Growing Old, Gracefully.

Two decades ago, I had a “kind-of friend” named Pat. He had a habit of pointing out my shortcomings. This is the closest I can recall the last time Pat brought his A (acerbic) game to our conversation. Pat: “You are the least macho guy I know.” Me: “How …

Someone stole my wallet, with all my valuable stuff in it. I’m using all my sleuthing abilities to figure it out. The thief must have entered our house late at night through an open window. He or she went right for my wallet, not touching any other valuables that …

It was Saturday. Things in my mind were messy. One of my dogs (I don’t know which one) pooped in the garage. I wanted to scold all four of them. It doesn’t work. When I sound tough, they just wag their tails. But the dogs weren’t really it at all. I had been “cleverly” …

Clyde is driving me nuts. He’s a fat black spider hanging out in my favorite recliner chair. And he’s smart and devious. Snakes and mice and bats and bees hang out on our property. I’m okay with them. We have developed an informal truce over the years. They mind their …

Jack Newsom, our alpha dog, always acts like he has important places to go. He prances right by me, ears up and forward, eyes focused, as he heads confidently across the creek and up the hill. He seems to say, “Don’t bother me now, Don. I have important work to …