It was the late 1960s, and I was a single woman living on my own in New York City facing the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy. Read more.
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."
Unmarried and (Probably) Pregnant in Mid-Century America
Unmarried and pregnant in the 1960s — I was too ashamed to tell anyone then. But I’m telling the story now. Here’s why. Read more.
I Miss My Grown-Up Children — More Than I Can Say. Sheltering at Home Week 30
I last put my arms around Peter in January. He was here for his birthday, I haven’t seen him — or his sister — since. Read more.
He’s Not Bald After All. Thank You, Covid-19. Sheltering at Home Week 28
Thanks to the coronavirus, my husband hasn’t had a haircut in six months. It turns out he’s not bald after all. He’s got hair, lots of it. Read more.
A Book of Essays From Cartoonist Cathy Guisewite — Did She Write It or Did I? Sheltering at Home Week 26
Cathy Guisewite’s thoughts about life in “Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault” look a lot like the thoughts running around in my own brain. Read more.
It’s My Birthday and I’m Really Old. Dang! Sheltering at Home Week 26
Today’s my birthday, another year has blown past, and I can’t help noticing that I’m really old, and I’m going to die sooner than I’d like. Read more.
Watching People Working With Their Hands — Why Am I So Fascinated? Sheltering in Place Week 25
In Bologna they call them umarells, men hanging around building sites, watching people working with their hands. I’m an umarell. Here’s why. Read more.