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Barefoot Barbie

'I went to Walmart to check out the selection, which wasn't the greatest. What does a grandma know about buying a Barbie doll? I selected a pretty-faced, blond called Beach Party Barbie and a package of assorted Barbie clothes. So far I had a Barbie investment of under $25.

Lately my granddaughter has been coming to visit. While I keep a supply of all occasion toys, I found that I had a gross deficiency in toys geared toward little girls. I needed to add a few girly-girl toys directed toward her more feminine interests.

An Awesome Conference

I have recently returned from a trip to Indiana University for the annual conference of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. The three days there were such a swirl of experiences that I feel a bit like the monitor of my computer, which was green when I sat down to write. The computer monitor was easy to fix once I found the right button, but my own button is a bit harder to reset.

In most college towns there is a wide diversity of intellectual experiences and Indiana University is certainly typical in that respect. We crammed a whole lot of activity into a very short time.

My Dog Ate Saran Wrap

alert,border collies,dogs,fotolia,happy,loyal companions,panting,portraits,poses,sitting Gizmo is really a good dog most of the time. He's a 15 years old Sheltie who long ago outlived most of the other dogs of his breed. He spends most of his days napping and dreaming. His arthritis prevents much running and playing, and we don't think he hears or sees too well either.

Here lately, he really has us worried as he won't eat. He just doesn't seem to like his dog food any more. People food is another story. He is the world's biggest moocher when anyone is trying to eat. But the vet said "no people food" as it isn't good for him.

The Uncouth Tooth

Veer Images,clinics,dentists,face masks,patients,glasses,open mouths,dental mirrors,teeth,examining,steady hands I don't know what it is with me and tooth problems lately. I've made about six trips to the dentist office in the last few weeks. I spend more time there than the dentist does. Pretty soon I am going to ask for a designated parking space.

It all started when I had my teeth cleaned. I always have my six month checkup so I won't have any dental emergencies. Apparently, you can still have emergencies, regular checkups or not. Life is not fair.

Stormy Weather

clouds,nature,Photographs,skies,weather It started off as usual, the morning routine, the commute to work, the office tasks, with the only thing unusual being a trip to the employee clinic where I get allergy shots. Nothing exciting around here; that's for sure.

I left the building to walk across the street to the clinic. As I stood waiting for the light to change, I noticed a black cloud in the far distance.

"Looks as if we might get some rain," commented an elderly gentleman also waiting for the light.

"I was thinking the same thing." I agreed.

We're so glad you came!

cameras,children,cobblestones,couples,digital cameras,families,females,kids,legs,males,maps,men,persons,Photographs,photography,strollers,taking pictures,tourists,vacations,video cameras,women They're here! They're here! The tourists are here. Yes, it is tourist season in Nashville and the city is crawling with Country Music fans. We welcomed them in true Nashville fashion -- two thunderstorms in one day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Already worried about Nashville being under water, they were wishing they had packed their life jackets and water wings.

Not to worry, the storms went away and the hot weather set in, the hot humid summer weather, that is. Tourists out in the sun for daytime concerts were sizzling in the sun and being treated for heat exhaustion. Still, they are happy to be here and Nashville is glad to see them.

A Cool Grandma

I am cool, ya'll. Yes, I may be a grandma, and I may have bad knees, but I am still cool, especially when I drive my Corvette. When you drive a sports car, everybody notices you, and everybody thinks you are cool. Why else would you drive a Corvette?

Youngsters try to challenge you and want to pass or speed past a Corvette. I just keep my cool. If they think they can really take a car that can go 140 mph, let 'em dream. I'm so cool that I don't even care.

The Earth Shoes

apparel,flip-flops,Photographs,sandals,shoes,shower shoes Summer is here, time for sandals, but my favorite black pair has fallen apart. What can I do? Maybe I can look on the Internet and find a pair just like them. So, I search and search and follow dead links to dead websites until I finally realize that last year's sandals have gone out of style.

So, I decided to find a different pair, something similar -- but different. What else could I do? I checked out online shoe stores and found several pairs that I liked.

The Dental Emergency

expressions,faces,females,gestures,illnesses,pains,persons,Photographs,sicknesses,toothaches,women "Ouch," I screamed. I had just fixed myself a nice bowl of breakfast cereal, but when I bit down on it, a bolt of lightning shot through my mouth. It can't be my tooth, I thought, I was just at the dentist for a checkup this week. It's probably a sore place on my gum from the cleaning.

By the next day, it was clear something was going on. Every time I tried to chew, blue thunder crashed and bolts of electricity shot out my ears. It couldn't be that bad, I consoled myself, or they would have found it when I had the checkup. I'll call the dentist from the office Monday.