Could it be that we’re really getting to the end of winter and the end of COVID? Today it kind of feels like it. Olivia and Cor went back to school today. They had an extra-long Spring Break, extended on … Continue reading
I recently finished reading John Steinbeck’s travelogue, Travels with Charley in Search of America. I think I heard about it from my friend Alex. The recommendation was casual, however, and it happened quite awhile ago. Anyway, the book sounded interesting enough that … Continue reading
It’s Saint Patrick’s Day! The day we celebrate a British missionary to Ireland with green beer and Irish Pride parades. It’s not a holiday that meant a lot to me, growing up. However, my interest in Saint Patrick’s day has … Continue reading
I stopped shaving on Christmas Day. So the picture below gives you an idea of what I looked like by the middle of February. I’ve developed a tradition to grow out all of the hair on my head and face … Continue reading
Trump flags are coming down. Gradually. At the height of the November Election season, about half of the homes in our area had political propaganda of one sort or another. Some were standard campaign-issue yard signs. Others were larger, homemade … Continue reading
The United States of America is a proud nation. We’ve deliberately cultivated that pride for a long time. “A Beacon of Democracy” and “The Greatest Nation on Earth” and all that sort of rhetoric. It’s a part of the national … Continue reading
I recently finished reading John M. Barry’s book, The Great Influenza. I’ve been hearing it cited all year (because of parallels between the 1918 Influenza Pandemic and the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic). But a couple of months ago, I heard a more detailed … Continue reading
I recently finished reading Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s autobiography, Infidel. I heard about it from my friend Joe. But my real interest in the book came from my years of living in the Netherlands. Our Dutch years fell squarely during the time period … Continue reading
I’ve noticed this fall that the trees of a forest change colors from the outside, inward. A month ago, there was still a lot of green mixed with bright yellow, dull yellow, and bright orange, with just a few accents … Continue reading
I didn’t sleep very well last night. Even though yesterday was a long day, I had trouble falling asleep at the end of the day. And I had trouble staying asleep, in the morning. I worry about the indecision and … Continue reading