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Barbara Falconer Newhall

Veteran journalist Barbara Falconer Newhall riffs on life as she knows it.

  • A CASE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION
  • MY EVER-CHANGING FAMILY
  • WRITING & READING
  • MY ROCKY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY
  • WIDOWED
  • FUNNY BUTTON

Barbara Falconer Newhall

When the Rough-In Plumbing and Electrical Are Things of Beauty

March 22, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

When the Rough-In Plumbing and Electrical Are Things of Beauty copper-pipes-new-bath

The hidden secret behind the sheetrock in my bathroom — the rough-in plumbing and rough-in electrical are things of beauty.  Read more.

My Porta-Potty Has Finally Arrived! And Coming Soon — A Bath Remodel

March 15, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

My porta-potty has arrived. Coming soon, my bath remodel.

My Porta-potty has arrived. Finally. Coming soon, a brand-new bathroom with a huge stall shower, comfy bench and lots of grab bars.  Read more.

Five Years Ago This Month — Covid Shut Down Our World

March 8, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

five years ago this month covid

Five years ago this month covid shut down our world. There wasn’t much to do, so I wrote a lot of covid stories, some sad and some, I like to think, amusing.  Read more.

Widowed: He’s Gone. And Now So Is His Barbecue

March 1, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

widowed he's gone and now so is his barbecue-utensils

I’m widowed. He’s gone, and now so is his barbecue. They are just things, I tell myself. They aren’t Jon. And decluttering is a good thing. The kids like it when I get rid of stuff.  Read more.

My Mother’s Writing Desk Is Not My Writing Desk. Here’s Why

February 22, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

ink-stain-in-an-old-desk-drawer

Being in the same room with my mother’s writing desk is like being in the same room with my mother, which is why her desk isn’t in my writing room.  Read more.

Widowed: Did My Husband Know I Loved Him?

February 15, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Widowed: Did My Husband Know I Loved Him? Zodiac-News-Service-Nov-11-12-1972

We were not gushy, Jon and I, and that was fine with me. Widowed now, I’ve been wondering, was I too stingy with my affections? Did my husband know I loved him?  Read more.

The Human Need to Name Things — While Standing in a Patch of Weeds

February 8, 2025 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

The Human Need to Name Things

We can’t help ourselves. We like to name things. We have a human need to name things, including the colors of the weeds in a weed patch.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

My Big Brother Loves Me — The Cataract Chronicles Continued

In 1962, when Barbara Falconer Newhall returned from summer in Europe with souvenirs for family. Barbara Newhall photo

When my big brother saw me without glasses for the first time in a half century, his reaction took me by surprise. Read more.

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TO MY READERS

Please feel free to share links to my posts with one and all and to quote briefly from them in your own writing, remembering, of course, to attribute the quote to me and to provide a link back to this site.

My Oakland Tribune columns, btw, are reprinted by permission of the Trib. With the exception of review copies of books, I do not accept ads or freebies of any kind. Click on the "Contact" button if you have questions. Enjoy!

 

DON’T MISS!

A five year old boy lines up against a wall to be measured. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Kindergarten Looms for a 5-Year-Old and His Mom

Head and shoulders photo of James Dobson that appeared on the cov of the 1985 paperback edition of his book "The Strong-Willed Child."

James Dobson: Bully Your Pet, Hit Your Kid, Make Them Obey You–And God

jonathan-newhall-gravestone

Widowed: Shouldn’t I Be Over It by Now?

Barbara Falconer Newhall at work on a manuscript for "Wrestling with God." Photo by Barbara Newhall

Writers Need Editors – And Mine Wants My Manuscript Turned In, Now

MORE DON'T MISS!

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