Today marked the return of the prodigal daughter. To celebrate, we went to my physical therapy appointment. On the way home we got a noble fir. For our midnight tree decorating session, Tennessee Ernie Ford was Lulu’s music bed of choice. Then I put on one of my favorite Christmas ditties: St. Stephen’s Day Murders by Elvis Costello and Paddy Moloney. With his gin-flavored whiskers and kisses of sherry, His best Chrimbo shirt slung out […]
Read moreMonth: December 2007
Sweet Sorrow?
I don’t think parting is so bloody sweet. As my airport shuttle pulled away on this cold, bright day, I waved at my small, door-framed mother until she was only a teeny pinepoint, as my father once said. My driver was a compact pistol of a woman about my age, with hair dyed as black as an old bluegrass star’s. By the time we pulled up to the airport, we were talking about IUDs. For […]
Read moreRestless Night Syndrome
I had a hard time sleeping at Katie’s house last night because of a nauseating smell. At first I thought it was coming from the couch that was my bed — something dead underneath, or a pet’s digestive product. That thought, and a growing headache as the stench got ever stronger, prompted me to get up for an investigative prowl at around 3:30 a.m. The closer I got to the supine Katie, the more powerful […]
Read moreSleeping Beauty
Here I am in Pennsylvania at Katie’s Revolutionary War-era farmhouse, outside of which it is a dark and stormy night, the classic East Coast winter weather that I miss since I don’t have to put up with it every day. Let me show you around. This is the Guinea Pig of Doom, whose vindictive squeaking drove Kate to break her leg. Here’s Sam. And here are two of the four much-beloved resident youth. Some wheelchair […]
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