My dog, Ms. K, will be thirteen years old on Labor Day. I've had her since she was seven. We've shared a lot of special moments, her and I. She's no ordinary dog. However, with the number of years she is along, she has slowed down a bit. Her hearing is fading, along with her... Continue Reading →
Time With Temporarily Deaf Dog Has Strange, Wonderful Moments
It’s been an interesting week. My dog seemed to suddenly lose her hearing, and although she’s an older dog, it seemed to me that her hearing would fade gradually, not overnight. I was concerned, but it took a while before I could get her in to see the vet. Meanwhile, life became very interesting. The... Continue Reading →
Patriotic Soul Chooses Alternative Holiday Activity
My Sunday began with a glance out my front window to see a woman politely waiting for a squirrel to cross the street. She had been driving down the street when the squirrel appeared, and stopped to allow it to pass unharmed. The squirrel almost made it across but was frightened back by a truck... Continue Reading →
The Secret to a Happy Dog
At the far end of Mason Street in Stevens Point, you’ll find over 30 acres of doggie heaven that you simply must experience if one of the great loves of your life is of the canine influence. I don’t know what took me so long to get there, but last weekend was my new doggie’s... Continue Reading →
Working the Phones – The Other Side of The World’s Largest Trivia Contest
Author's note: For those unfamiliar, this story is about an annual trivia contest that began as a fundraiser for the student-run radio station at the UW-Stevens Point 49 years ago. The contest begins on Friday night at 6 p.m. and runs for 54 hours straight until Sunday at midnight. Teams listen to the radio and... Continue Reading →
Okay, It Can Stop Snowing Now
I love snow. I truly love it. It makes me feel like a child every time I see it falling. But I’ve had enough of it, and it can stop. Right now. The amount of snow we’ve received this season is most likely due to the fact that I own my own home now and... Continue Reading →
The Iceman Cometh
After three days of above-freezing temps, the entire county turned into an ice rink. Events were being cancelled everywhere. Not because of too much snow, or too much cold, but because the warm days and freezing nights literally glazed everything over to a thick, icy shine. My driveway and back patio were iced over, and... Continue Reading →
Sometimes you have to stop and smell the hot chocolate
Believe it or not, this was my Zen calendar quote for today: “You need not leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You need not even listen, simply wait. You need not even wait, just learn to become quiet, and still, and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to... Continue Reading →
Alas, Christmas shopping season is now upon us
Well, Halloween has come and gone, and you know what that means. It’s now officially Christmas season. If you don’t believe me, take a look in your mailbox. Mine has been filling up daily with all sorts of catalogs I don’t normally receive. I’m not sure how they found me, but they did. Yesterday there... Continue Reading →
The Cafe Where Time Doesn’t Exist
There's a sweet little cafe in a nearby town that I love to visit as often as I can. It's like one of those little cafes they feature sometimes in movies, just a little nondescript place with an underlying sense of nostalgia that's increasingly hard to come by. It's hard to describe why I love... Continue Reading →