Tag Archives: Dad
Handy Hugh
by cheri block Today is my late father’s birthday. He died young, by today’s standards. He was a dentist whose hands gently repaired aching teeth. His hands, holding a reel, also waited patiently for that trout-nibble in the river. They … Continue reading
Ten Dollars on Number 2 to Win in the 7th Race
by cheri block My Great-Uncle Mike was a bookie in Oakland in the early part of the last century. As the story goes, his sister Fanny, my paternal grandmother, asked him to place a bet at Golden Gate Fields only … Continue reading
Irreverence at Tahoe
by cheri block My father was a people person. And he could be very funny when he wasn’t tense. He was an active man. And, at the end of his life, quite brave, considering the circumstances. I will remember him … Continue reading
White Sands, New Mexico
by cheri block White Sands New Mexico (between Las Cruces and Alamogordo) Temperature (perfect for the high desert) 80 degrees Sentimentality (barometric pressure 100 degrees) Judge Blah and I are spending time in the high desert of beautiful southern New … Continue reading
Bluey, Bluey (48 years later)
by cheri block You will forgive me today, won’t you? Instead of telling stories about literature, education, human foibles and courage, I am throwing confetti (from my shredder) above my head and letting it sprinkle to the floor in a … Continue reading
The Glorious Central Coast
by cheri block I blame my father Hugh for my inability to nap. Keep your eyes open or you might miss something! I am on a short two-day spring break from school, so why not take a drive with the … Continue reading
Another cup of Joe
by cheri block sabraw Joe and I met at our usual time and location (11:30am at the Elephant Bar) last week to catch up on our summers. Approaching 80 years of vigorous living, Joe’s knee and hip need some oil. … Continue reading
The Only Place Success Comes before Work is in the Dictionary
My first vivid childhood memories took place in what the famous American poet T.S. Eliot would have called, The Wasteland. That barren tundra, teeming with lizards, snakes, and scorpions, is New Mexico, more specifically, White Sands Proving Ground in Las … Continue reading
Sunlight in New York City
In certain situations, I can be as spontaneous as an actuary. Date: July 4, 1988. Scene: The steps of the Capital Building, Washington D.C. So you may understand my reaction when two strangers, attractive young women in their thirties, picnicking … Continue reading
The Lone Dark Hiker
Losing a parent is a profound experience. My father exhaled his last labored breath, early one crispy morning years ago, and after I had adjusted his left eyebrow into a more relaxed expression, I padded into the rooms where my … Continue reading
