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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
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  • FUNNY BUTTON

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.

Dining in a Construction Zone — Sheltering at Home Day 7

March 24, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall Leave a Comment

dining-in-a-construction-zone

We’re dining in a construction zone. Social distancing has brought our home remodel to a halt, so we’re moving into our half-finished dining room anyway. Read more.

Oh-Oh. Is Cabin Fever Setting In? — Sheltering at Home Day 6

March 23, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 4 Comments

cabin-fever-at-home

Is cabin fever setting in at our house? Staying home and out of breathing distance of COVID-19 is driving me and mine into cranky arguments. Read more.

We Are Pushing 80 — Do We Stay Out of Supermarkets? Sheltering at Home Day 5

March 22, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 3 Comments

farmers-maret

At age 79, should my husband stay out of supermarkets during the COVID-19 pandemic? He’s used to making daily trips for groceries. Read more.

The Quarantined Grand Princess Pays Us a Visit — Sheltering at Home Day 4

March 21, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 1 Comment

Grand-Princesss-quarantined

From our house we can see the Grand Princess, anchored in the bay, its quarantined crew waiting to succumb or not succumb to the COVID-19 virus. Read more. 

Buzz Saw Bliss — Sheltering at Home Day 3

March 20, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 5 Comments

Buzz saw bliss -- a lumberjack-in-tree

It was loud. It was awful. It was the sound of a buzz saw echoing across the canyon. At last, that bushy old Monterey pine would be gone from our view. Read more.

Sheltering at Home Day 2: Oh, No! Our Porta-Potty Is Gone

March 19, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 6 Comments

porta-potty-taken-awayTerrible news. They’ve hauled away our porta-potty. Which means that work has ground to a halt on our half-finished house remodel. Read more.

Day One: Self-Isolation — For Us It’s Already Been Two Weeks of Sheltering at Home

March 18, 2020 By Barbara Falconer Newhall 3 Comments

zumba dancers -- before the corona virus pandemic

Jon and I have been sheltering at home — no Zumba classes for me — for two weeks now. And I have to tell you, it’s no fun. Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Tint My Eyebrows? It’s an Existential Question

fading-eyebrows-aging

It’s an existential question I’ve been asking myself lately: do I go gentle into that good night — or do I tint my eyebrows?  Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

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  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
  • On Writing & Reading
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Need some levity? Push my Funny Button!

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!

The slender stalks of a dracena marginata growing too talk for their living room setting. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Help! My Dracena Marginata Has Hit the Ceiling — What Can I Do?

Donald Trump studies Barack Obama in a TV shot. The conversation was gracious. I'm following suit. I'm going to stop bad-mouthing Donald Trump. Photo by Barbara Newhall

I Decided to Stop Bad-Mouthing Donald Trump. But Will I?

man-cooking-in-den

Our Remodel Has Kept Us Company — We’ll Miss the Carpenters, the Electricians and the Pile Drivers. Sheltering at Home Week 11

richard rodriguez signs copies of his book "Darling" at Sagrada Sacred Arts, Oakland, CA. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Where Author Richard Rodriguez Sees the Face of God

MORE DON'T MISS!

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