Nervous Times

The economy is a mess. I realize this is not news to you but it's scary. All of us are feeling the pinch in different ways.

The election is less than a month away. I try to be an independent thinker and study the candidates and the issues that I care about. I'm still nervous about both teams.

The husband is having surgery tomorrow. I am not worried about the actual surgery; I'm worried that he will be trapped with me for at least three days. We are used to coffee and crosswords in the morning and evenings together. Even when we go on vacation, he plays golf and I go to the beach.

Some years are better than others. We lost the Belle in January and the Captain in March.

I don't need to get on a treadmill; I'm pacing enough to get my workout done.

Nervous Tics

The apple may fall a few generations from the tree but it's always there.

Wild Bill had this annoying tic of clamping his tongue between his teeth. I try to keep it private but yes, I do it. It helps me concentrate. Once I divulged this info to my parents, my father walked around doing an amazing imitation.

One of my friends splays her hand in front of her stomach or on her rear -- as if the world can't see what's behind the five fingers. It helps her feel covered. It's a tic.

Someone in this family turns every question back to the questioner. A tic perhaps?