Christmas in July – I first heard of this concept while residing in Australia, many years ago. It was used in advertising a weekend getaway package to a mountain resort. It kind of made sense since Christmas is summertime in “the land down under,” where the seasons are flip-flopped from what I was accustomedRead more

This afternoon I took three of my grandchildren “to the tree.” They love it there. Our street has two islands which separate the two lanes of our road. In the middle of each island, there are trees and bushes which are quite mature. Some of the trees are conifers and appear to be some kindRead more

Remember Mrs. Manicotti? Do you remember Mrs. Manicotti? She was the chronic complainer I commented on in last week’s blog. She delighted to give organ recitals as she regaled her various ailments and physical problems. I also pointed out that we tend to emulate her frequent grumblings. Like it or not, every one of usRead more

I remember learning the hard way that saying, “Hello, how are you doing?” is more than a greeting; it is a question. New neighbors had recently moved in across the street from us and the lady of the house enjoyed poor health. Seeing her walking to her mailbox at the street curb, I politely said,Read more

May Days   The month of May has always been significant to me. First, I was born in May. Further, I recall the expectations of May Day at school and the even greater anticipation of my birthday, May 16. I remember my family members asking me, “How does it feel to be      years old?” OrRead more

  I haven’t posted for a while because I haven’t felt like it. On one level, I have the desire, but on another I just haven’t felt up to it. Honestly, this is not a very good excuse but it is the truth. My struggle with intestinal problems, which up to now have not beenRead more

I haven’t posted for about a month due to some nagging health issues. So, here’s a good chance for me to catch you up on a few things. I say there are things I learned, but actually, there are things that I already know and need to review in my mind frequently. It is possible toRead more

Earlier this week, my granddaughter Isabel and I were attempting to find a specific store for her. Unable to see the sign from my wheelchair, I inquired about the store we just passed. She responded, “It was a wine shop.” In a feeble attempt to be amusing and teach her about homonyms (words which soundRead more

Why? Why did this happen? Why, when riding my bicycle on a warm day in May in 2010, did I injure myself? Why am I paralyzed from the shoulders down? Why? This is a question which I have consciously refused to ask myself. I don’t think about it for at least two reasons. First, IRead more

There’s a story tucked away in the heart of the writings of Moses, which describes a man gathering sticks in the wilderness. He is apprehended and eventually condemned for his actions – stoned by the entire community. What’s the big deal? Why was this man really treated so harshly? On the face of it, doesn’tRead more