First Real Social Interaction In Months

Sometimes I'm amazed at how little I know about this man, who is probably in his late seventies by now. After all, we've been neighbors for ten years. I've written a little about him and his property before, mostly in the context of how much I admire him for being such a hard worker at …

Lots of Time To Learn

He seemed happy to be staying with us, never thinking he'd be expected to perform daily drills with Grandpa. He had little interest in riding a bike, that ordinary activity that has admittedly provided as much fun in my simple life as any intellectual activity. Our youngster had arrived with a shiny bike, and a …

Knowledge of Encyclopedias

I often think I have a great memory...that is...until my kid sister adds relevant details to the story that I forgot.  Always hoping to stump her, I'll suddenly remember an event from when she was just a toddler. I usually fish around first to see if some related obscurity rings a bell with her. If …

The Best Project For Right Now

There's no doubt that social distancing and stay at home orders are stressful for most people.  Mental health issues are on the rise.  Relationships are being tested. I think idleness is the real enemy here, which I took into consideration as the stay-at-home concept began to sink in.  When my wife's school closed we became …

Quickly Losing Momentum On DVT Anniversary

April 22, 2020 It was a year ago that my left calf became noticeably larger than my right.  The symptoms were dismissed as "normal" by my regular physician, but at my wife's urging, I went for a second opinion at an urgent care clinic.  The doctor there persuaded me to go immediately to the hospital …

Priority Shift

I've made a few changes on how I spend my time lately.  When the news of a possible pandemic first started circulating, I began to think about my own priorities.  What do I need to concentrate on right now? Even before meeting my wife over 30 years ago, this picture of her grandmother had long …

Dreams of the Day and Night

I didn't want to talk to anyone but my wife that day.  I was dreading the phone calls I had to make after walking the dogs and eating breakfast.  It seemed this would be significant day in one way or another. It went the way I thought it would at 8:30 AM as I returned …

The Power of the President

Although nobody was paying attention, I may have still been a bit embarrassed at the amount of food I had brought back to my booth. No doubt my tray was packed more efficiently than the other patrons.  I was a young man on a budget, and this restaurant was the perfect place to fulfill my …

No Vegging Out At Home

I was working outside as my neighbor plowed his fields.  My wife suddenly appeared to see if I needed help.  I was glad, because I really did need a hand.  And because it's a part of my DNA, I do occasionally get the urge to mingle with other human beings. It was nice to have …

Living With Many Unanswered Questions

I do believe studies that Facebook and other social media bring about depression, and it's easy to understand why.  This addictive obsession is not the same as normal and healthy interaction between human beings. That's why this blog has been my primary social media outlet for the last several years.  I don't need social interaction …