I went to a movie for the first time in more than five years. It was great, but those previews ......
Winnie
For Christmas in 2008, my brother and I gave my dad a gift card to the Humane Society; this was after his wife, our mom, had been moved to a nursing home as her Alzheimer’s Disease progressed. With the gift card, Dad adopted a beautiful young calico cat, named Winnie, who would end up...
Retirement Check-In
While retirement hasn’t been—so far, at least—the anticipated carousel of restaurants, parties and world travel, it has definitely been a good time, and I feel like I’m just getting warmed up....
The Infinite Weekend
Happy Monday, everybody! Reflections on my first day of retirement....
Two Puppies
Our dogs, Daisy and Sam, are both technically adult dogs, but they don't act like it....
So Long, Downtown
After 30 years spent working downtown, I'm happy with an office move that keeps me in the suburbs....
Construction In The Time Of Coronavirus
Here’s a tip from experience: before you undertake a major house renovation, be sure to check the pandemic forecast. In the fall of 2019, Jean and I had grown tired of our tiny kitchen and tiny dining room and decided to see if we could remedy both problems at once. We engaged Dylan—a nephew...
The Singers
My dad said he didn’t sleep well his first night in the assisted-living facility. It was because of the music. This was in October. After some eight years in an associated independent living facility down the street, he’d had two hospitalizations in six months, each followed by a short stint in a rehab facility....
Walking With The Old Girls
This is our routine. I get their leashes on and nudge Molly toward the front door. She slowly, awkwardly, haltingly walks to the door and goes out. Daisy is always several steps ahead of her ......
The Power Vested In Me
So, yes, I’m a minister. After my nephew and his then-fiancé asked me to officiate their wedding, I went online and got myself ordained. She’s no longer his fiancé; as of last weekend, they are married, and I got to be the one who said, “By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband...