Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Category: Marriage, Family, Dogs, and Cat
Unbreak Your Heart
I was estranged from my parents for a very long time. It began with a single comment made by my mother in a testy phone conversation about my sister. “You think you’re so smart.” So, I understand estrangement and how little it takes to… Continue Reading “Unbreak Your Heart”
Old Beautiful Debts
I was fired once and evicted once. I was fired by a billboard company that took payments in cash from customers. This alone should have signaled something very strange. I made the mistake of joking about counting all the cash and that was that.… Continue Reading “Old Beautiful Debts”
Sisterhood
I’m not sure I would recognize my sister if she walked into this room and sat on my lap. It’s been that long. Twenty-two years. The last time I saw her was when my mother died. She came across country for the funeral, arriving… Continue Reading “Sisterhood”
Saturday before Monday
There is an extraordinarily beautiful pistachio chocolate torte in a box in our kitchen. The torte was lovingly constructed by a colleague of my husband’s, well, mine, too, who casually announced her hobby was baking French pastries in a group meeting where the convener… Continue Reading “Saturday before Monday”
Duct Tape, Flat Tires, and Other Things
I know my way around a roll of duct tape. I also know the names of most tools and can mount a good argument about whether the screw we are working on outside needs a Phillips-head or an Allen wrench. (Who were Phillip and… Continue Reading “Duct Tape, Flat Tires, and Other Things”
Ageless Timeless
Don’t you wish sometimes you could have a Field of Dreams kind of experience and meet your parents before they were your parents? Encounter them somewhere ordinary like the line at the grocery store or getting gas at the corner station? Just chat with… Continue Reading “Ageless Timeless”
Fly Like an Eagle
Friends can really queer your deal. You think you’re all competent and able and a friend comes along and starts feeling sorry for you for whatever reason, obvious or not, and you become a six-year old looking for a big hand to hold crossing… Continue Reading “Fly Like an Eagle”
The Person Formerly Known as Short Pants
My uncle’s name was J. No, it wasn’t Jay. It was J. This was a guy who was born in 1911 so it wasn’t like his parents were into some symbol for the person formerly known as Prince thing. Why would anyone name their… Continue Reading “The Person Formerly Known as Short Pants”
Tempest WAITS!
My right arm is a collection of bruises, mostly gained in the process of unloading Tempest from the truck. You see, she is compelled to leap, dash, climb over and under other dogs and things to get out the door first. This meant that,… Continue Reading “Tempest WAITS!”
Tempest Update
Tempest, our retired sled dog from Alaska, has been here in Wisconsin for a week. Here is what I see in her. She is a country dog. She is new to houses, stairs, streets with cars, bicycles, and places where there are dogs who… Continue Reading “Tempest Update”
Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
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