August 1, 2020 Darling friend of my youth, We were just being girls together, talking on the phone about how our habits have changed during these coronavirus days. I told you I was no longer coloring my hair. Silence for a beat or two from your end. “Going grey?” you drawled out your…

August 16, 2020 Hello, over there at Bluehost. A heartfelt thank-you for the tech-support of today. It was perfection. I had received a totally confusing email about the expiration of my domain name. Confusing because I thought it was on automatic renewal. It was. Was. …

Quarantine Late-Night Visit With a Genius of a Gift Essential in Its Own Way April 12, 2020 Damien My darling Rum Baba, That you appeared in the dark of night yesterday was such a treat that I am almost unable to describe the joy. …

April 28, 2020 Dear O’Cedar people one and all, I see you have been in business since 1906, and I am ashamed to say how late I am in joining this party. Although I love house-cleaning in general, with an especially fond eye on doing dishes, bathroom fixtures (including sinks…

Dear Caltrans, I drive a lot. I am on your freeways, highways, boulevards, avenues, mountain roads, and every other California surface meant for driving. I am, in other words, as a driver, one of your devoted customers, if you can call us that. I am dependent, as is every driver…

Dear Horizon, I do not travel by air right now due to coronavirus fears, but I am still smiling about the flight I took with you years ago. Truth be told, I don’t like flying because it includes speed and height my two least favorite circumstances. But in this day…

March 30, 2020 Dear Mom, I just wrote a thank you letter to dad for the handwashing lessons of my youth that gave me a leg up on keeping safe during this plague that has hit planet earth. Yes, a plague. It is a daily doubling viral horror that has…

March 30, 2020 Dear Dad, I have a thank you note to you that is suddenly relevant. It is Spring of 2020 as I write this, and we are in the midst of a plague. Yes, an actual disease plague on earth. Hard to believe, safe as we have been…

July 18, 2020 Dear Mr. Bane and each and every Trader Joe’s employee, Today I went to my neighborhood Trader Joe’s after an absence of almost 4 months due to the coronavirus shelter-at-home. I have learned to do without much of what was once a normal part of life, but…