Have you ever opened a bottle or can of Dr. Pepper that’s been shaken, even just slightly?  Have you then gone looking for wet paper towels or a mop, or just gone to stand in the shower so you can remove all the syrupy stickiness with which you have been coated due to the ensuing […]

He had been very hesitant about coming into the office, not because he didn’t like us but because he didn’t like the reason behind the visit.  His wife was terminally ill and for several weeks she’d been after him to go to the funeral home and make certain the cemetery lots they planned to use […]

Despite all of my best efforts, the year has ended and a new one has arrived.  And, despite all of my best efforts, I think I’m farther behind than I’ve ever been.  It reminds me of a coffee mug I have that says, “God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things.  […]

Every year, without fail, the packages arrived.  It might be on Christmas Eve or the day before; it might even be Christmas Day, but they always, always came.  They might be in bags or they might be wrapped, but there were usually two, one of which was a fun box of S’mores stuff from Wal-Mart.  […]

I was driving down the road the other day, looking at all the things that aren’t there anymore.  City Hall looks very different than it did when I was growing up.  The Guinn Tourist Home turned into a Hardees.  And the wonderful old Patterson house is now a vacant lot, compliments of a fire a […]

Let’s all put on our thinking caps for a minute and see if we can count how many different ways we’re told to be happy this season.  I’ll start with the song Deck the Halls which is rather insistent that it’s the season to be jolly.  Let’s see . . . then there’s Winter Wonderland.  […]

Services were almost over when she came down the center aisle.  There was determination in her step, a note held in her hand, and grief etched across her face.  She spoke briefly with the minister after handing him her message, returning to the back of the church before the song of invitation ended. The minister […]

If you’ve read my last few attempts at blogging then you know my daughter and I traveled to Sedona, Arizona recently.  She had been before, so I had a knowledgeable and really cute tour guide who also had a whole list of must-sees/dos for her mommy.  On that list just happened to be the Grand […]

As usual for this time of year, the normal post-on-Wednesday-night, find-it-on-Thursday-morning blog comes a day early, ‘cause Thanksgiving wishes rule the regular blog day.  And, as usual, I feel like I should really focus on being thankful for something.  The trouble is, for what?  That isn’t to say I’m not grateful, because goodness knows, I […]

This week has been a struggle, at least where any kind of writing is concerned.  Writer’s block has ruled the day.  Actually, all the days.  And it wasn’t for a lack of possible topics.  Kathryne and I were spending a week in Sedona, Arizona so there was all the “preparation to leave” material.  Then the […]