in and love old houses. The site is usually filled with posts from members sharing photos of their lovely old homes or asking forContinue reading “Old House Drama”
A Bump on the Head
I was going to blog today about Laura Ingalls Wilder, who was born on this day in 1867 and is one of my favorite writers ever. But an hour ago, I had an accident. My husband and I were putting some boxes away in the attic. OK, I admit that we were finally putting awayContinue reading “A Bump on the Head”
Mouse Tales
The mouse is still at large. We have been trying to catch it for nearly two weeks, but it ignores the nice fragrant peanut butter in our traps, and continues to hide out on the main floor of the house, moving among the kitchen, living room, and family room, as well as my son’s bedroom,Continue reading “Mouse Tales”
Fixing a Hole
I posted recently about the mouse that we’ve spotted several times in the house in the past few days. We have baited three traps with peanut butter and set them around the house, but so far the mouse is showing no interest in them. One theory is that Pepino and its occasional predecessors are gettingContinue reading “Fixing a Hole”
A Visit From Pepino
It was 4 a.m. New Year’s morning. I’d gotten to bed about 3, and was just about to drift off to sleep. My husband, who’d sacked out shortly after midnight, was fast asleep beside me. Suddenly I heard a voice outside our door. “Is anyone awake in there?” It was our 18-year-old He’s not proneContinue reading “A Visit From Pepino”
It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas
The gas company has several trucks in the street in front of my house and the neighbors’ houses. They say there was a report of a gas smell, though I couldn’t smell anything. This is the second time in the past month. So these poor guys are out there at night in the cold, jackhammeringContinue reading “It’s a Gas, Gas, Gas”
