MARGARET DILLOWAY

  • Moving Progress

    I sold my son’s Thomas the Tank Engine collection for the full asking price. One lady wrote to me (disdainful sniff imagined) “I can buy these trains for a dollar each at the swap meet!” I wanted to respond: “So do it! Quit bugging me.” But you know how it is with Internet trolls. You…

  • What did Burakumin look like?

    In my novel, I have a character who is one of the “untouchables” of Japan, an Eta, or Burakumin. These were the leatherworkers who were deemed untouchable by Buddhist vegetarians. Eta were discriminated against though it was outlawed. Apparently even today,some people look into family backgrounds to make sure there are no untouchables in families…

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  • Dyeing Easter Eggs with Ties

    I saw an article about dyeing eggs using silk ties and just had to try it. After all, my husband’s new work clothes consist of a Hawaiian shirt and khakis, so most of his ties are going bye-bye. I asked him for a couple. I was stymied by my lack of rubber bands, though my…

  • Hawaii, Here We Come

    My husband was offered a job in Hawaii a couple days ago. Since the other job he was in the running for said they were still considering, he took the Hawaii job. Yay! But wait. He starts work on Monday, the day after Easter, training here in San Diego. Then he reports for work in…

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  • Camera in my Pocket

    For the past few years, I’ve had the admittedly “rich people’s problem” of having a DSLR.  It’s heavy, I hit small children in the head with it, and it markedly cut down on my Disneyland and other trips’ pleasures.  Not to mention the nose squishing caused by looking through a viewfinder. So I was pleased…

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  • Creating a Pre-Teen Monster

    Yesterday, my oldest daughter watched American Idol with me for the first time ever.  She lay face down on the couch, looking bored.  “What do you think about her?” she asked after Lil Rounds sang. “It’s all right. She’s sung better.” “That’s what I think, too.  She’s just okay.” For each singer, she asked me…

  • Best. Day. Ever.

    Ever since my husband got laid off six weeks ago, I haven’t had many GOOD days. I’ve had “good” days that were simply not bad. I”ve had less-anxious days that didn’t require a sleeping pill. I’ve had moderately happy days when a small freelance check came in and we could buy some food. But yesterday…

  • Mama’s Day Out

    We passed a designer store in which a very thin woman leaned on a railing just inside the door, wearing gigantic sunglasses and a wistful look. I imagined her to be a poor anorexic rich woman and waved my Sprinkles bag at her.

  • The Stinky Masses

    I went to mass today. Dragging oneself out of a cozy Sunday morning spent downing coffee and reading the paper is always difficult, not to mention throwing in getting three recalcitrant kids ready. Not to mention that I have a wonky bladder and wonkier knees that make church-going arduous at best. I was feeling quite…

  • Day o’ the Leprechaun

    I was proud of Ethan for inspiring their imaginations. Just last week, the teacher and I had been helping kids with their reading. Some struggle a lot. We talked about how some of them simply lack imaginations, and how I saw it in the private school Ethan was at last year, which had mostly upper-income…