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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

DON'T MISS!

I've written hundreds and hundreds of posts over the years. To help you find your way to the best of the best, I've tagged my favorites "Don't Miss!" Scroll down here to find them.

Another way to locate Riffs on Life that you might enjoy is to click above on your favorite category – "My Ever-Changing Family," perhaps, or "Funny Button." You can also use the search box located way up top to hunt for stories by topic. There's fun reading at "garden," "aging," "kids" and, of course, "Jon."

Would My Husband Like to Take My Name?

May 1, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

add my name to his? jon-and-barbara-newhall-get-married

My fiance had no middle name. When we married, I asked, would he like to take my name to fill the empty spot in the middle of his? Read more.

A Hopeful Realist Is Keeping Me Company These Days

April 24, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

hopeful realist contemplates the pinwheel-galaxy-NASA

I like to think of Geoff Machin as a hard-headed realist. A hard-headed — hopeful — realist is just the right company for me these days. Read more.

My Husband Is Gone. But the Tree Trimmers Showed Up as Promised.

April 17, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

tree-trimmer-in-tree

My husband is gone. Does that mean I have to cancel the household projects we planned and dreamed of doing? Read more.

My Husband Died, and Denial and Distraction Are My Go-To States for Now

April 10, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

my-husband-died-so-I-hiked -at-chimney-rock

My husband of 44 years died seven weeks ago. So far, I’ve used denial and distraction to keep my mind off the silence.  Read more.

Widowed: Lucky Me, I Told Jon Newhall I Loved Him

March 13, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

Jon Newhall makes dinner at the Newhall house. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Lucky me. I told my husband I loved him while he was still alive. Read more.

Our Living Room Makeover: We Made Do With Our Old Stuff. Sheltering at Home Week 49

February 20, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

living-room-makeover  arranging-furniture-with-a-view

Because of the pandemic, we did our living room makeover with furniture and art work that’s been in our house for decades.  Read more.

I’ve Got Covid Arm. Good News? Sheltering at Home Week 48

February 9, 2021 By Barbara Falconer Newhall

covid-arm

Apparently, Covid arm is a thing. Lots of people who got the Moderna vaccine now have a big welt on their arm. We are a trendy group.  Read more.

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LET’S CONNECT

ON THE FUNNY SIDE

Small Boys: Reading, Writing — And Yucky

A 7-year-old boy makes a yucky  face by stretching his mouth wide. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Let’s face it. Kids, some kids, naturally love raunchy jokes and faces. There’s one living at my house who loves everything yucky. Read more.

MORE "ON THE FUNNY SIDE"

CATEGORIES

  • A Case of the Human Condition
  • My Ever-Changing Family
  • On Writing & Reading
  • My Rocky Spiritual Journey

 
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!

man's-puffy-jacket

What to Do With My Late Husband’s Winter Coat?

jon Newhall works the Sunday NYT crossword puzzle in the SF Chronicle. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Retired Is a State of Mind — Six Ways to Know If You’re There Yet

A stack of books on getting published in the library of author Barbara Falconer Newhall. Photo by Barbara Newhall

Brooke Warner: Getting Published Is Easier Than Ever. Getting Discovered, Not So Much

I Let the Maytag Man Into the House. And I Here’s What I Learned About Human Nature. Sheltering at Home Week 7

MORE DON'T MISS!

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