Becoming a grandfather this year added more zest to my life than I could have ever imagined. I love that child. She fills my soul.
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Swaying Hugs and a Road Song /
The recent snowfall painted a serene backdrop for my lengthy road trip to offer a final goodbye to someone that I’ve known most of my adult life. It seems I’ve lost count, but I know that I’ve attended far more memorial services in the past few years than I have in my entire lifetime.
Read MoreIt's Christmastime /
That time of the year is here again. And with it, I look forward to seeing those I love in the next week. I'm counting on those days being filled with plenty of soul filling goodness: puppy kisses and wagging tails, teary eyed laughter, reading, studying, loads of fab music backed by a tad more groovy tunes, and a dinner and movie date (heck.... maybe even two). It's Christmastime.
Read MoreCasual Ordinary /
Time never pauses.
Moments become years and then quickly pass with only a blink. Recently I attended the memorial service for someone who walked through my life and left a mark. It was a good mark, one of love, one of goodness, one of spirit, and one that was always full of human originality.
Read MoreThe Morning After /
For a Friday night, the crew and I settled in pretty darn early last night. I camped out for the evening on the sofa to keep an eye and ear out for Pita following her return home from cancer surgery.
Read MoreWords of Genuine /
Today marks one week since I returned to days of habit after my ten-day retreat to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Every time I return to that area, I locate a special sense of soul rejuvenation. This year was a bit different than previous years. Rather than hitting the road for a daily dose of off the beaten path exploratory field trips, I anchored myself to the cabin by the lake for a week.
Read MoreValued Upbringing /
Pouring a fresh cup of coffee, I thought about my morning discoveries. None of them really came as a surprise. I’ve always been respectful, protective, and frugal with my belongings. I’m certain that my Daddy had something to do with that. He was a tinkerer. Not for the hobby of it, but as a means to keep things working. We were a working class family, which doesn’t mean we didn’t have nice things. We just didn’t have an abundance of them. What we had, we took care of because disposable was not in our vocabulary.
Read MoreA Best Friend's Promise /
I was scolded by my 15 lb. friend on Tuesday evening after leaving him alone in the cabin for two hours while I shopped at a local used record store. How dare me? Fortunately, all ills were forgiven and any grudges resolved with a single peanut butter dog biscuit and swim in the ocean. The world was once again at peace.
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