I wrote a portion of this blog in 2017.  It outlined my intentions for my new hobby.  I started writing because I was concerned I’d have too much time on my hands.  I had retired from my “real job” in 2008 and was well into a consultant gig I knew wouldn’t last forever.  Writing seemed …

The story below was among my first blog posts.  With Ruth’s passing, I’ve updated it a bit.  It’s a long read, but worth a second look. Many people – perhaps most around the world – never have the chance to share a meal at a table with their family.  I’ve been lucky to have four …

Several years ago, the driver’s side power window of my car came off its track and fell into the inner door wall.  It was late fall, getting cold, so I stopped into the first auto glass repair shop I found.  They removed the inner door panel and told me the “two clips” welded to the …

My new year began at the end of September. In fact, my whole life reset on September 27th. I didn’t plan it. I didn’t want it. It just came. If Ruth were still here, we would have marked 2022 as a good year. David landed a new, less stressful job that he enjoys. He and …

This year’s tree is very different.  It’s the first time in seventy-five plus years that I’ve put one up alone. I didn’t like the way it felt.  I’m not sure I would have one at all if David and his family weren’t coming to Florida for a few days. But they are, so I do.  …

My first memories of Christmas trees were of my dad and I heading to the neighborhood lot to pick out a tree mom would like and dad would be willing to pay for.  It took a bit of compromise.  I do recall we paid as high as $5.00 for a tree, but most were around …

Since Ruth’s passing, I’ve exercised several errors in judgement.  Most are simple tasks run amuck by my failure to think things through.  When she was around, we shared daily conversations about life.   We discussed our plans for the future, travel, thoughts on the kids and grandkids, current events, politics, and personal economics.  We set one …

I think all kids, at least all kids my age, have called dibs a time or two. Calling dibs means you reserve the right to something.  Everyone else is out of luck.  It’s yours. A few years ago, when Ruth and I updated our will, we asked the kids if they wanted anything special to …