Personal, Political, Practical, & Occasionally Peculiar
Ninety-seven years ago today, my daddy entered this world. As one might expect, he had a significant impact on my life and I've posted about him numerous times in this space. With the recent commemorations of D-Day, I've been thinking often about Norman Arthur Stricker whose Army Serial Number was 37 404 688. In an… Continue reading Serial Number 37 404 688
The recent commemorations of D-Day have sparked my reflections. With this final day of June 2019, my thoughts center on my father-in-law (FIL) whose birthday it is. He was born in 1921. I've mentioned him in several previous posts, most recently here. Born in Kansas, the second child of Fred and Georgia, Max learned early… Continue reading Know When To Hold
Memorial Day. A designated Federal holiday, the name signifies a specific day set aside annually to memorialize and honor those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Earliest observances of the day pre-date the Civil War. In my younger years, I recall hearing the day referred to as "Decoration Day." That was… Continue reading In Remembrance …
The yearly observance of Father's Day has become a curious phenomena of late. Verbiage including phrases like "toxic masculinity" and the dreaded "male privilege" are bandied about, calculated to make all of us squirm. The always-reliable satire of The Babylon Bee makes this point with its June 15th story: Father's Day Updated To 'Toxic Masculinity Awareness… Continue reading Father’s Day Blessings
No matter how often I've seen it, this 2017 Progressive Insurance commercial always makes me laugh. I'm reminded what the commercial says about human nature. More to the point, it demonstrates the human propensity to ignore the old adage: speak less, listen hard. When someone mentions taking the kids to soccer practice and you're willing… Continue reading Jumping the Cactus
With her 92nd birthday approaching (the end of August), my mother Ruthe must contemplate the final days (or years, we hope) of her incredible life on this planet. I've shared her stories more than a dozen times in this space, among them Everybody's Fine, The Tale of Bobbie Pringle (in 2 parts), and Safe In His… Continue reading Leading The Way
My ninety-one year old mother lives about six hours away. Given her disabilities (she's nearly blind and doesn't hear well), she no longer drives – which means in order to spend time with her, I must first travel to her home. On those occasions when my Beloved makes the journey with me, the distance is the… Continue reading The Road to Ruthe’s
Hello to the New Year 2018. May each day in this new year be filled with God's blessings for you and your loved ones.
Goodbye to 2017. Was it a good year for you? Or a bad one? Either way, it's done and we have a whole new year on the horizon.Time for making a fresh start, beginning tomorrow. Make the most of every opportunity! See you in 2018.
As in Clement Clarke Moore's classic poem, our "stockings were hung by the chimney with care" ... save one minor detail – we don't actually have a chimney, just a mantelpiece (where a gas insert is supposed to go). Twenty stockings in all were hung, one for each of our grown offspring, as well as the in-laws and… Continue reading Let’s Go to the Tape
