I miss my acquaintances. I miss the shopkeepers, the women in my Zumba class, the friends of friends, all the people who know me, but don’t know my name. Read more.
A Case of the Human Condition
I’m Barbara Falconer Newhall and I’ve got an incurable Case of the Human Condition. And since you do too, I’m counting on you to laugh and cry along with me as I riff on life as we know it . . . Below you'll read about my creaky, old fifties house, my forays into home gardening, my shopping stories, my spectacularly low-fashion wardrobe -- and more.
Death, Taxes, the Constitution. The IRS Has Granted a Reprieve. Will the Grim Reaper? Sheltering in Place Week 5
Death, taxes, the constitution. One has been postponed to July. Death is closer than ever. But what about the permanence of Ben Franklin’s constitution? Read more.
Now’s Your Chance to Let Your Roots Grow Out. I Did It. Here’s Why — Sheltering at Home Week 4
Let your roots grow out? Not an easy decision. But I was home sick with mono, too sick to go to the hairdresser. Now I love my glamorous new look. Read more.
The Coronavirus Cruise Ship Has Disappeared From Our View. Why Does That Make Me Sad? — Sheltering in Place Week 4
The Grand Princess was white and stately, a pretty sight, yes. But there was something else about the coronavirus cruise ship that kept us checking on it every day. Read more.
Twenty Seconds: What’s Good for the Hands Is Good for the Potatoes. Right? Sheltering at Home Week 3
COVID-19 is out there. It could get me, which is why I’m doing a lot of weird stuff lately. Like soaping down the potatoes. For twenty seconds, of course. Read more.
Will Donald Trump Be the Death of Me? Pardon My Rant as I Shelter in Place — and Wind Up Praying for the President. Day 11
Dying is bad enough. It’s another thing to contemplate dying because Donald Trump is in the White House. Read more.
Day 10 Sheltering at Home — No Furnace, No Heat
No furnace, no heat. Last month as COVID-19 bore down on California, our 70-year-old sewer line gave out. Today, our 31-year-old furnace followed suit. Read more.