Monthly Archives: April 2018

My mind wanders to the warnings given at breakneck speed by a charming voice. Puppies play in a field of daisies, ignoring these dire warnings. I don’t know what puppies have to do with my condition. Maybe dogs get it … Continue reading →

Katrina’s Sad Song  For ten years, it was me and Mama in Biloxi, Mississipi, listenin’ to big, black Fannie Mae belt out gospel, praising Jesus. Sometimes she was so soulful, rejoicing and clapping that her trailer rocked and shimmied, shaking … Continue reading →

MEAMS (MUSIC INVOLVED ONTO BIOGRAPHICAL MEMORIES)   When you are growing up, you do not realize how much is changing until you reach an age when suddenly everything is different. You never know why it happens that whenever you hear … Continue reading →

Most people find rats unsettling, and Julian was no exception. After being forced to deal with one rat in particular, he now fears them. Julian Hawk is a successful writer; not in the Michael Connelly or Lee Child category of … Continue reading →

“This aint no dress rehearsal!” At least that’s the gist of our drill sergeant’s message to a dozen or so trainees starting Army basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana, in 1968. As a reservist who would head home in less … Continue reading →

When I recall my first home in Hartford, Connecticut, fond memories come to mind in a flood of sights, smells and sounds of more innocent times. I lived on the first floor of a two-family, wood-shingled house from my birth … Continue reading →

Retirement   My wise-beyond-his-years, forty-seven year old son, told his “retired” parents that his retirement is in the next life. His belief is heaven (mine, too).However, when he chugs thru his 70’s, this ambition chemical engineer, father of five children, … Continue reading →

Bob whipped his racer body across the pavement flying to safety. Coiled beneath a bougainvillea shrub, he hissed, I made it. The cyclist sped down Pelican Preserve. Mrs. Armadillo gathered her brood for the outing.  Remember little ones, we are … Continue reading →

A bead of sweat popped out of a pore above my left eye.  It slowly wandered down my forehead looking for a landing place.  My eyebrow blocked its path but its work was done.  I was in a high alert … Continue reading →

CURTAIN CALL   It may very well be that life is just a dress rehearsal for what comes next, whatever that is. Maybe not. Just what does come next? Do we really have to rehearse for it?   Dress rehearsal … Continue reading →

Yes! It’s the place I want to go.  Since childhood we’ve all heard of Outer Mongolia as a place so remote, so barren, so far away.  It is far away.  If you go any further than that place you are … Continue reading →

TRAVERSING THE GLOBE After completing extensive research via the World Wide Web, I came up with the following places to explore: 1 Fiji 2 Madagascar 3 Yucatan, Mexico 4 Tayona National Park, Columbia 5 French Polynesia Delving deeper into the … Continue reading →

Bright sunrises announce each day’s warm beginnings. Blue skies enhance serene water views and swaying palm trees. Teaming with wildlife, nature surrounds us, Blessing heaven and earth with rebirth and renewal. So many choices to energize the body and mind. … Continue reading →

When I think back on my early TV expeiences, I have fond memories of black and white westerns – Roy Rogers, The Lone Ranger, The Cisco Kid and Hopalong Cassidy were among my favorites. But what is most remarkable to … Continue reading →

Sandy’s Story Begins She nervously paced the hallway, eyes flitting in all directions as she drew in deep breaths, trying to settle wrangled nerves.  With shaky hands she rummaged through her purse for a cigarette, dismissing the “No Smoking” sign.  … Continue reading →

A warm, gentle hand reached out to me. Fingers caressed my middle. Together we swayed back and forth, cutting a pattern below…slowly rising up, then down, as if undulating and swirling to a Viennese Waltz. Then a tighter grip and … Continue reading →

As she drove, she realized that I75 wasn’t very busy. As dusk approached, she turned on her lights and at the same time, a downpour began. “Note to self: I really need to get new wipers! I hate driving in … Continue reading →

It truly was a “dark and stormy” night. Sitting alone at my typewriter (I much prefer the old-school clacking of the keys as they snap at the paper), I smiled to myself at the cliché. A warm fireplace helped me … Continue reading →

  At first, we were on a very long waiting list. The odds were greatly against us. Then suddenly there was an unexpected phone call, asking us to fill out additional paperwork and prepare for a home visit. A flurry … Continue reading →

A tall, slender figure whose commanding voice (think James Earl Jones) and piercing eyes drew my attention like a magnet to absorb every word. Despite the deep, confident tones, there was a warmth, highlighted by a raspy, infectious laugh – … Continue reading →

This looks familiar. It’s been a while since I’ve been in this neighborhood.  I’ve travelled hundreds, perhaps thousands of miles in recent years seeking a better world.  Something is drawing me back.   There she is. Mom is looking a … Continue reading →

My muse is my inner voice fueled by writers and books. Even now as I write, I’m surrounded by overflowing bookcases, and the colorful book jackets invite me to explore favorite authors. Doris Kearns Goodwin, Walter Isaacson, and David McCullough … Continue reading →

INFLUENTIAL INFLUENCE Just what person influenced me in the past? It’s hard to pick one outstanding out of so many, but I chose my best friend in junior high school, Charlie Elam. We were as close as any two pre-teens … Continue reading →

The assignment generated a bit of anxiety. Write about your muse, the guiding light in your life.  Hmm.  I’m torn by many characters throughout this sojourn.  So, dear Reader, bear with me while I take you on that journey.  Feel … Continue reading →

I don’t know about you but I really think I have something important to say so that’s why I write.  I don’t do it just to pass the time of day, the morning, or the night.  What a waste of … Continue reading →