Carol Barkes

Part 3 of “What’s Wrong with Being Wrong” “What day is it?” “Saturday,” Leland told his mom. Brief pause. Then: “Is it Saturday all day?” We both had to bite our lips to keep from chuckling right there on the phone. Not because we were laughing at her—heck no. Rather, she delighted us. You see, […]

Part 2 of “What’s Wrong with Being Wrong” Remember my tomato planting argument with Leland? The one where I was absolutely, completely, 100% certain we’d planted in May, only to be proven wrong by a timestamped photo from April 18th? Well, that ridiculous ten-minute battle over garden timing taught me something goes way beyond horticulture.

Last week, Leland and I got into one of those stupid arguments that married couples have. We were debating when we’d planted our tomatoes last spring. I was dead certain it was the first week of May. He swore up and down it was mid-April. For ten solid minutes, we went at it. I’m pulling

Last week, I found myself in one of those ridiculous arguments with Leland about when we’d planted our tomatoes last spring. I was absolutely, completely, 100% certain it was the first week of May. He was equally convinced it was mid-April. We went back and forth for a solid ten minutes, each of us digging

Yesterday, my husband Leland and I called his elderly mom for our Sunday check-in. When she answered, her voice had that unmistakable groggy quality that immediately told us we’d interrupted a nap. Leland, ever considerate, asked if he’d woken her up. “Oh no, no,” she said quickly, “I was just resting my eyes. You didn’t