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.
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.
Sheltering at Home Day 9: I’m Going for the Small — Really Small — Pleasures.
There are small pleasures to be had while sheltering in place. OK, they’re really, really small. But I’m making the most of them. Read more.
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures: I Just Used Glue on a Postage Stamp — Sheltering Day 8
I’m breaking rules all over the place today, like using forbidden glue to attach stamps to an envelope. Desperate times, desperate measures. Read more.
Dining in a Construction Zone — Sheltering at Home Day 7
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
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
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
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.