stories

People, places, and and the uncommonplace telling stories as they travel with Morganica (Cynthia Morgan) in mind and memory; neighbors, friends, and findings

16 11, 2018

Shrooming: Take a walk on the wild side

2018-11-17T10:25:16-08:00

"Knock knock!" called the Resident Carpenter through my bedroom door, far too early on a Saturday morning, "Wanna go pick chanterelles?" Uhm...in the wilderness? Where there are bears that rip off your limbs and eat you and angry mooses that run you through with their antlers and army ants that swarm over you until you are a mass [...]

Shrooming: Take a walk on the wild side2018-11-17T10:25:16-08:00
13 11, 2018

Gender bent

2020-11-24T08:56:39-08:00

  The Resident Carpenter tried to break it to me gently. "William has a, well, er, uhm...a vagina," he said. "Beg pardon?" "William," he tried again, "Is a girl squirrel. Not a boy." I gave him The Look. "Clearly, that is impossible." "You and I both massaged his little...appendage to help him go to the bathroom when he was a [...]

Gender bent2020-11-24T08:56:39-08:00
10 11, 2018

William from the pantry perspective

2020-11-24T09:01:10-08:00

Please, sir: May I have another nut?!! A squirrel is a rat with (much) better PR. There. I've said it. Doesn't mean I don't adore William the Conqueror-Squirrel, or that I love rats (although I've kept much-loved pet rats and hamsters). Or that I haven't cussed at the occasional dammit-get-OUT-of-my-attic squirrel. If you'd like to read other stories about [...]

William from the pantry perspective2020-11-24T09:01:10-08:00
17 10, 2018

William the Conqueror-squirrel comes a-fostering

2020-11-24T09:02:19-08:00

William the Conqueror-squirrel is now part of a household already enriched by Lola, Nikki, The Resident Carpenter, about a million saltwater denizens of the deep, assorted garden vegetables, and a number of wild critters living (only, I hope) in the backyard. This is the story of a squirrel orphan being rehabbed to the wilderness.

William the Conqueror-squirrel comes a-fostering2020-11-24T09:02:19-08:00
3 07, 2018

Driving out niggling nags

2018-07-03T14:27:10-07:00

Snuck out of the house early Sunday morning, hobbling downstairs to the garage and deserting the Resident Carpenter, snoring peacefully at the other end of the hall. I slipped into Chiquitita the Porsche, dropped her top, and just ... drove, the niggling nags jacketing me like a cement overcoat: The backyard slugs and moles and coyotes and birds and squirrels [...]

Driving out niggling nags2018-07-03T14:27:10-07:00
7 05, 2018

End goals and impossible things

2025-04-06T00:37:16-07:00

We saved Elmo. Now to do some impossible things. (such as say "thank you") Alice laughed. “There’s no use trying,” she said: “one can’t believe impossible things.” “I daresay you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things [...]

End goals and impossible things2025-04-06T00:37:16-07:00
30 04, 2018

Getting rid of granny(walker)

2025-04-06T00:28:42-07:00

"Excuse me," says the little girl, shyly, fingering the rails of my grannywalker, "Are you really old? My great-grandma has a cage like that too, and she's REALLY old." Don't kids--the ones who survive the next five minutes, anyway--say the darnedest things?  It's take-your-kid-to-work day, and my new mini-coworkers are endlessly fascinated with my mobility assist tools. Wherever I go [...]

Getting rid of granny(walker)2025-04-06T00:28:42-07:00
26 04, 2018

Jury booty

2025-04-06T00:26:09-07:00

A month ago, traversing this sandy path down to the river would have been unthinkable. Yet here I am. "SHE," said the guard, pointing to me, "is what we call S.T.U.B.B.O.R.N." "Absolutely," I grinned, and continued to climb the courthouse steps with my grannywalker. "Ma'am, we HAVE a wheelchair lift," the guard repeated, patiently, "Wouldn't you feel...safer...not climbing [...]

Jury booty2025-04-06T00:26:09-07:00
23 04, 2018

Beachwalking and the denizens of the deep

2025-04-06T00:16:41-07:00

My very first in-person tidepool since falling. It was glorious. Here's what they don't tell you about recovery from a catastrophic injury: It's only gradual from the 10,000-foot view. Up close, it's fits, starts, and frustration, punctuated by euphoria. Two and a half-steps forward, one step back. One step forward, three steps back. My body retreats to near-immobility [...]

Beachwalking and the denizens of the deep2025-04-06T00:16:41-07:00
18 04, 2018

Walking and the well-grounded non-gardener

2020-10-06T07:25:04-07:00

"Do you have a cane?" Brenda-the-PT asked, and I nodded, "Good. Bring it next time. I want you to graduate from your walker to a cane." Heady stuff. Me, not lugging around walkers and wheelchairs? Wow. "No long walks on a cane yet, only short trips," she warned, "And no carrying heavier stuff when you're on the cane, at least [...]

Walking and the well-grounded non-gardener2020-10-06T07:25:04-07:00
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