She’ll Take L.A.
It is a safe bet that Lynne Siegel will never be asked to be a spokesperson for the village of Cambria. Just mention the picturesque hamlet that Lynne has called home for the last six years and the one-liners start flying, Henry Youngman-style. “Cambria is a beautiful place to live–if you’re a bird or a…
“Man About Town” E-Book
I am pleased to announce that I have published a collection of my essays and newspaper columns in a new Amazon Kindle E-Book, “Man About Town: Stories of San Luis Obispo.” Topper graces the cover, in a wonderful photograph by Tribune icon David Middlecamp, who volunteered to stop by the Mission downtown in 1996 to…
The Women of Class No. 81
It is not in Bev’s nature to ask things of people. We have known her for the last four years and she’s never asked anything of us. So we both knew that last Saturday had to be very important, very special, for Bev for her to break that tradition. Saturday was the day Bev asked…
Walking Topper: Elsie Louis
Deciding where to meet Topper and me was an easy choice for Elsie Louis. I had asked her to pick out one spot in all of San Luis Obispo County that was special to her. She invited us to see a tree. A young Camilla-stewartia grows in the garden at the Dallidet Adobe in San…
Mayor Fred
All is not harmonious in Harmony these days. A popular fixture in this tiny Highway 1 community died earlier in the month, and the locals are dealing with a profound sense of loss–what one grief-stricken person terms “a large hole in my heart.” Fred, after all, was their mayor, a life-long resident. Leaders come and…
Visiting Mom and Dad
There are two things from last week’s visit with my parents that still embarrass me, but I’ll share both with you. My 81-year-old mother beat me in basketball. Twice. Shooting underhand. And I cried foul an hour later when she stuck a wad of $20 bills in my shirt pocket. I protested. She insisted. I…
If the Shoe Fits…
I believe I’ve discovered a fundamental difference between men and women. The answer lies at our feet. Shoes. It’s quite simple, actually. Men tend to be rather Spartan when it comes to footwear. We buy one pair, perhaps splurging for two pair on rare occasion, at a time. We wear these same, reliable, comfortable shoes,…
Dog Math
Two is always greater than one. Always. Basic mathematical principle universally understood. Apples. Kisses. Dollars. World Series baseball tickets. It doesn’t matter. Having two of something, anything, is always better than having just one. Yet I’ve been rethinking my math lately since we brought two new dogs home to Atascadero. Tanner and Charles Foster Kanine…
Stranger in the Blue Pickup Truck
I owe someone an apology. Last weekend my dog Topper and I were visiting friends in Atascadero. We decided to return home to Los Osos via Highway 41. I had promised my dog a stop by the beach in Morro Bay. Topper appeared excited with that idea as he rode up front with me–images of…
Envy: The Four-Letter Word for Writers
There is a scene in my movie screenplay Authors Anonymous where Colette, the New Age, unpublished, Danielle Steel-wannabe, confronts fellow writer Hannah, who has already scored an agent, a book deal, a movie deal and now an invitation to meet a famous author. “Why does all this happen to you, and only to you?” a…
Loading…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Dave Congalton Stories 