Deep in a plastic bin marked “B’s Crafts,” under scraps of linen and cotton, nestled against a felt needle book, is a small jar of buttons I purchased at a flea market in Perth many years ago. “They’re all from baby clothes,” the woman with the wrinkled face and purple scarf had said. She was […]
Nonfiction
Mother-In-Place
I still shop at my local grocery store, even though there are more rotisserie chickens than avocados, and small stickers on every mediocre apple. Ever since my store was purchased by a larger chain, it has felt more Disney than Indie, but I’ve known the butcher for twenty years, and one of the baggers for […]
Instructions: How To Collect Urine From A Dog
You have just been told to collect urine from your elderly foster dog. Do not panic. You can do it! With these few helpful hints, you will be gathering pee like a pro. First, ask your children to do it. Remind them of the 3,000 school lunches you have made (you have done the math). […]
Half
I was barefoot running across a cricket field. A woman in a red headband grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward a pen filled with cute black puppies. “Half Saint Bernard, half Man,” she explained. She said it was a new breed and tried to sell me on the perks. Much smarter than a regular dog. Still snuggly, […]
The Shark Net
My husband of 17 years had an announcement. “Astronomers are saying that one of the stars in Orion is fading and will explode sometime soon.” We were looking up at the sky after a delicious dinner in Western Australia. Our home for several years, we are currently back for a short visit and trying to […]